ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE PART ONE: GENRE & THEME ENGLISH I HONORS Mr. Popovich

What is Genre?  Genre refers to the different types of literature.  Examples include:  News Articles  Short Stories  Novels  Essays  Plays  Poems

Ancient Genres  Most literature was written in verse  Verse is written in metrical lines  There were three kinds of verse  Epic: was meant to tell the story of a hero  Dramatic: was meant to be performed  Lyric: was meant to be sung  Some “literature” was written in prose  Including history, biography, philosophy

 Most literature was written in verse  Verse is written in metrical lines  There were three kinds of verse  Epic: was meant to tell the story of a hero  Dramatic: was meant to be performed  Lyric: was meant to be sung  Some “literature” was written in prose  Including history, biography, philosophy Ancient Genres

Modern Genres  Most literature written now is fiction-- it is something created or invented; not “false”  There are three kinds of fictional literature  Drama– which is meant to be performed  written as dialogue; includes plays, movies, TV  Poetry– which is meant to be read aloud  written in lines; includes lyric and narrative poems  Prose– which is meant to be read silently  written in sentences; includes novels and short stories  Some “literature” written now is nonfiction  Including essays, news features, news articles, etc.

Modern Genres  Most literature written now is fiction-- it is something created or invented; not “false”  There are three kinds of fictional literature  Drama– which is meant to be performed  written as dialogue; includes plays, movies, TV  Poetry– which is meant to be read aloud  written in lines; includes lyric and narrative poems  Prose– which is meant to be read silently  written in sentences; includes novels and short stories  Some “literature” written now is nonfiction  Including essays, news features, news articles, etc.

Main Ideas  The main idea in a piece of writing is the author’s most significant point: What is she trying to say?  In nonfiction texts the main idea is explicitly stated  usually in one complete sentence  in an essay, it is called the thesis  must be supported by evidence  In fictional texts, however, the main idea is implied

What Is Theme?  The theme is the main idea of a piece of fictional literature. What does it all mean?  It provides insight into the human condition  It reveals the author’s general worldview  It allows readers to see things from a new and different perspective

What Theme Is NOT A work’s theme is frequently confused with:  The subject or topic  What the story is about  Usually a word or phrase  The plot of the story  The events that happen  The moral of a story  The lesson it tries to teach  Most DO NOT have a moral

Activity: Theme Identify each item as one of the following:  plot  topic  moral  theme  subject Three siblings go swimming in a fast creek even though their grandfather warns them not to. One sibling is swept away by the current and injured. Swimming in dangerous waters Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger despite warnings; Many young people often have to learn a lesson the hard way. You should listen to your elders. Swimming

Indentifying Theme  In nonfiction, the main idea is stated explicitly.  In fiction, however, the theme is only implied.  Consequently the reader must infer the main idea  Which is why it is difficult  BUT… there is a method!

Identifying Theme Here is a three-step process to identify a theme: STEP ONE: BEFORE YOU READ Identify the subject as soon as possible Consider the title carefully– the author did! Examine any pictures or graphics if possible STEP TWO: WHILE YOU READ Identify the topic as soon as possible The topic is more specific than the subject! STEP THREE: AFTER YOU READ Consider the work as a whole– What is the point? What is the author trying to tell me about the topic?

Identifying Theme Let’s walk through the three steps together. STEP ONE: BEFORE YOU READ Consider the title of a short story called “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” What do you think the subject of this short story might be? Fishing? Love? Both?

Identifying Theme Now let’s imagine you are reading the story. STEP TWO: WHILE YOU READ Below are observations and conclusions you might make OBSERVATIONS I have noticed that… CONCLUSIONS The story is about… the narrator really wants to catch the giant bass that is in the river catching the “big one that got away” he is falling in love with Sheilateenagers falling in love he sacrifices his chance to catch the “big one” to try to win Sheila’s love making sacrifices for love he doesn’t end up with Sheila???

Identifying Theme Finally, let’s think about the piece as a whole. STEP THREE: AFTER YOU READ What is the author trying to say by telling the story of a young man who sacrifices his one chance to catch the “big one” for love but who gets neither the fish nor the girl? The answer to this question is the theme! “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” reveals the extremes to which young people will go when they are in love, and it reminds readers that these sacrifices may still fail to win love.

Stating Theme State the theme in the form of a complete sentence.  It is a generalization about the human condition.  It DOES NOT refer to specific characters or events.  In fact, many themes are universal. They apply to people everywhere because we all have common needs, desires, and experiences as human beings.  Consequently, similar themes can be found in various genres– but remember that each genre has a different purpose. Therefore the choice of genre influences how the author states his or her theme.

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