EXPOSITION

Definition of Exposition
In literature, exposition is a form of writing that explains what’s
happening or has happened in the story in a very matter-of-fact
way. Exposition may present background information of the plot or
characters, explain details about the setting, convey a sense of the
historical context, and so on. Authors are often counseled to keep
exposition to a minimum so as not to bore the reader, or at least to
include exposition in such a way that it doesn’t bog down the story.
However, exposition is a necessary part of almost all stories as a
way to convey important information.

ommon Examples of Exposition

We often use exposition when we tell friends and family about our
days. Exposition has a feeling of “this happened, then this
happened, then this,” and so forth. The following sentences, which
can be found in everyday language, are examples of exposition:
 “You know who I’m talking about: Betty, the one who used to
work at the library and always wears her hair in a bun.”
 “My day was terrible. First some guy spilled coffee at me at
Starbucks. Then I was late to my meeting and my boss yelled at
me. Then I forgot to save my report before closing my computer
and lost a full day’s work.”
 “It was incredible visiting the pyramids in Egypt. They’re just so
big and strange against the rest of the landscape.
Archaeologists still aren’t completely sure how they were built.”
Some forms of writing that we encounter frequently, yet are not
literary, are told completely in exposition. For example, newspaper
articles, academic papers, and business reports are written almost
exclusively in exposition.
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Significance of Exposition in Literature

Though authors often try to limit the amount of exposition in a
story, nevertheless exposition is very important in almost every
novel and play ever written. It is not necessary in poetry, and is
very infrequently found there, though sometimes a writer of a
longer poem includes some moments of exposition.
Authors use exposition for many reasons. As the definition of
exposition states, exposition is important for imparting key
information. One key reason to use it is to skim over information
that the reader needs to know to understand the plot but does not
need to experience “first-hand.” Exposition is also important to fill in
backstory and setting without dwelling on them too much. In fact, if
a story contained no exposition and only sensory details then the
reader may not know which of the dramatized moments are more
and less important. Exposition is also an important aspect of
mysteries and thrillers when the denouement comes and the author
must quickly fill in the reader about what exactly happened.
Examples of Exposition in Literature
Example #1
The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue
and happiness they might originally project, have invariably
recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a
portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the
site of a prison. In accordance with this rule, it may safely be
assumed that the forefathers of Boston had built the first prison-
house, somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill, almost as seasonably
as they marked out the first burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson’s lot,
and round about his grave, which subsequently became the nucleus
of all the congregated sepulchers in the old church-yard
of King’s Chapel.
(The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne)

(Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling)

J. K. Rowling ran into an interesting problem as she got further into
her seven-book series about Harry Potter. Many of her readers had
been with her since the very first book, but as her popularity grew
there were plenty of readers who were entering the series for the
first time in the third or fourth book. In this excerpt from her fourth
book, Rowling must briefly explain the origin story of Harry Potter’s
core conflict so that readers who hadn’t encountered the series
before would meet the main villain of the story—Voldemort—and
understand why Harry is so important in his world. She must do this
in a way that presents all the key information without boring her
readers who are already very familiar with all of this information.
Many serial authors encounter the same issues and deal with them
through brief moments of exposition.
 Test Your Knowledge of Exposition
1. Which of these statements is the correct exposition definition when used as a literary
term?
A. A piece of writing meant to convey information or explain.
B. A piece of writing that includes mainly sensory detail.
C. A large display of artwork.

Answer to Question #1 Show

2. Why are writers given the advice “show, don’t tell”?

A. It’s a good idea for writers to include pictures along with their words.
B. Writers should never give any information outright to their readers.
C. Readers experience the story more viscerally when presented with sensory detail rather than
summarized information.

Answer to Question #2 Show

3. Which of the following passages from J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of
Fire is an example of exposition?
A.
And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to
the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. He was screaming so loudly
that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash
of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.
B.
Harry was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter
of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. The only
tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, so as to avoid attracting Muggle attention. They
did it in groups today; Harry, Ron, and Hermione…went first; they leaned casually against the
barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slide sideways through it…and as they did so, platform nine
and three-quarters materialized in front of them.

C.
There were rocks littering the lake bottom. He dived and snatched up a particularly jagged one
and returned to the statue. He began to hack at the ropes binding Ron, and after several minutes’
hard work, they broke apart. Ron floated, unconscious, a few inches above the lake bottom,
drifting a little in the ebb of the water.

