What is an exposition?

The exposition is the beginning part of a story. It is where we meet the characters, find out the setting, and get the background about the story line. It is the material that sets up whatever will be the central conflict in a story. Exposition is telling, not showing, and passive rather than active. It is a narrative summary of events that if not handled carefully, can disrupt the flow of action, bore the reader, and make it sound as if the author is lecturing the reader.