Loading…
GCSE English Literature · key term
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape the account.
Used by AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas
Paper 1
A return to earlier events within a narrative, allowing later information to explain what has already happened.
An account of earlier events told with knowledge of what happened afterwards.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events. Victor’s knowledge of later suffering shapes how he describes his journey.
Separate the younger Pip’s reactions from the older narrator’s judgement. Retrospective narration often exposes self-deception.
Distinguish the younger Pip’s beliefs from the older narrator’s judgement of them. This helps you analyse Dickens’s use of retrospective narration.
Part (a), AO2: distinguish the frightened child who experiences events from the older Pip who narrates and judges them. Explain the effect of this distinction rather than merely naming retrospective narration.
Create a free account to keep every note you open and track your progress.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events, so that later knowledge and feelings can shape their account.
A passage that looks back to earlier events, helping readers reinterpret the present.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences with knowledge gained afterwards.
Storytelling that looks back on past events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can reflect on and judge what his younger self thought and did.
The telling of events by someone looking back on them later. The adult Pip narrates and judges the experiences of his younger self.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The older Pip narrates his younger self’s experiences and can expose mistakes he did not recognise at the time.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events. The older Pip can reflect on feelings and mistakes that his younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to differ from what they understood at the time.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on earlier events, often judging them with knowledge gained afterwards.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events. The adult Pip recounts his childhood fears and later prejudices.
Narration that looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can recognise faults that his younger self did not understand.
A story told by a narrator who looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip describes and interprets his younger self’s experiences.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events. The adult Pip can judge mistakes that his younger self did not fully understand.
Narration that looks back on earlier events with the knowledge gained afterwards. The adult Pip recounts and evaluates his younger self’s experiences.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to judge their former actions with hindsight.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to accompany the experiences of their younger self.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can judge feelings and actions that his younger self did not fully understand.
An account told after the events have happened. The narrator can combine remembered experiences with later knowledge and reflection.
An account told after the events have happened, allowing the narrator to look back and comment with later knowledge.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to combine remembered experience with later understanding.
Narration that looks back on earlier experiences. The adult Jane chooses how to present her younger self’s discoveries.
Storytelling that looks back on past events, allowing the narrator to reflect on what their younger self experienced.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events. The older Jane can reassess the influence St John once exercised over her.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape their presentation.
An account told by someone looking back on earlier experiences. In Jane Eyre, the adult Jane can evaluate feelings that her younger self did not fully understand.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to assess experiences with later knowledge.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier experiences, allowing the perspective of the past self and the later self to interact.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events from a later point in the narrator’s life.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to shape their presentation.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing the reader to encounter both the events and the narrator’s later judgement of them.
Paper 2
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to accompany their account of what they felt at the time.
Storytelling that looks back on past events. The adult Jane narrates her childhood with understanding she did not possess at the time.
The telling of past events from a later point in time, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on past events. The older Jane narrates her younger self’s experiences but often delays explanations to preserve their original uncertainty.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, sometimes judging them differently with hindsight.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on past events, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Paper 1
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing later understanding to shape their account.
Revise: ContextThe first-person prose gives readers access to Meena’s feelings, while its retrospective narration brings later understanding to childhood experiences. Digressions into family memories interrupt the immediate action but deepen our understanding of the people involved. Their histories complicate Meena’s early judgements.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing later knowledge to influence how they are presented.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. A narrator can recreate childhood feelings while also interpreting them with later understanding.
Narration that looks back on earlier events. In Anita and Me, an older Meena recalls experiences she had as a child.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to accompany the perspective of their younger self.
Component 2
Storytelling that looks back on events after they have happened, allowing the narrator to combine their earlier experience with later knowledge.
An account told after the events have happened. The storyteller can contrast what they believed at the time with what they later learnt.
An account told after the events have happened, allowing the storyteller to compare earlier beliefs with later understanding.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. This allows a distinction between what the narrator believed at the time and what he understands afterwards.
An account told after the events have happened, allowing the storyteller to contrast earlier beliefs with later knowledge.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events, potentially combining their limited understanding at the time with knowledge acquired afterwards.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events. The adult Jane can recognise meanings that her younger self did not fully understand.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to accompany their original experiences.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events with knowledge and understanding gained since they happened.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events, potentially combining their past feelings with later understanding.
A narrator’s account of earlier experiences, told with the knowledge and perspective gained since those events.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences with knowledge gained afterwards.
Storytelling that looks back on past events. The older Pip can judge actions and beliefs that his younger self did not fully understand.
The telling of events after they have happened. In Great Expectations, the older Pip looks back on his childhood and can judge what his younger self did not understand.
First-person storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. The older Pip can judge behaviour that his younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can judge behaviour that his younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. The older Pip can recognise faults and misunderstandings that his younger self could not.
The telling of events by a narrator looking back on an earlier period of their life.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier experiences, potentially judging them with greater knowledge or maturity.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. An older narrator can judge actions that their younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the adult Pip recalls and interprets his younger self’s experiences.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events. Adult Pip recounts and reassesses his younger self’s experiences.
The telling of events after they have happened. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can recognise faults in his younger self’s behaviour.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on past events, allowing later understanding to challenge earlier beliefs.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, potentially judging them differently from when they happened.
First-person storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences with knowledge gained later.
A narrative told by someone looking back on past events. In Great Expectations, the adult Pip recounts and evaluates his younger self’s experiences.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to judge them with knowledge gained afterwards.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events. The adult Pip can recognise mistakes that his younger self did not understand.
