some definite thing. Let us see what the things are which we may be
trying to do.

If you should tell your father, when you return from school, how
Columbus discovered America on October 12, 1492, and should try to
make him see the scene on shipboard when land was first sighted as
clearly as you see it, you would be describing. That kind of discourse
would be called description. Its purpose is to make another see in his
mind's eye the same image or picture that we have in our own.

On the other hand, if you wished to tell him the story of the
discovery of America, you would do something quite different. You
would tell him not only of the first sight of land, but of the whole
series of incidents which led up to that event. If he could follow you
readily, could almost live through the various happenings that you
related, you would be telling your story well. That kind of discourse
is not description but narration.

Suppose, then, that your father should say: "Now tell me this: What is
the difference between the discovery of America and the colonization
of America?" You would now have a new task. You would not care to make
him see any particular scene or live through the events of discovery
but to make him _understand something which you understand_. You would
show him that the discovery of America meant merely the fact that
America was found to be here, but that colonization meant the coming,
not of the explorers, but of the permanent settlers. This form of
discourse which makes clear to someone else an idea that is already
clear to us is called exposition.

And now suppose your father should say: "Well, you have told me a