Question

Read the passage from "Little Red Riding Hood.” In this older version of the story, she is called "Little Red- Cap."

The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red-Cap entered the wood, a wolf met her. Little Red-Cap did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him.

"Good day, Little Red-Cap,” said he.

"Thank you kindly, wolf.”

"Whither away so early, Little Red-Cap?”

"To my grandmother’s.”

"What have you got in your apron?”

"Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger.”

"Where does your grandmother live, Little Red-Cap?”

"A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below; you surely must know it,” replied Little Red-Cap.

What element of a plot does this passage illustrate?

climax
rising action
exposition
falling action

Answer 1

Exposition.

This passage introduces the setting (the wood, grandmother’s house), the characters (Little Red-Cap and the wolf), and the initial situation—establishing background and conflict potential—rather than building toward the climax or resolving anything.