INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY GENRE

Instructor: Dr SORO Adama

Phone: 0102 638 217/ 0707 741 651
E-mail: [email protected]
Alassane Ouattara University

Level: LICENCE I

Introduction

"Genre" comes from an old French word to mean 'kind' or 'type.' A

literary genre therefore means a category of literary composition or endeavor: a

category meant to describe the writing style, technique, tone, length, and

content of certain literary forms. While literary genres are flexibly and loosely

defined, it's important to note that a literary genre is different from the

format of a literary composition or endeavor. (Comic books, graphic novels, and

coffee table books are therefore not considered genres, since these describe

only the format in which the literary content is made.) One kind of literary

genre can also be used along with another, different literary genre (cross-

genres); or have more specific sub genres under it. Back in ancient Greece,

literature was divided into two main categories: tragedy and comedy. Nowadays

the list of possible types and genres of literature can seem endless. But it is

still possible to narrow down the vast amount of literature available into a few

basic groups. The five genres of literature students should be familiar with are

Poetry, Drama, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Folklore—each of which is explained in

more detail below.

1
Function of Genre

Depending upon their types, different genres have different roles. For example,

fiction and dramatic genres help students and writers learn and improve their

communication skills. A poetic genre, on the other hand, enhances imaginative

and emotional power of the readers. Non-fictional texts and essays help readers

develop analytical and persuasive capabilities. However, the major function of

genre is to establish a code of behavior between the writers and audience, and

keep the readers informed about the topics discussed or the themes presented.

Understanding genre will help you know what to expect from a text based on its

genre; it will also help you notice when an author is playing with your

expectations.

Main Genres and Subgenres

Every piece of writing can fall into one of these categories. Each main

genre has a group of subgenres. Each subgenre has as set of characteristics

that you must learn in order to identify them. This list does not contain all of

the possible subgenres, but it should give you a pretty thorough overview.

1. Fiction: stories that come from the author’s imagination.

Usually, fiction work is not real and therefore, authors can use complex

figurative language to touch readers’ imagination. Unlike poetry, it is more

structured, follows proper grammatical pattern and correct mechanics. A

fictional work may incorporate fantastical and imaginary ideas from everyday

life. It comprises some important elements such as plot, exposition,

foreshadowing, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. The popular

2
examples of literary fiction include, James Joyce’s’ novel A Portrait of an Artist

as a Young Man, Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, Jane Austen’s Pride and

Prejudice, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, etc.

o Historical Fiction: based on a person or event from history.

o Science Fiction: dealing with aliens, the distant future, or advanced
technology.
o Fantasy: containing monsters, magic, or other supernatural
elements.
o Realistic Fiction: a story that could have happened, but didn’t.

2. Nonfiction: writing that is true or factual.

Non-fiction is a vast category that also has sub-genres; it could be

creative like personal essay, and factual like scientific paper. It may also use

figurative language, however, not abundantly like poetry, or fiction has.

Sometimes, it may tell a story like autobiography, or sometimes it may convey

the information to the readers. Other examples of non-fiction include

biographies, diaries, memoirs, journals, fantasies, mysteries and romances. The

popular example of non-fiction genre is Michael Pollan’s highly celebrated book,

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, which is an account

about eating habits of Americans.

o Informational Writing: provides information on a topic.

o Persuasive Writing: attempts to influence the reader.
o Autobiography: the story of one’s life told by oneself.
o Biography: the story of one’s life told by another.
o Biography (a biography is a non-fictional account of someone's life,
often written by someone other than the subject of the biography)
o Memoir
o Essay
o Religious
o Speech

3
 3. Drama: writing that is meant to be acted on a stage (a play).

Drama is a form of text that is performed in front of an audience. It

is also called a play. Its written text contains dialogues, and stage directions.

This genre has further categories such as comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy etc.

William Shakespeare is known as the father of English drama. His well-known

plays include Taming of the Shrew, Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet, while Greek

playwrights were the pioneers in this field such as Sophocles’ masterpiece is

Oedipus Rex and Antigone, while modern dramas include Death of a Salesman by

Arthur Miller etc.

