Keywords: non mathematical soapbox
You might say it’s because in a story, you know that the author intends to give you all the information you need to understand what’s going on, whereas this is not the case in mathematical text. My response: you can learn about the mathematical object in the same way you learn about the character in my dad’s blog. Notice that you learn things about this person in a very nonlinear way, and you’re expected to track and piece these things together while you build a reliable mental image of this person.
https://leftadjoint.wordpress.com/2022/01/12/just-accept-that-you-dont-get-it-and-move-forward
Wants 