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Prose.

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Presentation on theme: "Prose."— Presentation transcript:

1 Prose

2 Defining prose Prose is a form of language that exhibits a grammatical structure and a natural flow of speech, rather than a rhythmic structure as in traditional poetry. Where the common unit of verse is based on meter or rhyme, the common unit of prose is purely grammatical, such as a sentence or paragraph.

3 Selected Types of Prose
Bildungsroman Parable Biography Pastiche Fable Parody Fairy tale Travel Writing Memoir

4 Bildungsroman A novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character Origins in the 17th century but popular ever since Translates well into the coming-of-age film (The Breakfast Club, Boyhood, Blue is the Warmest Color, Juno) Examples include: Charlotte Brontë – Jane Eyre (1847) Mark Twain – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) Margaret Mitchell – Gone with the Wind (1936) J. D. Salinger – The Catcher in the Rye (1951) John Green – Paper Towns (2008)

5 Biography A usually written history of a person's life
Earliest biographies known are from approx. 80 CE The first modern biography was James Boswell’s The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) Biographical writing stagnated in the 19th century Autobiographies became more popular Ghostwriters (autobiography or biography?)

6 Fable A short story that usually features anthropomorphic animals, plants, objects or forces of nature and is intended to teach a lesson In prose or verse Differs from parable (which excludes the use of animals, etc. as actors in the story) Examples: Fables from Namibia (the San people) and elsewhere in Africa (oral tradition) Aesop’s Fables from Ancient Greece Jean de la Fontaine’s fables from France (satirised the court, church and rising bourgeoisie) Felix Salten’s Bambi is regarded as a modern fable

7 Fairy tale A story (often aimed at children) involving fantastical forces and beings (e.g., fairies, wizards, and goblins) -> subgenre of the folktale Often include a lesson Differ from legends (which were believed to be true at the time) The genre originates from different oral stories passed down in European cultures Examples: The collected fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm Charles Perrault – The Sleeping Beauty (1697) Hans Christian Andersen – The Little Mermaid (1837) Robert Munsch – The Paperbag Princess (1980) -> princess saves prince

8 Memoir A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge The assertions made in the work are understood to be factual While seen as a subcategory of autobiography, the genre presents a narrower focus (certain key events/phases in life, etc.) Examples: Julius Caesar – Commentarii de Bello Gallico (approx. 58 BCE) Henry David Thoreau – Walden (1854) Susanna Kaysen – Girl, Interrupted (1993) Frank McCourt – Angela’s Ashes (1996)

9 Parable A usually short story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle A didactic story (instructional or informative) In prose or verse Examples Akhfash’s Goat (parable from Persia) The Prodigal Son (parable from the Bible) Ignacy Krasicki – Fables and Parables (1779)

10 Pastiche An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period Unlike parody, pastiche celebrates rather than mocks For example, many stories featuring Sherlock Holmes have been written after Arthur Conan Doyle’s death Examples: Posthumous continuations of Robert E Howard’s Conan the Barbarian series David Lodge – The British Museum is Falling Down (pastiche of the works of Joyce, Kafka & Woolf) (1965) Alexandra Ripley – Scarlett (Gone with the Wind pastiche) (1991)

11 Parody A humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing Synonyms: spoof, send-up, take-off, lampoon Social and political uses -> often used as a component of satire Translates well into its film counterpart -> e.g., Scary Movie, Airplane, Tropic Thunder Examples Miguel Cervantes – Don Quixote (1605 & 1615) Jonathan Swift – A Modest Proposal (1729) and Gulliver’s Travels (satire on travellers’ tales) (1726) F. L. Fowler – Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook (2012)

12 Travel Writing The genre of travel literature encompasses outdoor literature, guide books, nature writing, and travel memoirs. Early travel memoirist: Pausanias, a Greek cartographer (2nd century CE) Became popular in the Song dynasty ( CE) of medieval China In the early modern period, James Boswell’s Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (1786) helped shape the genre Examples Fodor’s (series of travel guides) (1949->) Lonely Planet guidebooks (1972 ->) Bruce Chatwin – In Patagonia (1977) Riku Rantala, Tuomas Milonoff, Ari Lahdenmäki – Madventures – Kansainvälisen Seikkailijan Opas

13 TASK Open ‘Prose Genres.docx’ on Wikispaces
Determine the genre of each excerpt, based on what you have learned about the different genres of prose discussed Why did you come to these conclusions? Discuss with your partner


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