If my book has an epilogue, can it have a prologue, too? Is it okay to have both?
1 Answer
Yes
Explanation:
A prologue goes before the main body of the book and an epilogue after, but that does not mean that they precede and follow the main body of the book in the chronology of the book.
The role of a prologue is to set the scene for the main body of the book.
The role of an epilogue is often to tie up some loose ends after the main story.
We could set both the prologue and epilogue in the present and the main body of the story in the past, e.g.:
Prologue
Two old men are playing a game of chess in Central Park, unrecognised as the hot headed players they were fifty years ago...
Main story
Account of two young fiercely competitive men who rise up from being pawns to players, using people in the chess game of their quest for power and dominance.
Epiologue
The chess game in Central Park ends in a draw. The two old friends walk away from the chess table together. All their dramatic actions in their younger lives have lost their significance in the world of today.
