LITERATURE INTRODUCTION

Literature
What is it?
 ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
Literary written works have excellence in:

• Form
• Expression
• Ideas
• Widespread and Lasting Interest
What is a literary
genre?
A genre is a
particular style or
type of writing.
Major Genres
• Fiction
– Writing that tells about
imaginary people and events

• Non-Fiction
– Writing that tells about real
people and events
The Major Literature Genres

L it e ra t u re

P ro s e P o e try D ra m a
 PROSE
Prose is the ordinary
form of written
language.
It imitates the spoken
language.
The Different Genres of
Children’s Literature
Fiction
•Realistic Fiction
•Historical Fiction
• Science Fiction
•Fantasy
•Mystery/Suspense
•Folk Tales, Tall Tales, and Fairy Tales
•Myths

Non-Fiction
•Biography
•Autobiography
 Fiction
1. Always have elements that are made-up.
2. May be based on actual events or people.
3. May be totally made-up or fictional.

There are many different types or

different genres of fiction.
 Realistic Fiction
• Characters are made-
up but could be real
people
• Events are made-up
but could be real
events
• Takes place in the
modern time; right
here, right now
 Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction is made up of stories that
could really happen. Contemporary
realistic fiction is realistic fiction that is
set in modern times.
Realistic Fiction
•The setting is realistic
•The characters speak and act
like real people
•The story describes real-life
problems and events
Examples of Realistic
Fiction
 Historical Fiction
• Historical fiction books take
place during a certain time in the
past.
• Often the setting is real, and the
characters are made-up or
fictional.
• Sometimes the setting is fictional
and the characters are real.
 Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is made up
of stories that take place in a
certain time and place in the
past. Real historical figures
and settings may be
included in a fiction story.
Examples of Historical Fiction
Titanic
Science Fiction
• Futuristic Technology
• Scientific Facts
• Fictional Element
 Science Fiction
Science Fiction is made up of stories that
blend fact and fiction with futuristic
technology.
Examples of Science Fiction
Star Wars
 Fantasy
• Fantasy is completely made-up
such as talking animals and
magical powers.
• Contains no realistic elements
 Folklore
Folklore includes stories, myths, and
fables that people told one another over
the years. Later the stories were written
down.
 Folk Tale
• Told in many different versions by many
different people
• Original storyteller is unknown
• Characters are animals that act and
speak like people
• Repetition
• Use of the number three
 Fable
•Characters are simpler than real
people - they may be completely
greedy, completely wicked , or very
gentle

•Actions are repeated

over and over

•Some fables teach a lesson about

what is important in life, such as
fairness, kindness, or cleverness
 Tall Tale
• Extraordinary person - the main character is
better at things than an ordinary person

• Exaggeration – makes something greater or bigger

than it really could be

• Explanation – explains how something came to be

 Examples of Folklore
Aesop’s Fables
Beauty and the Beast
Cinderella
The Tortoise and the Hare
Mystery and Suspense
• Usually realistic
• About a crime or
unsolved event
• Not solved until the end
of the book
• Scary or suspenseful
 Fantasy
Fantasy is fiction that has elements that are
not real. Sometimes this includes talking
animals or characters with magical powers.
There’s usually a conflict between good and
evil.
 Examples of Fantasy
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Lord of the Rings

Harry Potter Series

 Mystery
Mysteries are stories that have a real
setting and a problem to be solved
that includes clues, distractions, and
an answer to the problem.
Examples of Mystery
 Folk Tales / Tall Tales / Fairy Tales
• Folk Tales have no known
creator.
• Passed down verbally
• Sometimes based on real
people but the story is
fictional.
• Tall Tales are Folk Tales but
the character is “bigger”
than life.
• Fairy Tales are stories
created to teach children
how to behave in a way they
find amusing.
 Fairy Tales
• Often begin with
Once upon a time or Include a good
Long, long ago character and a bad
(evil) character
Include magic Involves a
or something problem that
enchanted is solved and
the good
Setting is a people live
forest or a happily ever
castle after
Myth / Legend
• A kind of fantasy
• A very old story
handed down by
word of mouth
• Explains something
about nature or
answers questions
about the meaning of
life or what is good
or evil
 Myths
Non-fiction
Biography
• All proven facts
• Usually
A storyexplains
about a real
• Nothing person Weather
is made-
how
Historythe world
written by someone
up else
• started
Usually •about
Can bethe person’s
about any life or
• Gods and
something thesubject
person has done
supernatural
beings
Plants Autobiography
are
involved in these
A story someone writes about People
• stories.
themselves
Architecture Art
 Biography
A biography is the true story of a
real person’s life from the past or
present.
Biography
• Nonfiction
• Story about a real
person’s life that is
written by another
person
• Can cover a person’s
whole life, part of a
person’s life, or a single
incident
• A true account of a
person’s life based on
facts collected by the
author
• Written from the third
person point of view (he
or she)
Examples of Biography
 L it e r a t u r e