Any text meant to be performed rather than read can be considered drama

(unless it’s a poem meant to be performed, of course). In layman’s terms, dramas

are usually called plays. When written down the bulk of a drama is dialogue, with

periodic stage directions such as “he looks away angrily.” Of all the genres of

literature discussed in this article, drama is the one given the least time in most

classrooms. And often when drama is taught, it’s only read the same way you

might read a novel. Since dramas are meant to be acted out in front of an

audience, it’s hard to fully appreciate them when looking only at pages of text.

Students respond best to dramas, and grasp their mechanics more fully, when

exposed to film or theater versions or encouraged to read aloud or act out

scenes during class.

The dramas most commonly taught in classrooms are definitely those written by

the bard. Shakespeare’s plays are challenging, but rewarding when approached

with a little effort and a critical mindset. Popular choices from his repertoire

include Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, and Romeo and Juliet, among others.

Older Greek plays are also taught fairly often, especially Sophocles’ Antigone.

4
And any good drama unit should include more modern plays for comparison, such

as Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.

o Comedy: has a happy ending.

o Tragedy: ends in death and sadness.

4. Poetry:

Poetry is a major literary writing that is concerned with the beauty of

language. All types of poetry share specific characteristics. In fact, poetry is a

form of text that follows a meter and rhythm with each lines and syllables. It is

further subdivided into different genres such an epic poem, narrative, romantic,

dramatic, and lyric. Dramatic poetry includes melodrama, tragedy and comedy,

while other poems includes ode, sonnet, elegy, ballad, song and epics. Popular

examples of epic poems are Paradise Lost by John Milton, The Iliad and The

Odyssey by Homer and romantic poem includes, Red Red Rose by Robert Burns

etc. All these poetic forms share specific features such as they do not follow

paragraphs or sentences; they use stanzas and lines instead. Some forms follow

very strict rules of length and number of stanzas and lines such as villanelle,

sonnet and haiku etc. while some may be free like a free verse poem “Feelings,

Now” by Katherine Foreman that is devoid of any regular meter and rhyme

scheme. Besides that, often poetry uses figurative language like metaphor,

simile, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, and alliteration, etc. to create heightened

effects.

5. Folklore: stories handed down through speech from generation to

generation. A distinction is often made between regular prose and

folklore. Most folk tales were originally oral literature, and are short

stories meant to pass on a particular lesson or moral. They often have a

5
timeless quality, dealing with common human concerns that are just as

relevant to us today, while still being products of a very specific culture

and time period.

o Fairy Tale: a story with magic, monsters, and/or talking animals

(like fiction / fantasy, but part of the oral tradition).
o Fable: a very short story that has a moral or life lesson; usually has
talking animals as main characters.
o Myth: has gods or goddesses and often accounts for how something
came to be.
o Legend: an exaggerated story about something that may have been
real at one time.
o Tall Tale: stories set in the Wild West; the main character’s
strengths, skills, or size have been exaggerated and the tone is
funny.
o Folk Tales and Fairy Tales
o Myth and Legend

6
 PRACTICE

Directions: Read the descriptions of the texts. Look for details that reveal
the genre and write a sentence explaining your answer.

1. Good Witch by Roberta Beckwood

Being a teenager is tough on everyone, but it's even tougher when you have a big secret
to hide. Shaliyah Brooks is like most teenagers: she likes to hang out with her friends,
watch scary movies, and talk on the phone. But unlike most teenagers, Shaliyah comes
from a long line of witches. Shaliyah promises her mother and grandmother that she will
not use her powers at school, but when a friend gets into serious trouble, Shaliyah
breaks her promise. Now her secret might get out and Shaliyah is faced with a tough
choice.

2. Fragmented by Maxwell Morton

November 22, 1963: In one of the most stirring moments in American history, President
John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through downtown Dallas.
While the nation is grieving, ex-federal agent Nicholas Lively is called to duty to
investigate the assassination. But as Lively starts following the threads, he is led to
places controlled by powerful people, and asking the questions that Lively asks is
dangerous. Will Lively get the answers to his questions or will he get something much
worse? Find out in this exciting and imaginative novel.

