Introduction to Literary Genres

Week 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

• Literature originates from the Latin word "Litera," meaning 'letter'.
• Literature reflects human ideas, thoughts, and emotions.
• Literature is a reflection of human experience in various forms.
• All literature falls under two main divisions: Prose and Poetry.

Prose

• Prose is written in paragraphs using ordinary language.
• Prose focuses on intellect and aims to convince, inform, instruct, imitate, and reflect.

Poetry

• Poetry is written in stanzas/verses, using metrical, rhythmical, and figurative language.
• Poetry focuses on emotion and is used to stir the imagination.

Types of Prose

• Prose Drama is a type of drama written in prose with dialogues meant to be acted.
• An Essay is a writer's expression of their viewpoint on a topic.
• Prose Fiction uses dialogue, narrative, and exposition.
• A Novel is a long narrative divided into chapters with events from real-life experiences and many characters.
• A Short Story is a narrative form with one or more characters, a single plot, and impression.
• Biography is written about someone by another person, while Autobiography is self-written.
• A Letter is a written discourse that displays the writer's psychological makeup.
• A Diary is a daily record of a person's experiences.
• A Journal is a newspaper or periodical, especially focusing on serious matters.

Other Prose Forms

• Historical Prose deals with historical events.
• Scientific Prose deals with science.
• Current Publications include books, magazines, or newspapers.
• Literary Criticism involves judging and commenting on the qualities of a work.
• A Book Review deals with the contents and worth of a book.
• Philosophy involves processes governing thought, conduct, and the theory of the principles/laws that regulate the universe.
• Travel writing accounts for trips, journeys, and tours.
• A Parody imitates another author's work, using ridicule as the main objective.
• An Anecdote is a brief narrative concerning a particular individual/incident.
• A Character Sketch provides a short description of a person's qualities and traits.
• A Parable is a short tale that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson.
• A Pamphlet is a small book on a topic of current interest.
• An Eulogy is writing in praise of a deceased person, event, or thing.
• A Speech is a general discourse delivered to an audience.
• An Address is a formal, carefully prepared speech.
• An Oration is an eloquent and rhetorical speech.
• A Lecture is a carefully prepared speech intended to inform/instruct.
• A Talk is an informal speech, either impromptu or planned.

Week 2: Fiction

• Fiction is a product of human imagination, using non-true elements.
• Fiction aims for recreation and re-creation of life through prose about imaginary characters/events.
• Fictional stories entertain people.
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a fiction story depicting the cultural values, norms, and historical events during European colonization.

Two Types of Fiction

• A Short Story is a compressed narrative with a single unit of time, place, and action, focusing on one character.
• A Novel is a narrative extending beyond a single plot, with a main and sub-plots.
• Characters and actions in novels should represent the real world.

Elements of Fiction

• Characters: people, animals, or figures involved in the story.
• A Protagonist is the main character; an Antagonist is the main enemy.
• A Dynamic character significantly changes, while a Static character stays unchanged.
• A Round character is complex and multi-dimensional.
• Settings: locale and period in which the story takes place.
• Setting includes the atmosphere, time, furniture, and fixtures.
• Conflict: a struggle involving the characters. Exposition introduces essential background information.
• Plot: series of events/actions in a story.
• Conflict creates challenges that the main characters must overcome. Rising Action leads characters to a difficult decision.
• Climax is the highest point of tension. Falling Action resolves the tension; Resolution concludes the conflicts.
• Point of View: who tells the story (First Person, Second Person, Third Person).
• Style: writer’s word choice, arrangement (diction, syntax).
• Theme: central meaning.
• Tone: author’s attitude.

Week 3: Poetry

• Poetry comes from the Latin word 'Poeta' and the Greek word 'Poetes' meaning 'maker, creator, or composer'.
• Poetry expresses feeling/insight, like a song and deals with heightened aesthetics.
• Poetry uses more concentrated style than other literary forms.

Five things to remember about poetry

• Concentrated thought
• Word-music
• Expresses senses
• Answers need for rhythm
• Observation + imagination

Elements of Poetry

• Sense: revealed through meaning of words, images, and symbols.
• Diction: Denotative (dictionary meaning) and Connotative (emotional/imaginative association).
• Imagery: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, motion, and emotions.

Figures of Speech

• Simile: indirect comparison using 'as' and 'like'. Metaphor: direct comparison.
• Personification: giving human qualities. Apostrophe: address to someone absent/dead.
• Metonymy: substitutes a word that’s closely related. Synecdoche: uses a part to represent the whole.
• Hyperbole: exaggeration. Irony: opposite of what is meant.
• Allusion: any literary, biblical, historical reference. Antithesis: contrast of words or ideas.
• Paradox: contradictory but makes sense. Litotes: double negative to affirm positive.
• Oxymoron: puts together contradictory terms.

Sound

• Tone Color emphasizes individual sounds. Alliteration: repetition of initial sounds on the same line/stanza.
• Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds anywhere in the middle/end of line. Consonance: repetition of consonant sounds middle/end of line.
• Repetition: of entire lines/phrases. Anaphora: repetition of a word/phrase at the start of a sentence. Rhyme: repetition of similar sounds.
• Rhythm: ordered, recurrent alteration of strong & weak elements, with patterns of stress.
• Meter: stress, duration, syllables per line.

3 Types of Poetry

• Descriptive: focuses on details.
• Narrative: tells a story.

Week 4: Types of Essay

• Essay is a piece of academic writing that describes, analyzes, and evaluates a certain topic.

Descriptive Essay

• Provides information about a person, place, or object.
• Uses sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).

Narrative Essay

• Narrates a story, making readers feel the writing is genuine.
• Usually uses first person POV.

Argumentative Essay

• Convinces readers that the idea is true.
• Defends/proves a point.

Persuasive Essay

• Convinces the readers to agree with the author's opinions.
• Uses opinions and stirs the reader's emotion.

Expository Essay

• Informative writing that provides a step-by-step analysis of an issue.
• Explanation for a major concern with evidence, facts, and statistics.

Week 5: Drama

• Drama is an artistic staging work that provides fresh insights into human behavior.

Components of Drama

• Character drives the plot, conveys themes, and engages the audience emotionally.
• Plot: sequence of events creating the storyline, tension, and intrigue.
• Conflict: the driving force.
• Internal conflict: psychological/moral dilemma. External conflict: struggle between a character and an external entity.
• Interpersonal conflict: struggle between two or more characters. Social/Cultural conflict: illuminates societal issues. Cosmic/Fate-Driven conflict: struggle against uncontrollable forces.
• Dialogue: spoken communication.
• Setting: time, place, environment.
• Theme: underlying messages.
• Stage Directions: guidance for actors, designers, and directors.
• Symbolism: use of objects, actions, and characters to represent abstract ideas.

Alternative Types of Conflict

• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Society
• Man vs. Self
• Man vs. Technology
• Man vs. Fate/God
• Man vs. Supernatural

Types of Drama

• Tragedy: explores the downfall from tragic events.
• Comedy: characterized by humor and lightheartedness.
• Tragicomedy/Dramedy: combines elements of tragedy and comedy.
• Historical: set in a specific historical period.

Week 6: Informal vs Formal essays

• Informal Essay: short, on any topic, colloquial language, personal, subjective, and general
• Formal Essay: long, on scientific topics, standard language, objective, third person, and specific

7 Steps to Writing an Essay

• Choose a Topic.
• Prepare an outline/diagram of your ideas.
• Write your thesis statement.
• Write the body.
• Write the introduction.
• Write the conclusion.
• Write the finishing touches.