Prologues are underrated.
They can do so much for your story in a limited space. They get us into the action. Provide an understanding of the world and the characters who populate it. Reveal what’s at stake. A really good prologue sets the tone for the story that’s to come and sticks with readers/viewers long after the last page has been turned or the credits have rolled.
Are there instances of bad prologues—prologues that lay on the exposition too thick or are disconnected from the narrative that follows? Sure. Though I would argue that there are plenty of bad examples of anything in stories, be it dialogue, conflicts, or character arcs. But just because something can be done poorly doesn’t mean they should be excluded in your story.
Let’s discuss what a prologue is, how it can work, and look at some classic examples where prologues served as a powerful precedent that enhanced their subsequent stories…
What is a Prologue?
A prologue can be defined as a preface or introduction. But I don’t think that fully encapsulates its use in storytelling. A prologue isn’t just an introduction, it’s a manifesto, a declaration of intent. A good prologue communicates what its story is about—tone, setting, characters—while serving as an appropriate starting point for the story as a whole.
Elements of a Powerful Prologue
You may have come across a bit of writing advice stating that a scene can do three things:
Advance the plot.
Develop the characters.
Build the world.
Every scene should strive to check at least two of those three boxes, and a great scene might do all three. I think this is good, practical advice, and I (try to) subscribe to it in my writing. Well, a good prologue can be gauged by these same markers. Is that to say that the only way to write a good prologue is to check every box, all the time? No, as we’ll see in some of the examples below. But it’s a good thing to have in mind as you craft (or rewrite) the opening of your story.
A prologue is a microcosm of your entire story. You want to hook the reader, that’s priority #1 for any story, but if you write a pulse-pounding prologue that leads into a dry, by-the-numbers story, you’ll be giving your readers tonal whiplash. The prologue is a promise of what’s to come—so make sure that’s what you’re providing!
Examples of Effective Prologues
Let’s take a look at some examples of effective prologues (some in books and some in film) and identify which elements were included in each…
Raiders of the Lost Ark
When it comes to prologues, the Indiana Jones series has some of the best. Let’s examine the one that started it all, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The prologue finds Indiana Jones in the heart of the Peruvian jungle, searching for an ancient treasure in the mid-1930s.
We quickly see that our hero can handle himself. Not only that, but he has the smarts to survive a booby-trapped temple to boot. Indy faces down life-or-death peril, is betrayed by his duplicitous companion, but ultimately claims the treasure he seeks—a golden Peruvian idol. Unfortunately, the treasure is soon taken from him by Belloq, the movie’s antagonist and a rival treasure-seeker. Despite the odds stacked against him, Indy escapes. Finally, at the very end of this thrilling prologue, we get a final bit of humorous character development—after everything Indy has faced, he is petrified to share a seat with his pilot’s pet snake.
By my count, this prologue checks two of the three boxes stated above: we understand our heroic protagonist, his antithetic antagonist, and the adventurous tone of the film’s pre-World War II setting. The characters are developed, and the world has been built. But has the plot been advanced? Not really. The prologue has nothing to do with the Ark of the Covenant or the conflict that will follow.
But that’s okay! More than okay, really—everything you need to know about Raiders of the Lost Ark is perfectly communicated in this prologue, and as we watch that seaplane fly off into the sunset, we can’t wait for the next adventure.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Although the opening of the first book in the Harry Potter series is listed as “Chapter One,” I find it to be much closer to a prologue in function. The book kicks off by detailing the Dursley family and their dogged commitment to normalcy before strange happenings and the arrival of the titular character upends that aim.
After our time with Vernon Dursley, we’re introduced to Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and finally, little Harry Potter. We learn a little more about the state of the wizarding world and the sudden disappearance of a certain dark lord—and how it’s all somehow connected to “the boy who lived.” Harry is left in the care of the Dursleys, his only remaining blood relatives, and the stage is set for the story that follows.
In this case, all three elements are included. Characters are introduced and developed, the world is established (in particular, the coexistence of the ordinary world and a secret, magical one), and the plot is advanced. The book’s second chapter picks up ten years later, so I’d reiterate that this first chapter is a prologue in function if not in name, and an effective one at that.
The Batman
How about a more recent film example, like 2022’s The Batman? The movie kicks off with a sequence where an unseen character spies on another. This wouldn’t be an unusual thing for Batman to do as a character—he often surveils criminals from the rooftops of Gotham City.
However, we soon realize that the prying character is not our hero, but the villain—the Riddler. After some worldbuilding via a newscast that reveals the character being spied on is the mayor of Gotham, the Riddler makes his move. He brutally attacks the mayor and prepares his first riddle for Batman.
This, too, contains all three elements of a scene. The plot is advanced—or rather, set up—with the mayor’s death, relevant characters are introduced such as the mayor, his political opponent, and the Riddler, and the world is built. The viewer gets a feel for the tone of the film, which is closer to a serial killer thriller than comic book camp. The movie’s intentions are clear, and the rest of the story delivers on that premise.
Jurassic Park
I’ll be referring primarily to the Jurassic Park novel in this case, but there are some similarities in how the film handles its prologue as well. The book’s prologue opens in the perspective of Roberta Carter, a young visiting physician in a small Costa Rican village. Suddenly, a helicopter lands in the middle of a rainstorm, delivering a severely injured workman in desperate need of medical assistance. Despite her efforts, Roberta is unable to save the workman, who dies of his injuries.
Those accompanying the workman claim it was a construction accident while working on a resort off the coast, but Roberta has her doubts. The workman looks like he was mauled, and the last thing he said before his death was “raptor.” The helicopter leaves with the dead workman and Roberta is left to wonder what really happened to cause those injuries.
In the film, Steven Spielberg opted to show the raptor attack on the workman, rather than its mysterious aftermath. In both cases, the plot is advanced—the workman’s death serves as the catalyst for the main story. The book builds its world through a number of intriguing touches: the puzzling attack, the dead workman, a shady InGen corporation, and a story that doesn’t quite add up. Finally, characters are introduced, but in the book, we don’t hear from them again. Still, they serve the purpose in setting up the story that follows.
Other Examples
Consider some other effective prologues – in A Game of Thrones, the book opens with a small party of Night’s Watch ranging into the wild and wintery wastes beyond the Wall. Most are killed by the mysterious Others/White Walkers, which gives the reader knowledge of the overarching threat facing Westeros while its denizens squabble with each other for power.
Additionally, Jaws sets the stage (as many horror movies do) with a terrifying glimpse of its monster—in this case, a giant, man-eating shark. A young woman falls prey to the beast, and this event sets off the story and stakes that follow.
Conclusion
A prologue can be a powerful tool in any story if done right. If you keep the three key elements in mind and rely on past examples to guide you, you can craft a thrilling opening that will set the stage for your story and have your reader dying to know what happens next.
What other effective prologues come to your mind? Share them in the comments below!
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