A Reason for Prologues, Interludes, Epilogues
Prologues, interludes, epilogues – these are pages readers most often skip or gloss over. However, authors write these pages because the narrative needs them. First, they deepen the narrative context. Second, they identify a character perspective, and third, they establish the author’s authentic voice. Moreover, prologues, interludes, epilogues are illuminators of time and place, providing a past, an immediate, or a futuristic background for the narrative.
Prologues, Interludes, Epilogues to Deepen Context
Prologues introduce the story’s background or set up the main plot before the narrative begins. A well-crafted prologue provides essential background information and sets the tone for the rest of the narrative. It summarizes past events, laying out information that occurred before the story starts. Key elements and characters hint at the major conflicts to come.
Interludes often appear between chapters or scenes to add context, shift perspectives, or explore side plots. They expand time by showing events occurring simultaneously with the main plot. By delving into characters’ backstories interludes offer readers a moment to pause and reflect. They provide context, delve into the inner thoughts of characters, or present side stories that enrich the primary narrative.
Epilogues address the aftermath of the main events, offering a glimpse into the future of the characters. They can compress time by resolving loose ends or following through the story’s conclusion.
Prologues, Interludes, Epilogues in fiction and non-fiction storytelling
In a memoir prologues, interludes, epilogues serve other purposes. The prologue of a memoir need not necessarily be by the author of the memoir. It can be by somebody knowledgeable about an aspect of the life and times of the subject of the story. In the novel Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, a ‘prologue’ relates how he learned about the story of the geisha. Given the subject matter’s sensitive nature, this prologue by a fictional author renders the memoir highly believable.
An interlude sometimes indicate a jump in time that breaks the narrative, introducing a new phase, slant, angle, or perspective. In a memoir, an evocation of an emotion is paramount and holds the story together. In the novel This Strange, Eventful, History by Claire Messud, the meta-chapter “Interlude” introduces a little girl’s point of view and character, adding the contemporary slant to a pattern of historical perspectives.
An epilogue can be an extension to satisfy the readers’ curiosities. Often, epilogues are like endnotes, serving as disclaimers and giving clarifications. Prologues and epilogues are as book ends, with interludes clasping the middle even tighter to ensure that no page will fall over.
How authors envision Chapters, Prologues, Interludes, Epilogues
Authors envision their chapters and other divisions based on several factors:
On the narrative flow with prologues and epilogues as frame: Chapters reflect shifts in plot, point of view, or setting. Each chapter represents a distinct stage in the character’s journey.
On pacing with an interlude: Chapter lengths manage the story’s pacing. Short, intense chapters accelerate the action, while longer chapters delve deeply into character development or scenes. An interlude can fast forward or slow a pace down while evoking an emotion or reliving an experience.
On compressed themes: Chapters are organized around themes and motifs. These may also be implied or expressed in the prologues, interludes, and epilogues.
On character focus also found in prologues, interludes, epilogues: Authors may foreground a character perspective via the prologue, shift the point of view in the interlude, then go back to author’s angle in the epilogue. This strategy can provide a multi-faceted view of the narrative.
On cliffhangers and resolutions: Chapters ending on cliffhangers keep the readers engaged. Authors imagine how readers will access the story as they scheme hooks and catch phrases into the narrative. Other chapters resolve key conflicts or provide reflection and segment closures.
Structural devices to establish the author's voice
Chapters, prologues, interludes, epilogues – these markers of structure are the authors’ ways of controlling the pacing of the narrative. Their chaptering strategies create a cohesive and engaging reading experience, guiding the reader through the story’s ebb and flow. Using these devices effectively, authors lure readers into the intricate pattern of their thoughts, that is highly indicative of their authentic voice.
