Prologues and epilogues are literary techniques used in fiction writing to provide additional information to the reader before or after the story. They are more common in classical literature but some contemporary novels include them. A prologue provides background information while an epilogue provides insight into events that occurred after the story’s conclusion. They are often written in a different tone than the rest of the story to make them more interesting.
The key difference between a prologue and an epilogue is that a prologue comes before the rest of the story and an epilogue comes after. This is a technique that is used in fiction writing to provide additional information to the reader, theoretically to increase their understanding of the story or extend it beyond the time limits stated in the book. Most novels will not include both a prologue and an epilogue; one or the other is more common, but of course there are no rules, and some writers will choose to include both if it serves the needs of the work. Often, these will be very short and differ slightly in tone from the rest of the story.
A prologue and epilogue are somewhat more common in classical literature than in modern literature, although some contemporary novels include these extra literary techniques. They are written to extend the story and further engage the reader’s interest. Some writers and editors argue that a prologue and epilogue shouldn’t be necessary if the story itself is complete, while others see no problem with them. It’s largely a matter of personal and stylistic preference, as well as what a particular publisher is going for.
As an introduction to a story, a prologue can work very well. It is typically shorter than an actual chapter and may only be a page or two. Often, it is meant to provide some background on events that occurred before the novel begins. For example, if a novel is about a family, the prologue might include information about the people who started that family or where they first settled. This information could be included in a prologue if it will be relevant to the story later. In fact, if an author takes the time to write a prologue, it’s safe to assume that this information will be important.
An epilogue provides insight into events that occurred after the story’s conclusion, sometimes years later. It can detail what happened to certain characters; for example, if they were children in the book and have now grown up and experienced further significant events. It could also serve as a teaser for a sequel. Often, an author writing a prologue and epilogue, or one or the other, will write them in a slightly different tone than the rest of the story; for example, as if he were speaking directly to the reader. This helps separate the prologue or epilogue from the rest of the story and make it more interesting.
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