When you speak about genre and literature, genre means a category, classification, or the type of writing style or format. Mrs. Kovacs

 Longer  Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme  Plots might have subplots and more than one conflict and sometimes more than one theme  A theme is_________________________________ ____________________________________________  Some novels may have related or independent stories and conflicts within the one main plot

 Brief  Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme  Focus: one main plot, one main conflict, one theme, read in one sitting  Shorter than a novel but longer than a short story? = Novellas

Fiction  A made-up story  Can tell about things that could happen  Is read for fun  Characters may be like real people or imaginary Non-Fiction  Has facts that can be checked and proven  Facts are _____________ _______________________ _____________________  The author is an expert on this information.

 Fiction ◦ Fantasy ◦ Mystery ◦ Poetry ◦ Historical Fiction ◦ Realistic Fiction ◦ Science Fiction ◦ Adventure ◦ Play/Drama ◦ Traditional Literature (like Folktales, Fairy Tales, Fables, Myths, Legend)  Non-fiction ◦ Expository a.k.a. Informational ◦ “How to” books ◦ Arts and crafts books ◦ Biographies ◦ Autobiography/Memoir ◦ Narrative Non-Fiction

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Biography Some of the elements of the genre of biography: An account of a real person’s life written by someone else Tells important information about a person’s life, including his or her achievements or talents. Tells how a person talks, feels, and thinks about things Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Autobiography Some of the elements of the genre of autobiography: An account by a person about his or her own life Tells important information about their own life, including achievements or talents. Tells how the person talks, feels, and thinks about things Either may be the about the person’s whole life or part of their life Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically) Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Narrative Non-Fiction Some of the elements of the genre of narrative non- fiction: Characters are real people, settings are real places, and the plot is comprised of real events presented in the form of a story. Story includes thoughts and feeling the author imagines the characters might have had. Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Expository Text a.k.a. Informational Some of the elements of the genre of expository text: Gives factual and verifiable information about a specific subject. Information presented can be checked using other sources, i.e. newspapers, encyclopedias, etc. Uses facts about real events and people Presents information in a clear way Gives events in the order in which they happened Writing organized by topics May use diagrams, photographs, and other illustrations Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Realistic Fiction Some of the elements of the genre realistic fiction: Characters behave like real people and animals Settings in the story are real or could be real Events in the story could happen in real life Conflicts in the story are similar to problems that happen in real life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Adventure Tale - Odyssey Some of the elements of the genre of adventure tales: Characters who behave like real people and animals. The settings are real or could be real. The events could happen in real life The story has action or suspense, or both. There is usually a hero, danger, some sort of traveling and the hero is a little different by the end of the story. Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Historical Fiction Some of the elements of the genre of historical fiction: Story is set in a particular time and place in the past Story contains details that make the story more realistic. Characters talk, dress, and act like people of that time period Story involves real people and actual events that happened in history Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Fantasy Some of the elements of the genre of fantasy: People, animals, or objects do things they cannot do in real life. Story takes place in a make-believe setting that does not exist in the real world Story has creatures in it that are not found in real life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Science Fiction Some of the elements of the genre of science fiction: Characters solve problems in a futuristic setting anywhere in the universe Humans, extraterrestrials, or members of other species Involve the effects of advanced science and technology on life Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Suspense is the driving force for the plot Characters are usually placed in danger or cause danger A sub-genre of Realistic, Historical, Science, and Fantasy Fiction The Study of Genre

Their characters are real. There is suspense and excitement. One or more (1+) characters are trying to solve a problem using clues. Some danger to the characters. Problems are realistic and sometimes involve crimes. Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Traditional Literature  Tells about the great deeds of a person who may have lived  May exaggerate a person’s bravery or powers  Probably a long ago setting  Story may be considered a part of the history and culture of a group of people  Magic may be used to solve a problem  A lesson can be learned from the story  Probably were told orally before people wrote stories down. The Study of Genres

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Fairy Tales Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales: Begins with the phrase like “Once upon a time…” or “Once there was…” Setting is a faraway or imaginary land Characters are often royal, such as kings, queens, princes, princess… Things happen or appear in threes The granting of wishes The use of magical powers A happy ending where good wins over evil Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Folk Tales Some of the elements of the genre of folk tales: A story that has been told and retold over generations Different countries have similar folk tales Folk tales often begin with “Once upon a time” or “Long ago in a far away place…” Characters can be animals or objects that can speak The story often teaches a lesson or moral Good or smart wins over evil or stupid The story is told using the words he, she or it Actions or words are often repeated (in a pattern) The story has an exciting “high point” at the end Rules The Study of Genres Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Fable Some of the elements of the genre of fable: Stories are very short Stories usually have two or three characters The characters may be animals or things that act like people Teach a “lesson” or moral Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Legend Some of the elements of the genre of legend: A story about a hero or heroine May be based on facts, but the hero or heroine’s actions are “bigger” than life The story has factual elements, but through countless retellings, the characters and their actions have become exaggerated Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Myth Some of the elements of the genre of myth: A story that offers an explanation of how something in nature looks or happens A story that explains why people act as they do The characters may be human, or gods or goddesses Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Play/Drama Some of the elements of the genre of play/drama: Meant to be performed or acted out Has a list that names and describes the characters Includes descriptions of scenes or settings Includes dialogue or lines that the characters speak to one another Includes stage directions giving more details about what is happening on the stage or what actors are to do Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill Example: Poetry Some of the elements of the genre of poetry: Poems often contain words that rhyme Poems often contain incomplete sentences, each on its own line Poems often contain lines with rhythm or meter Poems often contain repeated words Poems often are rich in imagery Rules The Study of Genre Nancy R. Craig