Which definition best matches 'flashback'?

The correct choice is rooted in the understanding of narrative structure and how storytelling often reflects on time. A flashback is a literary device that interrupts the chronological flow of a story, allowing the writer to present events that took place at an earlier time. This technique can enhance character development, provide background information, and deepen the reader's emotional connection to the story by revealing important details from the past. By placing a scene in the past, a flashback provides context or insight into a character's motivations or circumstances, enriching the overall narrative.

In contrast, the other definitions do not encapsulate the essence of a flashback. A forward-looking narrative device implies anticipation of future events, which is the opposite of reflecting on what has already occurred. A scene depicting the future would represent a prophecy or prediction, not a retrospective glance. A summary of events condenses and presents information without the immersive experience offered by a flashback, which invites the audience back into a specific moment in time. Therefore, defining a flashback as a scene set in the past aligns perfectly with its function and use in storytelling.