LEARNING FOCUS QUESTION: “WHAT IS NONFICTION LITERATURE, ITS CHARACTERISTICS, AND ITS CONNECTION TO OUR LIVES?” Nonfiction Key Concepts

Defining NONFICTION “non” = not “fiction” = fake Therefore, nonfiction means writing based on fact

You THINK… Why is it important to study nonfiction literature? What does it have to do with YOU now and your life after high school?

3 Main Types of Nonfiction… ESSAY  Narrative  Example  Classification  Cause/Effect  Compare/Contrast  Persuasive ARTICLE SPEECH

Key Terminology SUBJECT  topic author discusses POINT OF VIEW  point from which the text is told  1 st (“I”)  2 nd (“you”)  3 rd (“he, she, it, they”) Limited Omniscient

Key Terminology contd. PURPOSE  reason author writes  Inform/Explain  Entertain  Persuade PERSPECTIVE  viewpoint of the author (don’t confuse w/ point of view)  biased=opinion  unbiased=fact

Key Terminology contd. TONE  author’s attitude toward his/her subject  ie. sarcastic, serious STYLE  way the author writes  Informal or formal writing  Sentence length  Diction = word choice  Voice  Figurative language (ie. metaphor, simile, hyperbole)

ESSAY (General) Definition:  writing that examines and discusses a focused topic

ESSAY: Narrative Definition  writing that tells a story Literature  “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou Often told in chronological order as it is most logical to tell the order in which events happen

ESSAY: Example Definition  writing that uses an instance (or example) to discuss a whole type Literature  “Homeless” by Anna Quindlen Serves to illustrate a generalization

ESSAY: Classification Definition  writing that organizes a topic into categories/units/groups Literature  “The Ways We Lie” by Stephanie Ericsson Format helps make sense of a complex topic

ESSAY: Cause & Effect Definition  writing that addresses reasons and results ASK: o “Why did this happen?” o “What were the consequences?” o “What might be the consequences?” Literature  “Arm Wrestling with My Father” by Brad Manning

ESSAY: Compare/Contrast Definition  writing that discusses similarities (compare) and differences (contrast) among topics Literature  “Disability” by Nancy Mairs As a reader you must assess the comparisons and contrasts to come to a conclusion about the topic. Sometimes the writer draws a conclusion based on the discussion, but other times you as a reader must come to your own conclusion about the topic discussed.

ESSAY: Persuasive Definition  writing that aims to influence a reader’s ideas and/or actions Literature  “ ” by Good persuasive writers use REASON & EMOTION

ARTICLE Definition  Brief, specific writing that provides information about a topic, person, or event Literature  “Why We Must Speak Out on Darfur” by Marc Gellman (opinion)  TBA:

SPEECH Definition  writing meant to be read aloud and/or presented to an audience; topic may persuade, inform, or entertain Literature  “I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  “We Must Pick Ourselves Up” Inaugural Address by President Barack Obama Good speeches often use repetition and parallelism for influence on audience.