Expositions of novels might run into a few pages. Novels have longer expositions than short stories owing to sheer length and the fact novesl require greater time investments from readers than short stories. Almost immediately we know that this is very important information (“there is no getting away from the date…” and “time matters, too”) and get a sense of the setting – the day of Indian Independence is very clear from the above lines. Clock-hands joined palms in respectful greeting as I came.Īs you can see from the opening lines, readers are introduced to a character who talks about his birth, his place of birth and time of birth. No, it’s important to be more… On the stroke of midnight, as a matter of fact. I was born in Doctor Narlikar’s Nursing Home on August 15 th, 1947. No, that won’t do, there’s no getting away from the date. I was born in the city of Bombay…once upon a time. Time: You remember the famous, “Once Upon a time” opening line? Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children too begins in a similar way.Where they are : A sense of the place where something is happenning or where something is going to happen.They will be rooting for your main character (usually) and good expositions help create good first impressions Remember that your readers are following the trajectory of your characters. Who your characters are: Can include names, Profession, a particular like or dislike/ character traits – things that will help your readers get familiar with your character.Diary excerpts, letters etc too are known to be used. Notice how all necessary information about a character’s death, reactions to that death from close relatives as well as details of close relatives and the death itself is presented. This epistolary tool helps to provide a lot of information. In reply to questioning, she denied any possibility of intoxication as Miss Chase did not drink… Griffen, wife of the prominent manufacturer, gave evidence that Miss Chase sufferred from severed headaches affecting her vision. Miss Laura Chase, 25, was travellingwest on the afternoon of May 18 when her car swerved through the barriers protecting a repair site on the bridge and crashed into the ravine below, catching fire. NEWSPAPER CLIPPING From The Blind Assassinby Margret AtwoodĪ coroner’s inquest has returned a verdict of accidental death in last week’s St. This story is often considered the original coming-of-age story.ĭ.EXPOSITION THROUGH CHARACTER INTRODUCTION So if a character’s state of mind or being is central plot point you could consider this sort of exposition. Jane Eyre was treated very badly by people she called family and she was in a fragile state of mind for the longest time. This way is effective when you want your readers to understand the state of mind of your character. I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly windy afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddenned by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John and Georgina Reed Reed, where was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door excerise was now out of the question. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning but since dinner (Mrs. There was no possibility of taking a walk THAT DAY. It is about conveying intitial and necessary information.Ħ WAYS TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE EXPOSITION A. EXPOSITION THROUGH CONFLICTĮxcerpt from Jane Eyreby Charlotte Bronte It’s saying, “Hello Reader, meet my character” or “Hello Reader, here’s that haunted house where everything is going to happen.”Įxposition comprises of the choices you make, as a writer, to set the scene and initiate readers to your story. What is Exposition?Įxposition is introducing your reader to your story. In subsequent posts, we will demystify the other arcs. In this first post we talk to you about the first dramatic arc – Exposition and six ways to write an effective exposition. He proposed that the plot of story goes through the following dramatic arcs: German playwright and novelist, Gustav Freytag is credited with analyzing the structures of stories. The plots of traditional stories are believed to follow a certain pattern. In this five-part series on the structures of plots we bring to you what goes into plotting and why it is an extremely important literary element. In our earlier post on the questions to consider while Plotting, we briefly spoke to you about what plotting entails when you are writing a novel.
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