Literary Genres Walsh Publishing Co 2009 What is

Literary Genres Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

What is a Literary Genre? A “genre” is a particular style or type of writing. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Most Common Genres: Fiction Nonfiction Fables, Folktales, Fairytales Biography Fantasy, Mystery Autobiography Myth, Legend Reference Historical Fiction Essay, Newspaper Article Realistic Fiction Speeches, Diaries, Letters Science Fiction Informational Other Types of Writing: Drama, Poetry Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Fiction • Writing that tells about imaginary people and events • Stories that are “made up” Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Fantasy • In this type of story, the author has created a magical world where anything is possible. • Fantasy may include magical beings, talking animals or other impossibilities Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Historical Fiction • Stories with fictional characters and events in a historical setting. • The story takes the reader back to a particular time period where they learn about the everyday life of a person. The character may interact with actual historical characters, but usually, the main character is not based on a real person. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Science Fiction • Stories based on real or imagined inventions, space travel or life in other worlds, usually set in the future. It often explores the unknown. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Horror & Mystery • Horror is fiction in which events evoke a feeling of fright in both the characters and the reader. • Mystery is fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Realistic Fiction • Stories that could actually “happen” in real life. • The setting is realistic • The characters speak and act like real people • The story describes real -life problems and events Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Fable • A short story, usually with animal characters, that teaches a lesson about what is important in life. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Folk Tale • Story told generation to generation, usually by word of mouth. • Sometimes different versions in different cultures • Original storyteller is unknown • Can involve animals, wishes, magic, trickery and often the number 3 Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Myths • Myths are early people’s way to explain the universe. • Many gods and goddesses are present in myths • The gods, goddesses, and heroes are super human in nature. • Human emotions are experienced by the gods. • Magic is often present in myths. • Gods sometimes appear in disguised form Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Legend • A story, handed down from the past that people tell as a “true story” but sometimes the details are difficult to confirm. • The person telling the story usually does not claim to be an eyewitness to the events, but “heard” it from someone who knows someone who heard it from someone who was “really” there. . . • Legends often contain a moral or a lesson and are told to uphold the values of the community. • They often involve supernatural or religious elements Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

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 Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Fairy Tales • Often begins with “Once upon a time” or “Long, long ago…” Includes a good character and a bad (evil) character Includes magic or something enchanted Setting is often a forest or a castle Involves a problem that is solved and the good people live happily ever after Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Non-Fiction ~ Accounts of real people, places and events ~ Fact, NOT fiction… (that’s why it’s called NON-Fiction. Biography Textbook autobiography instructional informational reference books Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Biographies • A biography is a true story about a person’s life or parts of his/her life • Written in 3 rd person point of view (he or she) Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Autobiographies • Autobiographies are books that people write about their own life. • Written in 1 st person point of view (I, me, my) Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Informational Writing Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Other Types of Writing…. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

• lines of poetry (verses) are written in stanzas • may include patterns of rhyme to capture the reader’s interest • uses carefully selected words and phrases to create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Drama/Plays • Presented to an audience • Has a cast of characters • May have a narrator who gives important information • Parts called acts or scenes • Has props to help support action • Dialogue that tells what the actors say • Stage directions in italics Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

1 God Save the Queen by Annie Green Bethany Bowers is a young peasant girl is appointed to serve Mary, Queen of Scots, who is imprisoned in a castle in Scotland. Bethany’s run in with the Mary teaches her that it’s not always good to be Queen.

2 The Air Locked Heart by Chris Pearl Zip Masters is the best space pilot east of the Delta Nebula, but he’s never been tested like this: after accepting a job to deliver a mysterious package to Crystal Planet, Zip accidently discovers that the mysterious package is actually the Princess of Soupcania. Zip has to decide whether to complete the mission or save the princess, and either way he’s going to make enemies.

3 “The Fox and the Cat” Retold by Gary Bleu A Fox is bragging to a Cat about the many ways he can escape from danger, while the simple Cat only has one way: running up a tree. Suddenly, they hear the sound of the Hunters and their Dogs approaching. The Cat runs up a tree while the Fox debates about which of his many tricks he should perform, going back and forth, right until the Dogs arrive…

4 Words May Hurt by Terri Mc. Gee After transferring more schools than she can count, Kim is happy when her dad finally gets a job that will allow her family to settle into a community. Things are going well until Kim gains the interest of the popular girl’s boyfriend, and in doing so Kim makes a powerful enemy. Can Kim use the lessons that she learned at past schools to outwit her rival?

5 Chemistry 202: Concepts and Methods by Brad Musinger This textbook goes beyond basic chemistry concepts and provides a more advanced overview of the subject. In addition to providing information about major concepts in chemistry, the book covers best practices and procedures for conducting experiments.

6 As I Was Saying by Augustus Gluten Mr. Gluten writes the story of his humble origins as a child in Germany to his meteoric rise to power in the candy industry.

7 Eric Vaser and the Educator’s Rock by J. P. Tumblin This is the first book in the Eric Vaser series. Eric goes to mage school and becomes a star student. He learns to play pencetrench, a football like game played on flying platforms, and he fights to stop a growing evil within the school that will test his newfound magic powers.

8 As a student, Albert Einstein showed little intellectual promise. He was so slow to learn verbal skills that his teachers predicted he would never be successful at anything. Albert went on to the Swiss Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland where he was brilliant in math and physics. However, he refused to study anything else. Nine years later, in 1905, Albert wrote five papers describing his own ideas about math and physics. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

9 • Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, Walsh Publishing Co. That's me. 2009

10 A woman’s bloodcurdling scream echoed across the store attracting everyone’s attention to a newscast playing on the wall of televisions. Thousands of people rioted in Times Square, demolishing everything in sight including other people. An employee turned on a surround system and the audio filled the store. Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Your Turn… Name the “genre” of literature for each selection…. 1. A book titled “How to be the Best Gardener” 2. A novel about a boy who grows up in the city and learns about life the hard way. 3. A book titled “All About My Life” 4. A story about two robots who find a ray gun and take over the planet 5. “George Washington, the President” by Adam Wessel 6. Shaden dropped the magic ring to the ground and said “Be gone dragons!” 7. Andy and Madeline solved the mystery…. it was Old Man Winters all along! 8. The moral of the story, The Ant and the Grasshopper is “Plan Ahead!” Autobiography Non-Fiction Realistic Fiction Fable Science Fiction Mystery Fantasy Biography Walsh Publishing Co. 2009