How does paragraph 1 develop the plot of the text

This first paragraph gives us the exposition of the story. It drives the narrative forward. The story begins in a rural area during Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, which takes place around December every year. Usually, at that time of the year there would be snow blanketing the roads between the village and the town, but this year it was sunny and there was barely any snow. The peasants complained about the warm weather, knowing that it would result in a poor grain harvest.