3. Pecos Bill and the Mountain Lion retold by Pat Belding

What do you mean you haven't heard of Pecos Bill, the roughest, toughest cowboy in the
whole Wild West? Well, old Bill wasn't like most other cowboys. He generally didn't ride
a horse, as he could run faster than most of them anyway. One day Bill was taking his
cattle out to graze when he heard a growling coming from behind a cactus. When Bill
peaked behind it, he saw a full-grown mountain lion. The mountain lion pounced on Bill in
a way that would have killed most men, but Bill just laughed, that being because the
claws and jaws of the mountain lion were tickling Bill. Well, Pecos Bill wasn't one to lose
anything, yet alone a tickling match, so he tickled that mountain lion behind its ears and
under his chin until it laughed so loud that it done scared Bill's cattle away. Bill got a
little bit upset about that. Hoping to regain Bill's good favor, the mountain lion let Bill
ride on his back to round up the cattle and from that day on Bill and that mountain lion
were as close as fence posts.

7
4. Mountain Lions by Walter Fitzgerald

The mountain lion, also known as the cougar or puma, is a large cat native to the
Americas. Mountain lions range from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of
South America. In this authoritative text, Fitzgerald delves into the secretive world of
the nocturnal predator. He returns with lots of facts and observations about the
hunting behaviors, social structures, habitats, and life cycle of this majestic feline.

5. Two Brothers and a Sister by Francis Pierson

In this play, Rob and Ryan are two brothers who want the same girl, a beautiful baker
named Melinda. Melinda, however, is attracted to Dan, the town butcher and Dan is in
love with Rob and Ryan's older sister Rebecca. Audiences will cringe as the tension
builds between the characters, but don't worry. This play ends in a big wedding with
lots of cake.

6. William Shakespeare: What We Know by Bradley Schmitt

William Shakespeare wrote some of the best plays in the history of English literature.
His wordplay and use of figurative language is unmatched. But what do we really know
about him? According to Dr. Schmitt, not too much. Dr. Schmitt combs through
available records to create a picture of Shakespeare's life. Schmitt covers
Shakespeare's birth, his business dealings, and his battles in the courtroom. Though
there are large gaps, Dr. Schmitt does an excellent job telling the tale of
Shakespeare's life with the available data.

7. For the Family by Cathy Spangler

Katie's best friend is her kitty named Catty. Katie takes Catty everywhere she goes in a
little wagon. Catty is such a nice cat that she lets Katie dress her up in cute little
outfits. The two are inseparable, but when Katie's sister Kelly's eyes get puffy, red,
and itchy, the family learns that Kelly is allergic to Catty. What a catastrophe! Now
Katie is being asked to let go of Catty, for the family. Can she do it? Find out in this
short novel.

8. Magic Beans retold by Andy Krum

In this retelling of the classic story, Jack's family badly needs money, so his father
sends him to town to sell their cow. A strange character offers Jack a few beans for
the cow. The seller claims that the beans are magical. Jack agrees but later regrets his
decision and is unable to find the seller again. In his disappointment, Jack throws the
beans out of his window and takes a nap. He awakens to find that a giant beanstalk has

8
grown to the heavens, taking his house with it. Now Jack is in a strange land of giants,
magic, and treasures untold. Will he survive his encounter with the giants?

9. Animals are People Too by Brenda Bowers

In this compelling five-paragraph essay, Ms. Bowers tries to convince readers to stop
eating meat. She argues that animals have feelings, it is cruel to eat animals, and people
don't have to eat animals to survive. Though this text is very light on evidence, Ms.
Bowers seems to have mastered the emotional plea.

10. War Bride: The Gloria Rose Story by Donald Morton

The year is 1941 and America has just declared war on Germany. Gloria Rose is a young
Australian girl who falls for a dashing American service man named Robert Mallon.
Robert was only temporarily stationed in Australia, and when he is called off to duty,
Gloria marries him so that they can maintain their relationship. After the war is ends,
Robert seeks to bring Gloria back to America as a citizen, but guess what? She's not
the only war bride. Tens of thousands of GIs were married to foreigners during World
War II and the State Department had to carefully screen each of them. Follow Gloria
as she embarks on the journey of a lifetime.

 Contacting me:

Email is by far the best way to contact me as I check it regularly and

generally respond promptly. I also encourage you to talk with me during office

hours (or by appointment) about ideas, drafts, questions, etc.

 Class Conduct:

Disruptions are not acceptable. Cell phones, mp3 players, or other

noise-making items must be turned to silent before class begins. Never

answer calls, read or send text messages. This is a simple matter of respect.

While you’re in class, you should focus on class.