An account of earlier events told with knowledge of what happened afterwards.
Narration of events after they have happened, allowing later knowledge and feelings to influence how the past is presented.
Narration that looks back on earlier events with knowledge of what happened afterwards.
An account told by someone looking back on earlier events, whose later knowledge influences how those events are presented.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape the account.
Narration which looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to coexist with their feelings at the time.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, potentially interpreting them with greater understanding.
Storytelling which looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to accompany their younger self’s experiences.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing past feelings to be reconsidered with later understanding.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier experiences. It can combine the feelings of the younger self with the understanding of the older narrator.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, potentially combining their feelings at the time with later understanding.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events with knowledge gained since they happened.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on events that have already happened.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing later knowledge and feelings to influence how the past is presented.
Looking back on past events. Kathy’s retrospective narration allows earlier behaviour to be reconsidered in light of later experiences.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. Kathy narrates her childhood and relationships from her position as an adult carer.
A narrator’s account of earlier experiences, shaped by what they remember and understand later.
An account told by someone looking back on earlier events, allowing a contrast between what they understood then and what they understand now.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The adult Pip narrates his younger self’s experiences and judges them with greater understanding.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip recounts and judges the experiences of his younger self.
First-person storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. The older Pip can expose errors that his younger self did not recognise.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. Older Pip recounts and judges the experiences of his younger self.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip recounts his younger self’s experiences.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, sometimes judging them with understanding gained later.
First-person storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. The older Pip recounts his younger self’s changing judgements of Magwitch.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can judge the behaviour of his younger self.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to reshape the account of past experiences.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to qualify earlier impressions.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events. In Great Expectations, the older Pip can judge beliefs and actions his younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. Pip narrates his own past with knowledge and judgements that his younger self did not possess.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences. Adult Pip’s account allows Dickens to show childhood fear alongside later understanding.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing differences between their past feelings and later understanding to emerge.
A narrative in which someone looks back on earlier experiences. In Great Expectations, the adult Pip tells the story of his younger self.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to differ from what they understood at the time.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing a narrator’s later knowledge and judgement to shape how those events are presented.
Storytelling that looks back on events after they have happened, allowing the storyteller to contrast earlier assumptions with later knowledge.
Storytelling that looks back on events after they have happened, allowing the narrator’s later knowledge to contrast with their earlier understanding.
An account told after the events, allowing the storyteller to combine remembered experience with knowledge gained later.
Storytelling that looks back on past events, allowing the narrator's later knowledge to contrast with what they understood at the time.
Storytelling in which the narrator recounts events after they have happened, allowing later knowledge and judgement to shape the account.
A first-person account told after the events, allowing the narrator to contrast earlier impressions with later understanding.
The telling of events after they have happened, allowing the narrator’s later knowledge to reshape the presentation of earlier experiences.
Storytelling which looks back on events after they have happened, allowing later knowledge and reflection to shape the account.
Narration in which a storyteller looks back on events that have already happened, combining earlier experiences with later knowledge.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The storyteller’s later knowledge can differ from what they understood at the time.
A narrator’s telling of events after they have happened, allowing later knowledge to shape the account.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, sometimes interpreting them with knowledge gained later.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. Adult Jane can interpret experiences that she could not fully understand as a child.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing a narrator’s later understanding to accompany their younger self’s limited knowledge.
The telling of past events from a later point in the narrator’s life, allowing reflection on earlier experiences.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on earlier events. The older Jane can assess experiences that her younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling that looks back on events from a later point in time. Jane recounts her experiences after ten years of marriage.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to interpret past experiences with later understanding.
A way of telling a story in which the narrator looks back on earlier experiences. Adult Jane’s understanding can differ from what she understood as a child.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on earlier experiences. The adult Jane recounts and interprets her childhood.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing the perspective of the older narrator to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. In Jane Eyre, the adult Jane recounts and evaluates her younger self’s experiences.
First-person storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing later judgement to accompany the account of events.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, potentially judging them differently with the benefit of time.
Narration in which an older storyteller looks back on earlier experiences, allowing past feelings and later judgments to appear together.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier experiences, allowing their later understanding to differ from what they understood at the time.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to interpret them with hindsight.
Narration in which someone looks back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The storyteller can combine what they experienced then with knowledge gained afterwards.
The telling of events that happened before the current action. Austen’s account of the Bennets’ early marriage helps explain their present unhappiness.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The narrator can interpret experiences with knowledge gained afterwards.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. In Jane Eyre, the adult Jane describes and interprets her childhood experiences.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events. The older Jane can assess choices which her younger self did not fully understand.
Narration that looks back on earlier events from a later point in the narrator’s life.
An account told while looking back on earlier events, allowing later understanding to shape their presentation.
Narration in which the storyteller looks back on earlier experiences and can assess them with later understanding.
An account of earlier events told with the knowledge and perspective gained afterwards.
Narration in which a speaker looks back on earlier experiences, allowing past feelings and later understanding to appear together.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier events. In Jane Eyre, the adult Jane can reflect critically on her younger self.
A narrative in which a narrator looks back on earlier experiences, allowing their later understanding to shape how those experiences are presented.
A narrative told by someone looking back on earlier experiences. The older Jane can interpret feelings and choices that her younger self did not fully understand.
Storytelling in which a narrator looks back on earlier events, allowing their later understanding to shape the account.
Storytelling that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator’s later understanding to shape their presentation.
Narration that looks back on earlier events, allowing the narrator to reflect on experiences with later knowledge.
