Exposition (narrative)
Exposition supplies background information about earlier events, characters, and circumstances so a story’s present action can be understood.
In medias res: A narrative technique that begins in the middle of ongoing action rather than at its chronological beginning. A story opening in medias res delays background information that exposition must supply later.
Plot: The structured sequence of events in a narrative. Exposition supplies context for the events that make up a plot.
Info dump: A large, concentrated delivery of background information that interrupts a narrative’s flow. It is exposition delivered in a way that can overwhelm the unfolding action.
Freytag's pyramid: A model of dramatic structure that divides a play into exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement. Its opening stage identifies exposition as the setup for a dramatic plot.
Flashback: A scene that interrupts the present chronology to depict an earlier event. Flashbacks deliver past events directly instead of summarizing them as background.
Backstory: A character’s or situation’s history before the main events of a story. Backstory is the past material that exposition may reveal.
Show, don't tell: A writing principle favoring dramatized evidence over direct explanation. It favors revealing circumstances through scenes and details rather than explicit exposition.
Aristotle's Poetics: A work of ancient Greek literary theory analyzing tragedy, plot, character, and related dramatic elements. Its account of tragedy provides an early framework for thinking about plot and setup.
Dialogue: Spoken exchange between characters in a literary or dramatic work. Characters can reveal shared history or circumstances through what they say to one another.
Characterization: The methods by which a narrative conveys a character’s traits and development. Exposition can establish a character’s history, relationships, and initial circumstances.