In Monkey Beach, author Eden Robinson effectively alternates transitions between the present and flashbacks of Lisamarie's life. It is through these flashbacks that Robinson is able to give the reader insight into Lisamarie's childhood and upbringing. By placing these flashbacks between passages in the present time, the reader is able to connect the past with the present and understand how Lisamarie's past relationships and life experiences have shaped her thinking, personality, and mindset in the present . Through these flashback techniques used by Robinson, it is also very evident how important time is in shaping the characters, especially Lisa's. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Using flashbacks, Robinson foreshadows significant parts of what happens to Lisamarie in the present time frame. In the second part of the book, one of the flashbacks sees Lisa and Ma-ma-oo talking intensely about the little man Lisa sees in her dreams. This is very significant because at this moment Ma-ma-oo recognizes that Lisa has the "gift". “Ah, so you have the gift. Just like your mother” (153) she calmly tells Lisa when asked about the little man she sees in her dreams. Discussing the topic further, Ma-ma-oo assures Lisa that those visions are real. The use of flashbacks like these helps the reader understand so much more about Lisamarie and her mind. At the beginning of the novel, in the present, we see Lisa dreaming of seeing Jimmy at Monkey Beach. He thinks to himself, “I wish the dead would come out and say what they mean instead if they are so passive aggressive about the whole thing” (17). At this point in the novel we're not sure what he's talking about. Through the use of flashbacks to the conversation Lisa has with Ma-ma-oo, the reader gets confirmation of their suspicions about Lisa's gift and powers. It is also through this difference in the time frame between the flashback and the present time that the reader understands the depth of character building and formation that has taken place. It is now clear that Lisamarie, fully aware of the powers she possesses, uses them to speak with spirits and to bring her closer to Jimmy. Another example where Robinson explores a flashback in Lisamarie's life during her teenage years which gives us more insight into her troubling state of mind. After a night on drugs in East Vancouver, Lisamarie woke up to meet an angry and disappointed-looking Tab who tries to knock some sense into Lisa's head and urge her to get her life together . At one point during this exchange, Lisa wonders if the whole thing is just a hallucination. “… throwing the package at her. It passed through her body. Surprised, I saw it hit the ground and bounce” (301). It is a mystery to the reader whether this exchange is real or just another dream. Such an episode is also very similar to the time Lisamarie saw Jimmy standing at Monkey Beach and questioned its meaning. He thinks to himself, “I thought if I could talk to the spirit world I would get some answers” ​​(17). These flashbacks play the role of foreshadowing as they almost state what will happen in the future in Lisa's life. Switching to the present time, near the end of the novel, Lisa has another encounter with Ma-ma-oo in which she warns Lisa that “[she] [has] come too far in this world. Come back” (372). This is a very ambiguous moment as it flirts between reality and visions. The time period present here helps us better understand that the encounter with Tab in the flashback could have been of a similar type. Keep in mind:.