GENRES OF LITERATURE

GENREa type or class of literature

5 Main Genres: FictionNonfictionPoetryDramaFolk Literature

FICTION VS. NONFICTIONFiction: writing that tells about

imaginary characters and events(includes characters, setting, plot,

and theme)Nonfiction: [not fake- real] deals

only with real people, events, and ideas

(purpose of nonfiction: explain, persuade, inform, or entertain)

SUBGENRES OF FICTION Historical Fiction: real events, places,

or people incorporated into a fictional, or made-up story

Example: The Watsons Go to Birmingham Science Fiction: combines elements of

fiction and fantasy with scientific fact; many sci-fi stories are set in the future

Example: Star Wars Realistic Fiction: fiction that could

happen; deals with real life events and problems

Example: The Outsiders

TYPES OF FICTION

Novels [historical fiction, realistic fiction, science fiction, etc.]

Novellas [shorter than a novel, but longer than a short story]

Short Stories

TYPES OF NONFICTION

BiographiesAutobiographiesLettersJournals and DiariesEssaysSpeechesInformational Texts (newspaper articles or instructions)

FICTION OR NONFICTION?

A writer’s account of his or her life A speech given at a graduation

ceremony A story about a talking elephant An account of an alien from Mars

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE FOR NONFICTION:

To Entertain: written for the audience to enjoy and be entertained

Examples: Fiction, Narratives, etc.

To Explain or Inform: present facts and information to a targeted audience

Example: Articles, Reference Books, Historical Essays

To Persuade: written to convince an audience of a certain idea or opinion

Example: Speeches and Editorials

ORGANIZATION OF NONFICTION

Chronological/Sequential: things happen in order of time from first to last, beginning to end

Compare-Contrast: shows how things are the same and different

Cause-and-Effect: shows how one thing affects another; shows relationshps between things

Problem-Solution: Identifies a problem and then provides a solution

FICTION VS. NONFICTION

Fiction Nonfiction

POETRY

Poetry: “song of the soul”Features of Poetry: o Rhythmo Rhymeo Imageryo Repetitiono Stanzaso Figurative Language

EXAMPLE OF POETRY:

“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks

THE POOL PLAYERS.SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.

We real cool. WeLeft school. We Lurk late. We

Strike straight. We Sing sin. WeThin gin. We

Jazz June. WeDie soon.

FICTION AND NONFICTION

Both Fiction and Nonfiction are

written in ProseProse- paragraph style, meaning sentences are used.

Poetry is written in __________

DRAMAA story written to be performed by actors.

Features: -Script-Dialogue-Stage Directions-Acts and ScenesExample: Romeo and Juliet

FOLK LITERATURE Began as oral tradition Usually has a universal theme Elements of Fantasy 4 Kinds of Folk Literature: -Folk Tales-Fables-Myths-Legends

IDENTIFY THE GENRE:

1. For sophomores John and Lorraine, the world feels meaningless; nothing is important. They certainly can never please their parents, and school is a chore. To pass the time, they play pranks on unsuspecting people. It's during one of these pranks that they meet the "Pigman"--a fat, balding old man with a zany smile plastered on his face. In spite of themselves, John and Lorraine soon find that they're caught up in Mr. Pignati's zest for life. In fact, they become so involved that they begin to destroy the only corner of the world that's ever mattered to them. Originally published in 1968, this novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Zindel still sings with sharp emotion as John and Lorraine come to realize that "Our life would be what we made of it--nothing more, nothing less.“- Amazon.com

WHAT GENRE IS THE FOLLOWING:

2. Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the walls of hatred that have isolated his planet of anarchists from the rest of the civilized universe. To do this dangerous task will mean giving up his family and possibly his life. Shevek must make the unprecedented journey to the utopian mother planet, Anarres, to challenge the complex structures of life and living, and ignite the fires of change.

3. WHAT GENRE IS THE FOLLOWING:

“We Never Know How High We Are”We never know how high we are 

Till we are called to rise; And then, if we are true to plan, 

Our statures touch the skies.The heroism we recite Would be a daily thing, 

Did not ourselves the cubits warp For fear to be a king.

WHAT GENRE IS…

4. High School Musical 5. Aesop’s Fables 6. Paul Bunyan and The Whistling River 7. The Boy Who Cried Wolf 8. Romeo and Juliet

WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE…

9. What is swine flu?Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu

viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current "swine flu" outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.

That makes it a human flu virus. To distinguish it both from flu viruses that infect mainly pigs and from the seasonal influenza A H1N1 viruses that have been in circulation for many years, the CDC calls the virus "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus" and the World Health Organization calls it "pandemic (H1N1) 2009." The CDC calls swine flu illness "H1N1 flu" and the World Health Organization calls it "pandemic influenza A (H1N1)."

10. WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE…

March 22 is World Water Day. It is a chance for people to stop and think about a natural resource that is often taken for granted. The world's water needs protecting. Nearly 1.1 billion people do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. That's about one out of every five people on the planet.

  World Water Day has been celebrated worldwide for 15 years. It

was first observed in 1993, the year after the United Nations passed a resolution to make March 22 World Water Day. Every year, events across the globe take place to draw attention to the critical water situation and to raise awareness about the world's water woes.

adapted from "World Water Day" by Andrea Delbanco This information on World Water Day is an example of A. a poem. B. nonfiction. C. a play. D. fiction. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE…

The story of a young Greek boy who fell in love with his own reflection. Narcissus was a beautiful looking boy. He had long, flowing, blond hair, beautiful, bright,

blue eyes and even, white teeth. Many young ladies fell in love with him including the nymph named Echo.

Nymphs were lively spirits who lived near streams and lakes and protected trees in the forest. Echo had upset the Queen of the Gods, Hera. As a punishment Hera made Echo unable to speak except to repeat the last three words of the person she was talking to.

Poor Echo fell in love with Narcissus but could never tell him how she felt. Narcissus teased her and she ran away with tears pouring down her face. Aphrodite, the goddess of love saw what happened and decided to punish Narcissus. As he came to a pool of water Narcissus saw his reflection and fell in love with the vision he saw . . . it was of course his own reflection.

Poor Narcissus watched his own reflection, every time he tried to touch the face of the vision he loved it broke up on the shimmering surface of the water. Narcissus stopped eating, lost his beautiful looks and pined for his love. Eventually he faded away and died.

Aphrodite took pity on him and made a flower grow in his place on the bank of the lake. Narcissus flowers can be found to this day growing wherever you can find water and trees.

In which book would this type of passage most likely be found? A. Great American Poetry B. Fun Mysteries to Solve C. Great Myths and Legends D. My Life: A Memoir

12. WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE…Rich people's umbrellaslook different from my umbrellas.They have fancier umbrellas.They have cats and other things on their umbrellas.Like sometimes I see umbrellaswith little cats holding little umbrellason them. This makes me want to take all the umbrellasand stick them under the rich people’sumbrellas. The passage above is an example of A. a poem. B. nonfiction. C. a journal. D. a biography.

13. WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE IS THIS? This morning I went to the attic to hang up my

apron when Daddy asked whether I'd like to stay and talk some French. I agreed. First we talked French, and I explained something to Peter; then we did some English. Daddy read out loud to us from Dickens and I was in the seventh heaven, because I sat on Daddy's chair very close to Peter.

from The Diary of Anne Frank The passage above is most likely taken

from A. a myth. B. a biography. C. a journal. D. an essay.