Narrative Genres Created by Nancy Craig Edited By

Narrative Genres Created by: Nancy Craig Edited By: Ms. Campbell 2011 -2012 Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill

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

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

The Study of Genre 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. • Story has creatures in it that are not found in real life Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre 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 Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre 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 Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

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

The Study of Genre Example: Realistic Fiction Some of the elements of 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 Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre 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 Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre Example: Political Fiction Some of the elements of the genre of political fiction: • Provides commentary on political events, systems, and theories • Often criticizes current society or presents an alternative reality • These alternative realities are often dystopias (imagined places in which everything is unpleasant or bad) Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre 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 • Includes stage directions, giving more details about what is happening on the stage or what actors are to do Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre Example: Poetry Some of the elements of the genre of poetry: • Poems often contain words that rhyme • Poems often contain incomplete sentences • Poems often contain lines with rhythm or meter • Poems often contain repeated words • Poems often are rich in imagery and other figurative language Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/Mc. Graw-Hill Nancy R. Craig