Literary Genres Workshop

Fiction Fiction- Fiction refers to made up stories about characters and events. - Examples: short stories, novels, novellas, and folk tales. - Harry Potter, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, Eragon, Rikki Tikki Tavi -a short story is a brief work of fiction that can usually be read in one sitting. It often focuses on a single event or a few main characters. a novel is a much longer work of fiction that can take several days to read. Since they are longer, they can have more complex plots and characters. A novella is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.

A fiction story includes elements such as plot, characters, setting, and theme that make the story interesting. Plot is the action of the story. The plot of a work of fiction has an exposition which is the introduction of the story. Then it has rising action. During the time of rising action, the characters undergo an exciting chain of events that lead up to the climax. The climax of a story is the point of highest action in the story. After the climax, the action of the story decreases during falling action. The events in the falling action lead up to the resolution of the story. In the resolution, the problems of the story are resolved and the characters find peace.

Another important element in a work of fiction is setting. Setting is the where and the when of the story. A setting may tell you the time period, the city, the season, or the building. The setting of the story has a huge effect on the plot and the theme of the story.

Fiction stories deal with the problems or conflicts of the characters in the stories. Characters are the people or animals that are involved in the action of the story. Characters in a story can go through two types of conflict. Conflict is the problem in the story. Internal conflict is a conflict that a character has within himself or herself. Example: Should I ask out my best friend’s ex or not? External conflict is a conflict that a character has with an object or person outside themselves. - Example: I asked out my best friend’s ex and now he (she) is mad at me.

The theme of a story is the big idea behind the story. Example: The plot of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are trying to prevent Snape from stealing the stone. The theme, however, is good triumphs over evil.

Poetry Poetry is very different from fiction in that ideas are expressed through a series of lines, which are often grouped into stanzas. There are many different types of poetry. Some are funny, some are serious, some are long, and some are very short. The songs you listen to everyday are even considered poetry! Example: A word is dead When it is said, Some say. I say it just Begins to live That day. - Emily Dickenson

Drama Drama is very similar to fiction in that is uses characters, setting, plot, and theme to draw in an audience. Unlike fiction, however, drama is meant to be performed. The story is developed through the dialogue and actions of the characters. A drama is made up of scenes and acts rather than chapters.

Nonfiction Through literary nonfiction, such as autobiographies and speeches, you can learn about historic events, inspiring people, and groundbreaking topics. Types of nonfiction include: Autobiography Biography Essay Speech News Articles Consumer Documents

Media Media is also considered a genre of literature. Types of media include: Feature films News Media T.V. shows Advertising Web sites