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GENRES AT A GLANCE. January 2011. GENRES AT A GLANCE. FICTION POETRY DRAMA NONFICTION TYPES OF MEDIA. FICTION. Fiction is narrative writing that springs from an author’s imagination. Examples of fiction Short stories Novels Novellas. FICTION.
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GENRES AT A GLANCE January 2011
GENRES AT A GLANCE • FICTION • POETRY • DRAMA • NONFICTION • TYPES OF MEDIA
FICTION • Fiction is narrative writing that springs from an author’s imagination. • Examples of fiction • Short stories • Novels • Novellas
FICTION • At the heart of fiction is NARRATIVE, the telling of a story. • Although fiction can be inspired by real events and people, it is mainly the product of a writer’s imagination. • Fictional stories can take any of a wide variety of forms, including science fiction, mystery, romance and historical fiction.
FICTION • Regardless of the form, a work of fiction usually is one of these types: • Short story – often focuses on a single event or incident and usually can be read at one setting. • Novel – is an extended work of fiction. Because it is much longer than a short story, a novel gives a writer space to develop a wider range of characters and a more complex plot. • Novella – is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Most novellas focus on a limited number of characters and a short time span.
POETRY • Poetry is the most compact form of literature. Words are chosen and arranged to create powerful effects. • Examples of poetry • Haiku • Sonnets • Narrative poems • Lyric poems
POETRY • Robert Frost wrote “Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat.” These words capture the impact of poetry on both writers and readers. • In poetry, words and sounds are chosen to convey meaning and emotion. • What you will notice first is its FORM, or arrangement on a page. Usually poems are divided into LINES, which are arranged into STANZAS.
POETRY • The way a poem sounds – its RHYTHMS or its predictable RHYMES, for example, is part of its effect. • Language delivers other powerful effects. • IMAGERY, which consists of language that recreates sensory experiences, helps readers see, hear, and feel what a poem describes.
Drama • Drama is meant to be performed. Characters and conflicts are developed through dialogue and action, • Examples of drama • Comedies • Tragedies • Farces
DRAMA • Characters in conflict are at the heart of the drama, just as they are in fiction. • But since drama is meant to be performed for an audience rather than read, the plot is carried by DIALOGUE and ACTION – what the characters say and do. • Dramas are usually divided into SCENES, with each scene set in a different time or place. • In long plays, scenes are grouped into ACTS.
DRAMA • With their heroes, villains, and sets, dramas have been captivating audiences since ancient times. • However, dramas make good reading. • To help yourself visualize a drama, you need to consider not only the dialogue but also the STAGE DIRECTIONS – the writer’s instructions for the actors, the director, and the other people working on a play.
NONFICTION • Nonfiction is prose writing that deals with real people, events, and places. • Examples include • Essays • Speeches • Autobiographies • Biographies • News articles • Feature articles
NONFICTION AND INFORMATIONAL TEXT • When you see the word NONFICTION, you probably expect to find what is called LITERARY NONFICTION, such as biographies, speeches, and essays. • NONFICTION also includes INFORMATIONAL TEXTS, such as news articles and train schedules, which provide factual information. • Because your encounter informational texts all the time, you should know what to expect from them.
TYPES OF MEDIA • Media are forms of communication that reach large numbers of people. They include many subgenres, each with its own forms and characteristics. • Examples include • Feature films • Advertising • Web sites
TYPES OF MEDIA • You may not think of media as literature, but learning how to “read” the media is a key part of being literate in today’s world. • From screaming headlines at the checkout counter to in-your-face advertising, all media messages have been constructed for a purpose – to grab your attention, entertain you, or influence your decisions. • Becoming media literate starts with knowing the basics and thinking critically about ALL messages in this media-saturated age.