* Setting: The story takes place in a fictional village, likely in rural England, during a time when the church bell, a symbol of community and tradition, is broken and needs to be replaced.
* Characters: We are introduced to the main characters:
* The villagers: They are generally simple, hardworking people who rely on the church bell to mark the hours and call them to prayer.
* The wealthy benefactor: A wealthy, but possibly greedy, man who promises to donate a new bell for the village, but with the condition that it must be made from the purest metal.
* The village smith: A skilled craftsman who is tasked with making the new bell, but faces a moral dilemma.
* Conflict: The villagers, driven by their desire for a new bell, pressure the smith to find the purest metal for the bell. This pressure creates a moral dilemma for the smith, who knows that using pure metal will result in a bell that is beautiful but also brittle and easily damaged. This sets up the central theme of the story: the conflict between the desire for outward beauty and the need for lasting strength.
The exposition also introduces the theme of sacrifice through the mention of the old bell, which had been cast from the metal of a holy relic. This foreshadows the potential sacrifice that will be necessary to achieve the desired outcome.
Overall, the exposition of "The Soul Great Bell" sets the stage for a story about a community's desire for a beautiful new bell, the consequences of their desire, and the moral complexities that emerge when faced with the need to choose between beauty and strength.