1. GENRES AT A GLANCE January 2011

2. GENRES AT A GLANCE  FICTION  POETRY  DRAMA  NONFICTION  TYPES OF MEDIA

3. FICTION  Fiction is narrative writing that springs from an author’s imagination.  Examples of fiction  Short stories  Novels  Novellas

4. FICTION  At the heart of fiction is NARRATIVE, the telling of a story.  Although fiction can be inspired by real events and people, it is mainly the product of a writer’s imagination.  Fictional stories can take any of a wide variety of forms, including science fiction, mystery, romance and historical fiction.

5. FICTION  Regardless of the form, a work of fiction usually is one of these types:  Short story – often focuses on a single event or incident and usually can be read at one setting.  Novel – is an extended work of fiction. Because it is much longer than a short story, a novel gives a writer space to develop a wider range of characters and a more complex plot.  Novella – is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Most novellas focus on a limited number of characters and a short time span.

6. POETRY  Poetry is the most compact form of literature. Words are chosen and arranged to create powerful effects.  Examples of poetry  Haiku  Sonnets  Narrative poems  Lyric poems

7. POETRY  Robert Frost wrote “Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat.” These words capture the impact of poetry on both writers and readers.  In poetry, words and sounds are chosen to convey meaning and emotion.  What you will notice first is its FORM, or arrangement on a page. Usually poems are divided into LINES, which are arranged into STANZAS.

8. POETRY  The way a poem sounds – its RHYTHMS or its predictable RHYMES, for example, is part of its effect.  Language delivers other powerful effects.  IMAGERY, which consists of language that recreates sensory experiences, helps readers see, hear, and feel what a poem describes.

9. Drama  Drama is meant to be performed. Characters and conflicts are developed through dialogue and action,  Examples of drama  Comedies  Tragedies  Farces

10. DRAMA  Characters in conflict are at the heart of the drama, just as they are in fiction.  But since drama is meant to be performed for an audience rather than read, the plot is carried by DIALOGUE and ACTION – what the characters say and do.  Dramas are usually divided into SCENES, with each scene set in a different time or place.  In long plays, scenes are grouped into ACTS.

11. DRAMA  With their heroes, villains, and sets, dramas have been captivating audiences since ancient times.  However, dramas make good reading.  To help yourself visualize a drama, you need to consider not only the dialogue but also the STAGE DIRECTIONS – the writer’s instructions for the actors, the director, and the other people working on a play.

12. NONFICTION  Nonfiction is prose writing that deals with real people, events, and places.  Examples include  Essays  Speeches  Autobiographies  Biographies  News articles  Feature articles

13. NONFICTION AND INFORMATIONAL TEXT  When you see the word NONFICTION, you probably expect to find what is called LITERARY NONFICTION, such as biographies, speeches, and essays.  NONFICTION also includes INFORMATIONAL TEXTS, such as news articles and train schedules, which provide factual information.  Because your encounter informational texts all the time, you should know what to expect from them.

14. TYPES OF MEDIA  Media are forms of communication that reach large numbers of people. They include many subgenres, each with its own forms and characteristics.  Examples include  Feature films  Advertising  Web sites

15. TYPES OF MEDIA  You may not think of media as literature, but learning how to “read” the media is a key part of being literate in today’s world.  From screaming headlines at the checkout counter to in-your-face advertising, all media messages have been constructed for a purpose – to grab your attention, entertain you, or influence your decisions.  Becoming media literate starts with knowing the basics and thinking critically about ALL messages in this media-saturated age.