Exposition
Literary term · say it ek-spuh-ZISH-un
Exposition is the background information readers need to understand a story’s characters, setting, and situation. It often appears near the beginning, but important details about the past can emerge later through narration, conversation, or a character’s memories.
Ways exposition appears
Background from the narrator
The narrator explains facts about the characters, their surroundings, or earlier events. These details give readers a starting point for following the story.
At the beginning of A Christmas Carol, the narrator explains that Marley is dead and describes Scrooge’s cold, miserly habits. This background helps readers understand Scrooge before the ghosts arrive.
In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Background through dialogue
A conversation supplies facts readers need while also showing what matters to the people speaking.
In the opening conversation of Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet tells her husband that a wealthy unmarried man has rented Netherfield. Their exchange introduces her hopes of finding husbands for their daughters.
In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Background revealed later
A story can hold back background information until it becomes important. A later explanation may change how readers understand earlier events.
Near the end of Jane Eyre, Rochester explains his marriage to Bertha after the wedding ceremony is stopped. His account supplies the history behind the secret at Thornfield.
In Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë
How to spot exposition
- Look for details that establish who, where, and when.
- Notice explanations of events that happened before the current scene.
- Ask which facts help you understand the characters’ choices.
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Does exposition always come at the beginning?
No, exposition can appear anywhere in a story. Opening pages often establish the basic situation, but later conversations, recollections, or explanations can supply missing history when readers need it.
What is the difference between exposition and a flashback?
Exposition supplies background information, while a flashback shifts the story to an earlier event. A flashback can provide exposition, but background can also come through a brief explanation or conversation without leaving the present scene.
Related terms
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