Forms of Literature

1. Forms of Literature 6th Grade Reading Created by: Ms. Peldonia

2. Objective • We will distinguish the important elements and characteristics of all the genres using guided note-taking, crossword puzzle, Loopwriter game, and a review test.

3. 1. Novel or Novella • Long works of prose fiction that tell a story about imaginary people or animals called characters that live in a made-up world, or setting. • Novellas are briefer than a novel.

4. 2. Short Story A brief work of prose fiction that tells about imaginary people or animals called characters.

5. 3. Nonfiction Nonfiction tells a story of a person’s life, narrates a series of true events, describes a real scene, and/or presents information.

6. Autobiography – the story of parts or all of a person’s life, written by that person (all true events) Biography – an author tells a story of someone else’s life (usually of a person whose life has a special meaning) Exposition – to present and explain information Informal Text – ranging from directions and warranties to maps and contracts, they are real-world texts that you encounter as you manage your daily life Examples of Nonfiction

7. Essay – brief prose works about a particular subject There are four different types of nonfiction essays. Reflective – explore an author’s thoughts about ideas or experiences Narrative – tells a story of actual events Descriptive – presents people, situations, or places Persuasive – tries to convince readers to think or act in a certain way Essays are another form of nonfiction

8. 4. Poetry Poetry is literature that appears in verse form. • Forms and Purposes • Elegy – relatively long formal poem about death or other serious topics • Epic – long narrative poem that conveys the adventures of heroic characters and is connected to the history of a nation, race, or religion. • Ode – dignifies uplifting lyrics written to celebrate a person, place, thing or event • Sonnet – 14-line lyric poem with one of several rhymes schemes.

9. 5. Drama • Drama can be written in prose or poetry. • Drama tells a story through the words and actions of actors who impersonate the characters. • Text contains the characters’ spoken words, or dialogue, and bracketed information, called stage directions.

10. 6. The American Folk Traditions • Myths, tales, ballads, and tall tales all make up this rugged, outdoor literature. • They were shaped by singers and storytellers around campfires for generations before being brought to the “indoors” of a printed page.

11. American Folk Terms • Folk Tale – a story passed down by word of mouth for the purpose of teaching the ideas and values of a culture. When reading folk tale you should notice certain elements of the culture that produce them. • A specific setting such as a desert or riverside landscape. • The unique rituals and customs of a group. • The values or beliefs that people hold. • Specific dialect, or the patterns of speech that are characteristic of a cultural group or region

12. More American Folk Terms • Myth – tales of gods, heroes, and animals that explain natural occurrences or customs and beliefs • Tall Tale – a humorous story that recounts exaggerated events in a matter-of-fact way, using the everyday speech of the common people

13. That’s all folks!