Use of flashback in Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea' | English

Starter quiz

In Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea', what is a Mami Wata? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- a fish
- a mermaid ✓
- a human
- a ship
What is true of Simidele, the main character in Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- She was once mortal. ✓
- She is scared of the sea.
- She gathers the souls of enslaved people who die at sea. ✓
- She remembers her past clearly.
- She is an enemy of Yemoja.
Match these methods, all used by Natasha Bowen in 'Skin of the Sea', to their definitions ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- simile
  
  ⇔
  
  a method of comparison using 'like' or 'as' ✓
- adjective
  
  ⇔
  
  a describing word ✓
- present participle
  
  ⇔
  
  the -'ing' form of the verb ✓
- alliteration
  
  ⇔
  
  when two or more words close by start with the same letter ✓
Match these methods, all used by Natasha Bowen in 'Skin of the Sea', to their examples ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- simile
  
  ⇔
  
  The sharks cut through the water like knives. ✓
- adjective
  
  ⇔
  
  The sea is a vivid blue. ✓
- present participle
  
  ⇔
  
  I am spinning through the water. ✓
- alliteration
  
  ⇔
  
  The sails of the ship were taught and tight, trembling in the wind. ✓
Match each word to its meaning ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- straining
  
  ⇔
  
  doing something with great effort ✓
- caressing
  
  ⇔
  
  stroking gently and lovingly ✓
- jolting
  
  ⇔
  
  moving or shaking in a rough, lurching way ✓
- dissolving
  
  ⇔
  
  something that disappears ✓
Starting with the first plot point, put these events from Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') in chronological order.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele is swimming with sharks near a ship owned by slavers.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele has a flashback to a time when she was human.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele is sad she can't remember more about her life as a human.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele sees the body of an enslaved person fall into the water.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele swims towards the body of the enslaved person to gather her soul.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele notices that the woman has been badly beaten.

Exit quiz

Which of these are examples of present participles verbs? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')
- happily
- swimming ✓
- hoping ✓
- circled
- spin
In 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), who transforms Simidele into a mermaid?
- a Mami Wata
- a slaver
- Yemoja ✓
- the sea
- Simidele herself
A ______ is when there is a transition to an earlier time in a character's life ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'flashback' ✓
What is true of a flashback? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')
- when a writer suggests something bad is going to happen in the future
- they are used at the beginning of most novels to intrigue the reader
- when a writer uses vivid imagery to describe a particular scene
- when there is a transition to an earlier time so the story isn't chronological ✓
In Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea', a ______ is a water spirit or deity (god) sacred to West, Central and Southern Africa ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'Mami Wata' ✓
The ______ is the '-ing' form of the verb ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'present participle' ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

A flashback is a transition in a story to an earlier time in the life of one or more characters.
Flashbacks are often vivid and give us further information about a character.
Natasha Bowen makes use of flashback in the opening chapter to hint at Simidele's life before she became a Mami Wata.
Bowen relies on the present participle verb and imagery to make the flashback vivid.

Common misconception

Flashback is the only way to include information about a character's past.

Flashback is a powerful method and one which lots of writers rely on. However, there are many other ways to include details about a character's past. For example, explanation from a character or dialogue between characters.

Keywords

Mami wata - a water spirit or deity (god) sacred to West, Central and Southern Africa
Flashback - a transition in a story to an earlier time in the life of one or more characters
Present participle verb - the -ing form of the verb e.g. giggling
Vivid - clear, deep, strong