3 GenresElements of Lit
3 GenresElements of Lit
LITERARY GENRES
A. FICTION
Fiction refers to a literary work which comes from the author’s imagination.
Through the fictional narrative, a writer may inform, entertain, inspire, or even
persuade (Littlehale, 2020).
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in prose form, (2) considerable length or word count, (3) fictional
content, and (4) individualism; that is, it appeals to an individual
audience as a reader rather than to a group.
ELEMENTS OF FICTION
1. Characters
Characterization – This is how the author make the characters reveal their
personality or character traits in the story. It can either be direct or indirect
characterization.
2. Plot
The plot of the story/novel is the sequence of events that makes up the
narrative.
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3. Setting
The setting includes the time or period and place where the event happened.
The characters are the persons/ animals/ or any inanimate object that functions
as the protagonist, antagonist and other minor entities that perform the actions,
speak dialogue and moving the story along a plot line.
4. Conflict
Conflict creates tension in the story and it involves the struggle of between
two opposing forces/ characters, usually the protagonist and the antagonist.
Conflict can be internal and external.
5. Point-of-view
The point of view is the perspective from which the story is written.
o The first person point of view is told from the story-teller’s (or
narrator’s) perspective. The pronouns that are used include I, me, my.
o The third person point of view is told by a narrator who is not part of
the story, and is not describing their own experiences. Third person
pronouns include he, she, they, them, his, hers.
o Third Person Omniscient. From this perspective the author knows and
relates all the feelings, actions and events that occur in the story. This
story is told by an all-knowing (omniscient) figure.
Flashback. This is used to give the reader information about events in the
past, to help them understand and identify issues they encounter in the story.
7. Irony
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TYPES:
a. Verbal Irony. The use of words to mean something different than what
they appear to mean.
b. Situational Irony. The difference between what is expected to happen
and what actually happens.
c. Dramatic Irony. When the audience is more aware of what is happening
than a character.
8. Symbols
Local color in literature is fiction and poetry that focuses on the characters,
dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region. It
reflects the characteristic appearance, mannerisms, speech, and dress of a place
or a period.
9. Theme
A theme is the overall idea the author tries to convey to the reader.
B. POETRY
Poetry is one of the earliest genres of literature. It was either recited or sang
back to prehistoric times to call for help from a deity, narrate a hero’s life and
victories, tell about the love story of their rulers, or describe someone who inspires
them.
TYPES OF POETRY:
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Elements of Poetry:
1. Rhyme – it is the identical rhyme if the last words or sounds match each other.
alliteration : followed, flats, front bother, back assonance: big, slipper picked,
slimy
2. Meter – it is also called the rhythm in poetry. It is the pattern of beats ( foot)
(stressed and unstressed syllables in a line). It is also called foot.
C. NON-FICTION
Nonfiction is a literary genre that tells about stories that actually happen in
real life. The sub genres of literary nonfiction are biography, memoir,
autobiography, journals, diaries, periodicals and references. These works of
literary nonfiction have character, setting, plot, conflict, figurative language, and
theme just like literary fiction, fiction and thriller or suspense.
D. DRAMA
The term “drama” is also used for the type of play written for theater,
television, radio, and film. Because of the combination of performance, music,
dance, props, and others which enable the audience to feel like a part of the
action, drama is considered a unique and distinctive genre of literature.
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There are four distinct types of drama:
B. Tragedy. One of the oldest forms of drama, tragedy exposes the plight and
suffering of humans to the audience. Common tragic themes include ruins
of a dynasty, downfall of man, emotional betrayals, moral setback, personal
loss, death, and denials. A tragedy when composed and enacted well can
touch the audience deeply. These rarely have happy endings.
D. Musical drama. In a musical drama, the story is told through acting and
dialogue, as well as through dance and music, as well. The story may be
comedic, though it may also involve serious subjects.