Analepsis

Analepsis is a literary term derived from the Greek word 'analepsis', which means 'to take up' or 'to recover'. In literature, analepsis refers to a narrative technique in which a past event is recounted after the current timeline. Analepsis is a vital tool in storytelling, providing readers or audiences with essential background information or context, deepening character development, and adding suspense or emotional depth.

Analepsis and prolepsis

The difference between analepsis and prolepsis is that prolepsis is the opposite of analepsis. While an analepsis is an interruption in the narration that takes the reader into the past, a prolepsis interrupts the narration to take the reader into the future. Another term for prolepsis is 'flash-forward.'

Types of analepsis

There are two main types of analepsis - internal analepsis and external analepsis. We will explore these types with examples in this section.

Internal analepsis

Internal analepsis occurs when the story is interrupted to recount an event earlier in the narrative itself.

External analepsis

External analepsis takes place when the story is interrupted to recount an event that took place before the story began, i.e., the reader never witnesses the event in the narration itself.

Fig. 1 - In literature, analepsis refers to the narrative technique that introduces a flashback into the narrative.

Examples of analepsis

Analepsis, also known as a flashback, is a narrative device widely employed in literature, films, and television shows to provide critical background information or context. A classic example is F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925), where the protagonist's past experiences with Daisy Buchanan are revealed through analepsis, allowing the reader to understand Gatsby's obsessive love for Daisy.

Examples of analepsis in Literature

Some examples of analepsis in Literature include the following:

Heart of Darkness (1899)

In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the events of most of the novel are narrated as flashbacks, where the narrator, Charles Marlow, is aboard a ship called 'Nellie.' He tells his travelling companions of the time when he was in the employ of an ivory trading company, which had sent him on a mission in the heart of Africa on the Congo river. His relation to the events of the past centre around his search for and encounter with a man named Mr. Kurtz, who was an agent of the company and had gone rogue.

The Hunger Games (2008)

In this dystopian novel by Suzanne Collins, the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, often thinks back to the time when Peeta, another important character in the series, gave her some bread when she and her family were suffering from starvation. This incident leads to a profound connection between Katniss and Peeta that is maintained throughout the series, with Katniss often thinking of Peeta as 'the boy with the bread'.

Atonement (2001)

In Ian McEwan's novel, Atonement, the narrator is Briony Tallis, who recounts the events of what transpired when she was 13 years old, and how she directly influenced the lives of two important characters in the novel. Interestingly, Briony later fabricates part of the story, i.e., the reunion of Cecilia and Robbie, as part of her 'atonement' for her actions, which she deeply regrets.

Examples of analepsis in film and television

Analepsis as a narrative device is not just limited to literature but is also extensively used in films, TV series, and even video games.

How I met your mother (2005-2014)

In this popular sitcom, the protagonist, Ted, recounts to his children using analepsis, detailed events that led him to meet his wife and the mother of his children.

Titanic (1997)

In the film Titanic directed by James Cameron, the events leading up to the shipwreck of the RMS Titanic are narrated in flashbacks by the survivor, Rose, who also relates her encounter and whirlwind romance aboard the ship with Jack Dawson.

Big Fish (2003)

The events of the film Big Fish directed by Tim Burton are narrated in flashbacks by Edward Bloom, who is on his deathbed and is visited by his estranged son, Will. Will, who believes Edward's stories of his past to be fabrications, is shocked when he learns of the truth behind them.

Effects of analepsis

As a literary device, the use of analepsis serves the following functions:

Analepsis creates a sense of foreshadowing, wherein the reader is teased with the idea of what might occur later in the narrative.

Analepsis can build suspense and mystery, thus grabbing the reader's attention.

Analepsis is a great way to add depth not only to the story but also to the characters. Analepsis is often used to explain the motivations, intentions and perspectives of characters by narrating incidences from their personal pasts.

By using analepsis, a story may be divided into multiple timelines, which may often span decades or centuries, thus allowing the author to cover more ground concerning time, space and events that took place during different times.

With these many uses of analepsis and how they enhance the story, it is no surprise that even today, authors use this literary device when composing contemporary works of literature and film.