This is called....?

Question

What is the name of the first chapter (in a novel, let's say) that is before the story really begins? Let's say that this chapter is something that has happened in the past (in the story) and then after that, is the actual story in present. Is this called something else, or is this just a "chapter"?

Answer 1

It's a prologue or prelude if it is part of the plot, the story line, like a murder from the point of view of either the victim or murderer. Then the first chapter switches the point of view to the main character(s). If it is explaining something about the book, like the background for a historical novel so people understand what's going on, it's an introduction or a writer's note. In published books they sometimes have editor's notes, and second or later books in a series might have a summary, summing up all the previous books before it.

Answer 2

What you're after is not a chapter but rather the prologue. The prologue comes before the first chapter and gives folks a little background on what has happened before the start of the story.

Then you may find an epilogue at the end of some novels. Like the prologue, the epilogue is not a chapter. Rather, it is there to tell what has happened after the story finished.

Answer 3

Prologue

Answer 4

Its called the prologue, It is to give you some extra back ground info. on the story. a lot of books have this, and i like it when they do.

Answer 5

The introduction you mean? It's not in all books, but it's usually called the introduction, or something like that.

Or a prologue.

Answer 6

What you refer to is what is called a prologue.It kind of sets up the scene for he story that about to follow.

Answer 7

prologue or introduction or foward?