P ro s e P o e try D ra m a

Prose
FICTION NON-FICTION
Short Stories
Personal Narrative
Fairy Tales Letters
Folk Tales Memoirs
Novels Short Stories
Poems Reports
 L it e r a t u r e

P ro s e P o e try D ra m a Poetry
Poetry is language written with rhythm,
figurative language, imagery, sound
devices and emotionally charged
language.

Major Types of Poetry

Lyric Poetry
Narrative Poetry
Concrete Poetry
 Poetry
Poetry is verse written to inspire
thoughts and feelings in the reader. It
often uses rhyme and rhythm, or it can
be written in free verse.
 Lyric Poem
Lyric poem is a highly musical verse
that expresses the observation and
feelings of a single speaker.
 Narrative Poem
Narrative Poem is a story told in
verse. Narrative poems often have
all the elements of short stories,
including characters, conflict, and
plot.
 Concrete Poem
Concrete Poem is one with a shape that
suggests its subject. The poet arranges the
letters, punctuation, and lines to create an
image or picture, on the page.
Examples of Poetry
 L it e r a t u r e

P ro s e P o e try D ra m a

Drama is a story written to be

performed by actors. Although a
drama is meant to be performed,
one can also read the script, or
written version, and imagine the
action.
 Drama
• a cast of characters
• a narrator who gives
important information
• parts called acts or scenes
• props to help support action
• dialogue that tells what the actors
say
• stage directions in italics
 ~Review~
1. What is Literature?
2. What does genre mean?
3. What are the three main genre’s
of literature?
4. Write three types of writing for
each category.
 Reading Genres
• What is a genre?
A genre is a type of literary
work identified by its design
or purpose.
• Objective of ASSIGNMENT:
Read from a variety of materials
including genres, literary award
winners, multicultural works, and
classic literature.
 Books are
divided into
two main
categories:

Fiction and Nonfiction

 Fiction
 A made up story
 It can tell about things that
could happen
 Is read for fun
 Characters may be like real
people or imaginary
 Nonfiction
 It has facts that can be
checked and proven
 The author is an expert on
this information
 It is read to gain information
on a subject
 It is TRUE
 Books are
further
divided
according
to what
they have
in common:

These are
called GENRES!
 Fiction Genres
 Traditional Literature
 Fantasy
 Science Fiction
 Realistic Fiction
 Historical Fiction
 Mystery
 Nonfiction Genres
 Informational
 Biography
 Autobiography
 Poetry
 Informational
Informational books are nonfiction books
that give true facts on a variety of
subjects.
 Examples of
Informational Writing

Newspapers

Encyclopedias
Let’s take a
quick look at
the different
types of
genres…
 Now let’s
play…
NAME THAT
GENRE!
 Genre #1
Stories that are passed
down from one group to
another in history. This
genre includes folktales,
legends, fables, fairy tales,
tall tales, and myths from
different cultures.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #2
A story including elements
that are impossible such as
talking animals or magical
powers. “Make-believe” is
what this genre is all about.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #3
A type of fantasy that uses
science and technology,
such as robots, time
machines, etc.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #4
A story using made-up
characters and events that
could happen in real life.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #5
A fictional story that takes
place in a particular time
period in the past. Often
the setting is real, but the
characters are made up
from the author’s
imagination.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #6
A suspenseful story about a
puzzling event that is not
solved until the end of the
story.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #7
Texts that provide facts
about a variety of topics,
such as sports, animals,
science, history, careers,
travel, geography, space,
weather, etc.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #8
The story of a real person’s
life written by another
person.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #9
The story of a real person’s
life that is written by that
person.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction
 Genre #10
This genre includes verse
written to create a response
of thought and feeling from
the reader. It often uses
rhythm and rhyme to help
convey its meaning.
 Answer:
 Informational
 Mystery
 Science Fiction
 Traditional Literature
 Poetry
 Biography
 Fantasy
 Historical Fiction
 Autobiography
 Realistic Fiction