Flashbacks

The Shipping News

by Annie Proulx

The Shipping News: Flashbacks 2 key examples

Chapter 7: The Gammy Bird
Explanation and Analysis—The Origin of Gammy Bird :

Quoyle first meets Jack Buggit, the owner of the Gammy Bird, in Chapter 7. Beginning as far back as his great-great-grandfather, Jack gives Quoyle the history of the newspaper in a long flashback. 

Chapter 9: The Mooring Hitch
Explanation and Analysis—Dennis's Accident:

In Chapter 9, Diddy Shovel, the harbormaster of Killick-Claw, explains Dennis Buggit's near-death experience in a flashback. This flashback is meant to justify Jack Buggit's anxiety about his children going to sea:

Dennis, now, he is a fine carpenter. Better carpenter than fisherman. And that was a relief to Jack—with all that's happened to the Buggits on the sea. Jack has a morbid fear of it for all he spends as much time as he can on the water. He didn't want his boys to be fishermen. So of course both of them was crazy for it.

Unlock with LitCharts A+