Answer to Question #3
 POPULAR LITERARY DEVICES
o Colloquialism
o Ellipsis
o Ballad
o Allegory
o Irony
o Apostrophe
o Tone
o Synecdoche
o Figurative Language
o Rhythm
o Poem
o Conflict
o Paradox
o Setting
o Onomatopoeia
o Discourse
o Ad Hominem
o Imagery
o Stanza
o Rhyme
o Synesthesia
o Assonance
o Sonnet
o Biography
o Personification
o Prose
o Characterization
o Analogy
o Meter
o Syllogism
o Allusion
o Symbolism
o Oxymoron
o Repetition
o Juxtaposition
o Antithesis
o Alliteration
o Hyperbole
o Diction
o Situational Irony
o Villanelle
o Flashback
o Simile
o Metaphor
o Consonance
o Voice
o Pun
o Antihero
o Elegy
o Quatrain
o Dystopia
o Homograph
o Monologue
o Didacticism
o Mood
o Double Entendre
o Anadiplosis
o Ode
o Anapest
o Foil
o Free Verse
o Inversion
o Claim
o Stream of Consciousness
o Drama
o Myth
o Euphemism
o Anaphora
o Metonymy
o Point of View
o Conceit
o Sestina
o Blank Verse
o Memoir
o Connotation
o Theme
o Farce
o Riddle
o Parable
o Satire
o Pathos
o Atmosphere
o Syntax
o Style
o Litotes
o Comedy
o Prologue
o Sarcasm
o Innuendo
o Ambiguity
o Couplet
o Tragic Flaw
o Sibilance
o Rhetorical Question
o Deus Ex Machina
o Dramatic Irony
o Naturalism
o Dialect
o Slang
o Dactyl

HYPERBOLE
Definition of Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of obvious and deliberate exaggeration.
Hyperbolic statements are often extravagant and not meant to be
taken literally. These statements are used to create a strong
impression and add emphasis. We use hyperbole frequently in
everyday language, saying things like “I’m so hungry I could eat a
cow,” or “We had to wait forever for the bus.” Hyperbole sometimes
makes use simile or metaphor to create the effect of exaggeration,
such as “He’s as strong as an ox.”

Common Examples of Hyperbole

As noted above, there are many examples of hyperbole in common
speech. One of the most frequently used hyperboles in English is
the word “literally”—many people in contemporary speech use this
word when they actually mean the opposite, i.e., figuratively. An
example would be “I was literally starving.” In this case, the
speaker is probably not suffering from malnutrition, but instead was
merely quite hungry, and thus was only figuratively starving. There
was some controversy recently when definition of the word
“literally” was updated to include the definition “to acknowledge
that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to
express strong feeling.” Thus, “literally” has become one of the
primary ways to exaggerate and hyperbolize a certain statement.
Here are some more common examples of hyperbole:
 The suitcase weighed a ton.
 I’m so angry, I could kill him!
 I’ve asked you not to do that a thousand times.
 If he doesn’t call by tonight, I will absolutely die.
 She’s as skinny as a toothpick.
Some jokes also take advantage of hyperbole, like the “Your Mama”
jokes. For example:
LITOTES
Definition of Litotes
Litotes is a figure of speech in which a negative statement is used to affirm
a positive sentiment. For example, when asked how someone is doing, that
person might respond, “I’m not bad.” In fact, this means that the person is
doing fine or even quite well. The extent to which the litotes means the
opposite is dependent on context. For example, the person saying “I’m not
bad” may have recently gone through a divorce and is trying to reassure a
friend that things are okay. On the other hand, this person may have just
won the lottery and says, “I’m not bad” with a grin on his face, implying
that things are, in fact, incredible.
The word litotes comes from the Greek for “plainness” or “simplicity” and
is derived from the Greek word litos, meaning “plain,” “small,” or
“meager.” Note that litotes is not a plural word. It is pronounced LAI-toe-
teez.

Difference Between Understatement and

Litotes
Litotes is a form of ironic understatement. An understatement can be any
expression that minimizes the importance of something. Understatement
and litotes both invoke a certain restraint or stoicism when describing
something. However, the definition of litotes is much more specific than
that of understatement. Litotes only refers to the negation of one quality to
emphasize its opposite. If a person is “not unimaginative,” this negation of
the negative quality “unimaginative” implies that the person is, in fact,
imaginative.

Common Examples of Litotes

It is quite common to hear examples of litotes in everyday speech in
English. Perhaps you have heard or even used some of the following
expressions:
 He’s not the friendliest person.
 It wasn’t a terrible trip.
 She’s not unkind.
 They aren’t unhappy with the presentation.
 Not too shabby!
 The two concepts are not unlike each other.
 She’s no spring chicken.
 It’s not exactly a walk in the park.