A flashback (sometimes called an analepsis) is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial backstory.

Are flashbacks considered a literary device?

In fiction, a flashback is a scene that takes place before a story begins. ... A writer uses this literary device to help readers better understand present-day elements in the story or learn more about a character.

Is a flashback foreshadowing?

The key difference between flashback and foreshadowing is that flashback refers to the past while foreshadowing refers to the future. Flashback is often used to refer to something that happened in the past, before the current events of the story. ...