Without an idea of where and when the characters are, readers will be confused about why certain events are happening. This conversation clues us in as to the where, when, and who.Įxposition is important in a story because it allows the reader to see the location and factors of time, such as season, year of life, etc. They may discuss previous events, issues that impact the story, and other characters. Character DialogueĪnother way of creating the exposition is through characters talking to each other. Then the protagonist (main character) may have a flashback or have an inner monologue (speaking to him- her-self) that shows the reader a previous event which impacts the story or is the cause of a later conflict along with the possible antagonist. The story may start with the character in his or her present time, showing the time and place (setting) at that moment. It will also show other characters and perhaps the antagonist. This prologue or backstory sets the story by giving a description of events that have affected or lead the main character up to the present time in the story.
Some books or stories will have a “Prologue” before the first chapter or a scene showing something from the past. These two paragraphs give us a good opening to understanding the protagonist and the setting. From his reflection on what happened to his bike, we get the idea that he’s a little adventurous and active. There is also a slight drought going on, which may or may not affect the story as it progresses. The setting is in Texas, somewhere out in the country he’s in high school, and it is spring. In this example, we see the protagonist, Tommy, battling some inner conflict as he deals with issues with his older sister. But he had his 10 th grade exams coming up in two weeks. What about how busy he was? Everyone treated him like he was a little kid. Rachel needs to study.” Today it was, “Rachel’s tired from her drive home last night.” Whatever! He had work to do, too. His sister Rachel was home from college for the weekend, so he didn’t understand why HE had to go get the milk. His smile went back to a frown as his thoughts returned to why he was walking on this hot Saturday morning. “Man, that was some fun, though!” he remembered with a smile. Tommy wished he still had his bike, but he had broken the frame last fall when he and his friends did some trick rides. The Texas spring was hotter and drier than normal, causing a slight drought.
The gravel road was quiet, with only the dust from his feet rising up from the ground. Tommy kicked angrily at the rocks in front of him as he walked to the little store up the road.
These scenes allow the readers to understand where the story is taking place and who’s in it.Įxpositions are the place to show the reader a little bit of the location and what kind of time is involved in the story, along with some of the major characters. A lot of movies show the exposition by panning over the city or countryside and showing the main character doing something such as walking, working, or waking up. The exposition of a story is the first paragraph or paragraphs in which the characters, setting (time and place), and basic information is introduced.
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