Which literary device commonly accompanies the use of flashbacks?

The correct answer emphasizes the relationship between flashbacks and foreshadowing in narrative storytelling. Foreshadowing is a literary device used to provide hints or clues about events that will occur later in the narrative. When a story employs flashbacks, it often reveals critical information about characters' pasts, motivations, or circumstances that may influence future events.

By using foreshadowing alongside flashbacks, the author can create a richer narrative that invites readers to make connections between a character's past experiences and their present actions or future outcomes. This interplay deepens engagement, allowing the audience to anticipate how the backstory might shape forthcoming developments.

Imagery, symbolism, and metaphor, while significant literary devices, do not inherently accompany flashbacks in the same way. Imagery focuses on creating vivid sensory experiences, symbolism deals with representations of deeper meanings, and metaphor involves direct comparisons between unrelated subjects. These devices can enhance storytelling, but they do not specifically rely on or relate to the function of flashbacks in conveying past events and their relevance to the plot.