General Types of Literature PDF

GENERAL TYPES OF LITERATURE Lesson 2 Two Main Divisions of Literature  1. PROSE Prose is defined as a form of language based on grammatical structure and the natural flow of speech. This originates in the Latin expression prosa oratio, which means literally, 'straightforward...

GENERAL TYPES OF LITERATURE Lesson 2 Two Main Divisions of Literature  1. PROSE Prose is defined as a form of language based on grammatical structure and the natural flow of speech. This originates in the Latin expression prosa oratio, which means literally, 'straightforward or direct speech'. Prose tends to comprise of full grammatical sentences, building to paragraphs; Literary Genres A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even length. They generally move from more abstract, encompassing classes, which are then further sub-divided into more concrete distinctions  FICTION Fiction is the product of the imagination of the writer. The Latin word fictus means “to form,” which seems like a good source for the English word fiction, since fiction is formed in the imagination. It is not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation.  NONFICTION Nonfiction is a broad genre of writing that encompasses all books that aren’t rooted in a fictional narrative. It can be based in history and biography, it can be instructional, it can offer commentary and humor, and it can ponder philosophical questions. Nonfiction is a prose writing that presents and explains ideas or tells about real people, places, objects, or events. FOUR PICS, ONE WORD Guess the type of fiction and nonfiction being represented by the pictures. Write your answer down on your board and wait for your teacher to give a signal to show your answer. N O V E L  Novel Category: Fiction An invented prose narrative of considerable length and a certain complexity that deals imaginatively with human experience, usually through a connected sequence of events involving a group of persons in a specific setting. S H O R T S T O R Y  Short Story Category: Fiction It is an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot. A U T O B I O G R A P H Y  Autobiograp hy Category: Nonfiction It tells a life story of its author, meaning it is a written record of the author's life. Rather than being written by somebody else, it comes through the person's own pen, in his own words. D R A M A  Drama Category: Fiction A situation or succession of events in real life having the dramatic progression or emotional effect characteristic of a play, and intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue. F A B L E  Fable Category: Fiction A narrative form, usually featuring animals that behave and speak as human beings, told in order to highlight human follies and weaknesses. A moral—or lesson for behaviour—is woven into the story and often explicitly formulated at the end. D I A R Y  Diary Category: Nonfiction This is known as discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other periods. L E G E N D  Legend Category: Fiction It is a traditional story or group of stories told about a particular person or place. They may include supernatural beings, elements of mythology, or explanations of natural phenomena, but they are associated with a particular locality or person and are told as a matter of history. P A R A B L E  Parable Category: Fiction This is a short, realistic story that is written for the purpose of teaching a moral or religious lesson, often written in response or to address a particular issue. E S S A Y  Essay Category: Nonfiction This is a short piece of writing that expresses information as well as the writer's opinion. It is also a written composition of moderate length exploring a particular issue or subject. M Y T H O L O G Y  Mythology Category: Fiction These are fictional tales that often have religious origins that explains the action of gods or heroes, provide explanations for natural phenomena, offer moral insight, and include supernatural beings. F A I R Y T A L E  Fairy tale Category: Fiction It is an imaginative story or piece of literature told in a variety of media. Stories, which are based on magic and fantastical settings, plots, characters, and happy endings. B I O G R A P H Y  Biography Category: Nonfiction It is a written history or account of a person’s life and intended to give an objective portrayal of a person, written in the third person. The reader can be reasonably assured that the information presented about this work of nonfiction is as true and authentic as possible.  2. POETRY Poetry is something that arouses a complete imaginative feeling, by choosing appropriate language and selective words and arranging them in a manner that creates a proper pattern, rhyme (two or more words having identical ending sounds) and rhythm (cadence of the poem). It is in the form of verses, which constitutes stanzas, that follows a meter. The number of verses in a stanza depends upon the type of the poem.  Types of Poetry NARRATIVE POETRY is a longer form of poetry that tells an entire story, with a beginning, middle, and end. Narrative poems contain all of the elements of a fully developed story, including characters, plot, conflict, and resolution. These poems are typically told by just one narrator or speaker.  NP: EPIC Known as the oldest form of literature, an epic is a lengthy, narrative work of poetry. These long poems typically detail extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past. This also involves a time beyond living memory in which occurred the extraordinary doings of the extraordinary men and women who, in dealings with the gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants, the poet and their audience, tounderstand themselves as a people or nation.  NP: METRICAL ROMANCE A metrical romance, or chivalric romance, is a type of narrative poem which typically centers on courtly love, knights, and chivalric deeds. Metrical romance poems were the dominant poetic form among royalty, nobility and wealthy landowners during the Renaissance. These poems tell tales and almost always have a happy ending.  NP: BALLAD A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music, often one dealing with adventure or romance. English language ballads are typically composed of fourline stanzas that follow an ABCB rhyme scheme.  Types of Poetry LYRIC POETRY refers to the broad category of poetry that is concerned with feelings and emotion, and presents a character in the first person. It is a combination of lyric and poetry where a piece of poetry is written as a lyric.  LP: ODE An ode is a type of lyrical stanza. It is an elaborately structured poem praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. “Ode to the West Wind" by Percy Bysshe Shelley  LP: ELEGY An elegy is a poem that reflects upon death or loss. Traditionally, it contains themes of mourning, loss, and reflection. However, it can also explore themes of redemption and consolation.  LP: SONNET A sonnet is a 14 line poem, typically (but not exclusively) concerning the topic of love. Sonnets contain internal rhymes within their 14 lines; the exact rhyme scheme depends on the style of a sonnet. Other Types of Poetry  Pastoral Poem Is a literary work (such as a poem or play) dealing with shepherds or rural life in a usually artificial manner and typically drawing a contrast between the innocence and serenity of the simple life and the misery and corruption of city and especially court life.  Haiku Haiku is a n unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin that focuses on a brief moment in time, and a sense of sudden illumination or enlightenment. A haiku is usually composed of seventeen syllables in three short lines with a 5-7-5 format. Any Question?