Genres of Literature
When you speak about genre and literature, genre means a category, or kind of story. Genres and literature S. Bolmeier/MPS
Fiction Nonfiction Drama Poetry Autobiography Biography Essays Realistic Fantasy Historical Science Mystery Thriller Horror Action Adventure Humor Short Story Folklore -fairytale -fable -tall tale -myth -legend -epic -parody -parable -trickster -origin Autobiography Biography Essays Journals Articles Recipes Speech Memoirs Advertisement Directions Documentary -play -teleplay -screenplay -monologue -soliloquy Free verse Sonnet Limerick Haiku Concrete Narrative Cinquain Lyric Ballad
Fiction a made up story can tell about things that could happen is read for fun characters may be like real people or imaginary Non-Fiction has facts that can be checked and proven the author is an expert on this information it IS TRUE! All categories of books or stories can be called either fiction or non-fiction.
Fiction
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 Traditional Literature
Stories about situations that can happen in real life, with familiar characters and setting Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction can be based on a real story characters act like real people character tries to solve a problem story could happen in real life some events are historically accurate character’s feelings and behaviors are like real life Realistic fiction
Historical Fiction Stories that take place during past historical times, with characters often taking part in important historical events; characters’ beliefs and dialogue are true to the period
Mystery Stories in which characters try to answer questions about secrets, with complex plots involving suspense, danger, and intrigue; foreshadowing and flashback are common elements
Fantasy Imaginative stories in which characters and settings are different from those in the real world, often dealing with magic; sometimes portray heroic battles of good vs. evil
Fantasy Animal characters may act like people characters may have special powers characters may be imaginary beings setting may be in another time (future) usually has a good vs. evil conflict may use scientific principles not yet available or discovered Fantasy
Stories with elements of exaggerated science Science fiction
Folklores Folktales Trickster Legend Myths Fables Parables Origin Stories Epics Parody Tall tales Folklores
Genre -Non-Fiction Biography Autobiography Newspapers Articles Letters Recipes Directions Advertisement Genre -Non-Fiction
Informational Tells facts that can be looked-up or proven tells about real events characters have really lived may have maps, diagrams and illustrations to explain the facts author is an expert on the subject Informational
Genre - Drama Plays – script Cast or characters Set – scenery Sound effects Intermission – short break between acts of play Props – small items to decorate scenery Movies – screen plays Television shows – screen plays or teleplays Camera angles – pan, cut, etc. Stage directions – actor/character position on set or stage, instructions on what they are doing Divisions – acts, scenes Monologues – one character has a scene to himself Genre - Drama
Poetry page format may look different than other books may have rhythm (beat) may rhyme imaginative and creative uses describing or exciting words tells a story in verse Poetry
Ballads Free verse Lyric Haiku Limerick Cinquain Poetry
Ballad Poems with very musical rhyme and rhythm patterns that usually tell about a single event dealing with love, tragedy, or heroism
Comical poetry with 1st, 2nd and 5th lines rhyming and shorter 3rd and 4th lines rhyming Limerick
A form of Japanese poetry that consists of 3 lines (usually with 5-7-5 syllables pattern) Haiku
Poetry that doesn’t rhyme Free verse
Poem that tells a story Narrative Poem