Genres of LiteratureFiction and Non-Fiction

Fiction and Non-Fiction

Genres of literature are divided into (2) categories

Non-Fictions are informational texts dealing with real-life subjects› Real or Actual

Fictions are narrative literary works produced by the imagination› Made-Up

How to Remember the Difference

Remember: Fact or Fiction

Non-Fiction

Essays Biographies Autobiographies Speeches Text Books

Essays

A short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point

Usually analytic, speculative, or interpretive› Makes a judgment on something

Example: Anything by David Sedaris and Chuck Pahlunuk’s Stranger than Fiction

Biographies

A written account of another person’s life› Somebody wrote about someone else

Example:John Adamsby David McCullough

Autobiographies

A history of a person, written or spoken by the same person

Usually a narrative Usually inaccurate

› Recreates events› History

Example:Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Speeches

Expressions of thoughts and emotions by speech, sounds, and gestures

Examples: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and Malcolm X’s “Who Taught You to Hate Yourself” speech

Fiction

Drama Poetry Short Story Fantasy Fable Fairy Tales Science Fiction Realistic Fiction

Historical Fiction Tall Tale Legend Mythology

Drama Composed for theatrical performance Conflicts and emotion are expressed

through dialogue and action

Examples:William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and

Richard III, Wicked, and The Lion King

Poetry

Verse and rhythmic writing Imagery evokes an emotional response Visually interesting Interesting word choice (diction) May or may not follow a rhyme scheme Various types of poems

› Haikus, epics, etc.

Examples: Tim Michin

Short Story

Brief work of fiction One central story without subplots Contemporary short stories are

oftentimes published in collections or magazines

Example: Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man’s Hard to Find”

Fantasy

Incorporates fantastical, magical, imaginative creatures or settings in a way that is essential

Suspension of disbelief

Example: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Fables and Fairy Tales

Have similar characteristics to fantasy, but usually teach a moral or lesson

Fables usually have animals or inanimate objects as the main characters

Fairy tales employ goblins, fairies, trolls, etc.

Example: Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Science Fiction

Based on the impact of potential science (actual or imagined)

Sometimes set in the future, alternate realities, or other planets

Example:William S. Burroughs’s John Carter of

Mars

Realistic Fiction

Can happen in real life

Historical Fiction

Fictional characters Fictional events Has a historical setting

Tall Tale

Exaggerated story Usually humorous Heroes achieve impossible feats Legends are people who actually

existed, but have stories told about them that contain imagined material

Can you think of any examples?

Mythology

Explanation of natural phenomena Human nature Pertains to the actions of the gods Shows a model of behavior