w2 lect 2 exploration of genres

8/12/2019 W2 Lect 2 Exploration of Genres

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Exploration of types of stories- Modern fantasy

- Realistic Fiction

- Non Fiction- Biography/ Auto-

biography

- Folktales(fables/legends/Mythology/tall tales


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Fantasy

Stories with elements that violate

the natural, physical laws of our

known world.

Traditional fantasy Oral tradition (myths, legends, folk

stories, tall tales, etc.)

Modern fantasy

Written. Stories where we know the

author (literary fairy tales, fantasy

novels, fantasy picture books, etc.)


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Fantasy isnt nonsense

Nonsense Unconventional Fantasy

It contradicts rules of

logic. It doesnt make

logical sense.

It can make fun ofconventional

behavior.

It can help readers

understand the

difference betweenwhat is sensible and

not sensible in the

real world.

It is unusual. Not

normal. This may be

odd or strange, but it

may still bereasonable.

When literature

breaks conventions,

it helps us to rethink

what we thought wasnormal.

Not possible in the

world as we know it.

But it follows rules

within the limits ofthe fantasy world the

author has created.

Fantasies provide

metaphors through

which we canexamine aspects of

life from a different

perspective.


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TRADITIONAL

FANTASY

They from the

oral traditionof collected

stories.

The setting is

often vague

and magical.

Characters are

symbolic and

do not grow

and change.

MODERN

FANTASY

Stories are

associated

with an author.Setting is

detailed and

key and

should be

credible.

Characters

grow and

change.

BOTHgenres are fantasies

and portray other worlds,

with elements of magic,

talking animals, strange

characters, and objects,

can include s/heroe'sjourney, supernatural,

universal themes of good

versus evil, right versus

wrong etc.

Both can be allegorical,

spiritual, satirical, and

political.

Figure 2: Traditional Fantasy vs.

Modern Fantasy


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TYPES OF MODERN FANTASYModern Folktales or Literary Folktales: very little character description/strong conflict/fast-moving plot/sudden resolution/vague setting -- known author. The Ugly Duckling, Peter Rabbit

Animal Fantasy: animals behave as human beings/personified yet retaining many of theiranimal characteristics. Catwings Charlottes Web, Poppy books (Avi)

Personified Charactersand Objects: toys brought to life and believed in/often responsibilityof parenthood assumed by the child protagonist Winnie the Pooh, Pinocchio

Unusual Characters and Strange Situations: strange or ridiculous Alices Adventures inWonderland, Pipi Longstocking

Worlds of Little People:miniature people with a culture or world of their own. Children

identify with indignities foisted upon little & powerless people/big people usually outdone byclever little people. Gulliver in Lilliput, The Borrowers

Supernatural Events and Mystery Fantasy: ghost stories. Ghosts can be fearful threats orhelpful protectors. The Boggart

Historical Fantasy: timewarp fantasy. Time period must be fully & accurately developed.Stone Words, The Root Cellar, The Devils Arithmetic

Quest Stories: adventure stories with a search motif. High fantasy/often set in medieval

times/imaginary worlds/conflict between good and evil/characters drawn from myth and legend.Quest usually represents a journey of self-discovery and personal growth for protagonist.

The Hobbit (Tolkien) The Wizard of Oz

Science Fiction(imaginative lit about something that could happen based on real scientificfacts and principles/ Must have appearance of scientific or technical plausibility About future

worlds. Called futuristic fiction) (a scientific explanation/not necessarily plausible/offered for

imaginative leaps into the unknown. Presents a world that is a mix of mythology and traditional

fantasy with scientific or technological concepts. A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver, Feed


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Autobiography

An autobiography is a story

about a persons life and is

written by the person who

lived it. An autobiographycan be about the personswhole life, part of that

persons life, or a single

event.


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Biography

A biography is a selection

about a real person's life

that is written by another

person.


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Nonfiction

nonfiction provides informationabout real-life persons, objects,or ideas.

Expository nonfiction mayinclude graphic sources, suchas charts and photos, that showinformation.

A chart is a sheet of

information.

Facts are arranged in an easy-to-read form.


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Fantasy

A fantasy is a make-believe storythat could never happen in therealworld.

Some characters and plotsituations may be realistic, whileothers are exaggerated andeven silly.

The author uses a realistic

classroom setting but thenintroduces fantasticcharacters who do impossiblethings.


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Realistic Fiction

Fiction tells stories of

imaginary people and

events, realistic fiction tells

a story that is possible.Plausible characters

engage in actions that

seem truthful and the story

has a reasonableoutcome. Eg Bridge to

Terabithia, Because of

Winn Dixie


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Realistic fiction

can be based on a real story

characters act like real people

character tries to solve a

problem

story could happen in real life

some events are historically

accurate characters feelings and

behaviors are like real life


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Families - relationship

Peers - friendship Mental, Physical and Behavioral Challenges- disabilities Cultural Diversity racial, religious, ethnic minority Animals horse, dog Sports a member of a team Mysteries element of suspense Moral Choices crisis, a decision that may change ones life Romance and Sexuality friendship, physical attraction Rites of Passage growth in physical, emotional, moral,

intellectual domains of life Adventure and Survival physical danger, external force.

Subject matter in realistic fiction


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Examples of realistic fiction

Robinson Crusoe

(1812) by Johann Wyss

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn(1884)by Mark Twain

Little Women(1868) by Louisa May Alcott

Anne of Green Gables(1908) by LucyMaud Montgomery


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Folk Tale

The original author is

unknown and that folk

tales often have different

versions. These stories arepassed down through

generations over many

centuries.

Eg: Ali Baba, Sinbad theSailor, Dick Whitthington

and his cat.


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Myth

A myth is a tale

that has been passed

down through generations

and tells about natureand human behavior. Eg:

Persephone, King Midas,


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Narrative Nonfiction

A narrative is writing that

tells about events.

Narrative nonfiction tells

about events that reallyhappened.


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Tall Tales

Tall tales are amusing

stories told with great

exaggeration and bigger-

than-life characters. Eg:Paul Bunyan, Badang etc


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Tall tales

Tall tales highly exaggerated accounts

of exploits of persons, both real andimagined.

heros abilities were valued more for

their humor than for their factualcontent.

suitable for aged 7 and up.

Eg:

- Paul Bunyan.,The Merry Adventures of

Robin Hood Ages 9-12.


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Epics

-long stories of human adventure and

heroism recounted in many episodes.

-characters can be human and divine. Hero-

always human or superhuman, eg. Ulysses

inOdyssey

- setting- earthly, not always realistic.
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Myths

- explain the origin of the world and thephenomena of nature (creation stories).

- originated in ancient religious rituals

- characters gods, goddesses

- Examples:

- Persephone
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Fables

- Simple story that

incorporates characters

typically animals whose

actions teach a moral lessonor universal truth.

- Moral is stated at the end of

the story.

- eg:

The Hare and the Tortoise:

A Fable from Aesop


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Tutorial Tasks

Group task: Choose stories from any 3 genres of children stories to

be taught for a designated level, Justify your choices.

- Many traditional tales have different versions, eg. LittleRed Riding Hood, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, etc.

- Collect samples of these different versions and decide

which version would you use with your students. Why?

w2 lect 2 exploration of genres

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