Premise is the foundational concept or proposition upon which a story is based. It contains the central conflict and sets up the action of the narrative. The premise answers the basis question of “what if?” It sets us up with a situation where the rest of the narrative will explore. It is a premise that usually explains how the story goes without providing extensive details of information about characters and the plot.
A good premise gives a direction to the plot and character development. It gives the basic idea that drives the story and determines the shape of the events and themes. A narrative without a strong premise can also fail to have a focus, leaving readers confused or disinterested.
Why Writers Use Premise in Writing?
A premise is a writing tool, which writers use to set up the base of their story. For a premise, it is the core idea, or the driving concept, that guides the direction of the plot and character development in the narrative. Here’s why it’s essential:
- Guides the Narrative: Premise gives the writer a clear path to follow. It makes sure that the plot remains logical, and events in the story make sense after another. Specifically, it drives the story toward its central theme or conflict.
- Defines the Story’s Purpose: The story needs a premise to give it a sense of purpose. It tells the writer what the story will ultimately be about, and what the writer aims to explore through its characters and plot. With this clarity, the writer is able to communicate his vision with the reader.
- Creates a Foundation for Conflict: The story usually begins with the central conflict or problem that the characters have to resolve. It involves personal struggle, societal problem and conflict between opposing forces.
- Engages the Reader: A good premise captures the interest of the reader. It offers an intriguing ‘what if’ scenario, a moral dilemma or an interesting situation that a reader would like to see resolved.
- Gives Characters Purpose: The reasoning and ambitions of the characters are dictated by the premise. It works to shape the writer’s characters in such a manner where they have specific objectives, and therefore have cause for their actions in the story.
See also: Examples of Poetic Justice in Literature
Components of a Premise in Writing
A premise usually contains three main components:
1- Protagonist
It is the main character of the story. The premise should introduce the protagonist, his or her background, desires, and the things that motivate him or her. It allows readers to feel how the character thinks about and follow through the experience they are undergoing.
- Example: The protagonist in “The Great Gatsby” is a mysterious and wealthy man with an obsessive desire to see his lost love, Daisy.
2- Goal or Objective
Premise often introduces the goal or objective of the protagonist, which he or she tries to achieve. The narrative moves forward and provides the story a direction. The goal of protagonists creates the motivation for their actions.
- Example: In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, Harry’s objective was to protect the Sorcerer’s Stone from being stolen and to eliminate the powers of darkness that were threatening the wizarding world.
3- Conflict or Obstacle
It is the challenge or opposition that the protagonist faces in order to achieve the goal. This is the crux of the story, as much as, it forms a dramatic high point propelling the narrative. The conflict can be between the character and other people or between the character and his or her own feelings or situation.
- Example: In “The Romeo and Juliet”, the conflict arises from long standing fight between the Montagues and the Capulets, which prevents the two lover from being together.
See also: Point of View in Literature
Examples of Premise in Literature
Example#1
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
The opening sentence of the novel immediately sets the premise for the novel: the societal pressure and expectations regarding marriage in the 19th century English society. The focus of the story is on the Bennet family and in particular Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with class and propriety as well as romance. The setting of the novel is focused around how wealth, marriage and social pressure affect personal relationships.
“Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville
Example#2
“Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”
Here, the main idea is to bring Ishmael, the narrator, a restless and curious person who decides to take to the seas. This forms the premise of Moby-Dick, as Captain Ahab pursues his quest to kill Moby Dick, the white whale. The novel explores the themes of obsession, revenge and human relationship with nature.
Example#3
“1984” by George Orwell
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
The opening line of the novel reflects the use of premise, wherein a totalitarian regime manipulates reality. The striking of “thirteen” in an ordinary 12 hours system warns that the world Orwell is about to depict and is basically different and distorted. The novel reflects the oppressive control of the Party over truth, individuality, and freedom.
Example#4
“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.'”
Here, through the viewpoint of the observing narrator, Nick Carraway, the writer establishes the premise of novel: setting the stage in the Roaring Twenties for the lives of the wealthy and extravagant. The focal point of the novel is the enigmatic character known as Jay Gatsby’s mania for the American Dream. Thematically, it is exploring wealth, ambition, and moral decay in post World War I of America.
Example#5
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
“You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking.”
The framing device for “Frankenstein” is a letter written by Captain Walton to his sister. The author embarks on an ambitious voyage to the North Pole, where he meets Victor Frankenstein. The premise is based on Frankenstein’s creation of life and the horrors that follow. The novel reveals the themes of ambition, playing god, and the role of creator towards the creation.
Literary Terms Related to Premise
1- Theme
It is the essential message or idea that a literary work contains. The premise usually gives rise to the theme. In the novel “1984”, the premise of living under a totalitarian regime leads to the exploration of themes like oppression, freedom and truth.
2- Plot
The plot is the arrangement of events in a story. This provides the basis of the plot. The premise is a “what if” scenario; the plot is the unfolding of events that result from that scenario. For example, in “The Hunger Games”, the premise leads to the plot where Katniss has to fight in the Games and get around the perils of the dystopian world.
See also: Literary Devices That Start With P
