Genres and Literature

1. Genres and Literature When you speak about genre and literature, genre means a category, classification, or the type of writing style or format. Mrs. Kovacs

2. Novel • Longer • Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme • Plots might have subplots and more than one conflict and sometimes more than one theme • A theme is_________________________________ ____________________________________________ • Some novels may have related or independent stories and conflicts within the one main plot

3. Short Story • Brief • Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme • Focus: one main plot, one main conflict, one theme, read in one sitting • Shorter than a novel but longer than a short story? = Novellas

4. All categories of books or stories can be called eitherfiction or non-fiction. Non-Fiction • Has facts that can be checked and proven • Facts are _____________ ____________________________________________ • The author is an expert on this information. Fiction • A made-up story • Can tell about things that could happen • Is read for fun • Characters may be like real people or imaginary

5. Genre - Subcategories • Non-fiction • Expository a.k.a. Informational • “How to” books • Arts and crafts books • Biographies • Autobiography/Memoir • Narrative Non-Fiction • Fiction • Fantasy • Mystery • Poetry • Historical Fiction • Realistic Fiction • Science Fiction • Adventure • Play/Drama • Traditional Literature (like Folktales, Fairy Tales, Fables, Myths, Legend)

6. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Biography • Some of the elements of the genre of biography: • An account of a real person’s life written by someone else • Tells important information about a person’s life, including his or her achievements or talents. • Tells how a person talks, feels, and thinks about things • Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life • Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Nancy R. Craig

7. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Autobiography • Some of the elements of the genre of autobiography: • An account by a person about his or her own life • Tells important information about their own life, including achievements or talents. • Tells how the person talks, feels, and thinks about things • Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life • Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Nancy R. Craig

8. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Narrative Non-Fiction • Some of the elements of the genre of narrative non- fiction: • Characters are real people, settings are real places, and the plot is comprised of real events presented in the form of a story. • Story includes thoughts and feeling the author imagines the characters might have had. Nancy R. Craig

9. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Expository Text a.k.a. Informational • Some of the elements of the genre of expository text: • Gives factual and verifiable information about a specific subject. Information presented can be checked using other sources, i.e. newspapers, encyclopedias, etc. • Uses facts about real events and people • Presents information in a clear way • Gives events in the order in which they happened • Writing organized by topics • May use diagrams, photographs, and other illustrations Nancy R. Craig

10. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Realistic Fiction • Some of the elements of the genre realistic fiction: • Characters behave like real people and animals • Settings in the story are real or could be real • Events in the story could happen in real life • Conflicts in the story are similar to problems that happen in real life Nancy R. Craig

11. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Adventure Tale - Odyssey • Some of the elements of the genre of adventure tales: • Characters who behave like real people and animals. • The settings are real or could be real. • The events could happen in real life • The story has action or suspense, or both. • There is usually a hero, danger, some sort of traveling and the hero is a little different by the end of the story. Nancy R. Craig

12. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Historical Fiction • Some of the elements of the genre of historical fiction: • Story is set in a particular time and place in the past • Story contains details that make the story more realistic. • Characters talk, dress, and act like people of that time period • Story involves real people and actual events that happened in history Nancy R. Craig

13. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Fantasy • Some of the elements of the genre of fantasy: • People, animals, or objects do things they cannot do in real life. • Story takes place in a make-believe setting that does not exist in the real world • Story has creatures in it that are not found in real life Nancy R. Craig

14. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Science Fiction • Some of the elements of the genre of science fiction: • Characters solve problems in a futuristic setting anywhere in the universe • Humans, extraterrestrials, or members of other species • Involve the effects of advanced science and technology on life Nancy R. Craig

15. Thriller The Study of Genre • Suspense is the driving force for the plot • Characters are usually placed in danger or cause danger • A sub-genre of Realistic, Historical, Science, and Fantasy Fiction

16. Mystery • Their characters are real. • There is suspense and excitement. • One or more (1+) characters are trying to solve a problem using clues. • Some danger to the characters. • Problems are realistic and sometimes involve crimes.

17. The Study of Genres Traditional Literature • Tells about the great deeds of a person who may have lived • May exaggerate a person’s bravery or powers • Probably a long ago setting • Story may be considered a part of the history and culture of a group of people • Magic may be used to solve a problem • A lesson can be learned from the story • Probably were told orally before people wrote stories down.

18. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Fairy Tales • Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales: • Begins with the phrase like “Once upon a time…” or “Once there was…” • Setting is a faraway or imaginary land • Characters are often royal, such as kings, queens, princes, princess… • Things happen or appear in threes • The granting of wishes • The use of magical powers • A happy ending where good wins over evil Nancy R. Craig

19. The Study of Genres Rules • Example: Folk Tales • Some of the elements of the genre of folk tales: • A story that has been told and retold over generations • Different countries have similar folk tales • Folk tales often begin with “Once upon a time” or “Long ago in a far away place…” • Characters can be animals or objects that can speak • The story often teaches a lesson or moral • Good or smart wins over evil or stupid • The story is told using the words he, she or it • Actions or words are often repeated (in a pattern) • The story has an exciting “high point” at the end Nancy R. Craig

20. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Fable • Some of the elements of the genre of fable: • Stories are very short • Stories usually have two or three characters • The characters may be animals or things that act like people • Teach a “lesson” or moral Nancy R. Craig

21. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Legend • Some of the elements of the genre of legend: • A story about a hero or heroine • May be based on facts, but the hero or heroine’s actions are “bigger” than life • The story has factual elements, but through countless retellings, the characters and their actions have become exaggerated Nancy R. Craig

22. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Myth • Some of the elements of the genre of myth: • A story that offers an explanation of how something in nature looks or happens • A story that explains why people act as they do • The characters may be human, or gods or goddesses Nancy R. Craig

23. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Play/Drama • Some of the elements of the genre of play/drama: • Meant to be performed or acted out • Has a list that names and describes the characters • Includes descriptions of scenes or settings • Includes dialogue or lines that the characters speak to one another • Includes stage directions giving more details about what is happening on the stage or what actors are to do Nancy R. Craig

24. The Study of Genre Rules • Example: Poetry • Some of the elements of the genre of poetry: • Poems often contain words that rhyme • Poems often contain incomplete sentences, each on its own line • Poems often contain lines with rhythm or meter • Poems often contain repeated words • Poems often are rich in imagery Nancy R. Craig