elements of literature part one: genre & theme english i honors mr. popovich
TRANSCRIPT
ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
PART ONE: GENRE & THEME
ENGLISH I HONORS
Mr. Popovich
What is Genre? Genre refers to the different types of literature.
Examples include: News Articles Short Stories Novels Essays Plays Poems
Most literature was written in verse Verse is written in metrical lines There were three kinds of verse
Epic: was meant to tell the story of a hero
Dramatic: was meant to be performed
Lyric: was meant to be sung Some “literature” was written in
prose Including history, biography, philosophy
Ancient Genres
Modern Genres Most literature written now is fiction-- it is
something created or invented; not “false” There are three kinds of fictional literature
Drama– which is meant to be performed written as dialogue; includes plays, movies, TV
Poetry– which is meant to be read aloud written in lines; includes lyric and narrative poems
Prose– which is meant to be read silently written in sentences; includes novels and short stories
Some “literature” written now is nonfiction
Including essays, news features, news articles, etc.
Main Ideas The main idea in a piece of writing is
the author’s most significant point: What is she trying to say? In nonfiction texts the main idea is explicitly stated
usually in one complete sentence
in an essay, it is called the thesis
must be supported by evidence
In fictional texts, however, the main idea is implied
MAIN IDEA
SUPPORTING DETAILS
What Is Theme? The theme is the main idea of a piece of
fictional literature. What does it all mean?
It provides insight into the human condition
It reveals the author’s general worldview
It allows readers to see things from a new and different perspective
What Theme Is NOT
A work’s theme is frequently confused with:
The subject or topic What the story is about Usually a word or
phrase
The plot of the story The events that
happen
The moral of a story The lesson it tries to
teach Most DO NOT have a
moral
Activity: ThemeIdentify each item as one of the following:plottopic moralthemesubject
Three siblings go swimming in a fast creek even though their grandfather
warns them not to. Onesibling is swept away by the current
and injured.Swimming in dangerous waters
Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger despite warnings; Many young people often have to
learn a lesson the hard way.
You should listen to your elders.
Swimming
Indentifying Theme
In nonfiction, the main idea is stated explicitly. In fiction, however, the theme is only implied.
Consequently the reader must infer the main idea
Which is why it is difficult
BUT… there is a method!
Identifying ThemeHere is a three-step process to
identify a theme:STEP ONE: BEFORE YOU READIdentify the subject as soon as possible
Consider the title carefully– the author did!Examine any pictures or graphics if
possibleSTEP TWO: WHILE YOU READIdentify the topic as soon as possibleThe topic is more specific than the
subject!STEP THREE: AFTER YOU READ
Consider the work as a whole– What is the point?
What is the author trying to tell me about the topic?
Identifying ThemeLet’s walk through the three steps together.
STEP ONE: BEFORE YOU READConsider the title of a short story called “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”
What do you think the
subject of this short story might be?
Fishing?
Love?Both?
Identifying ThemeNow let’s imagine you are reading the story.
STEP TWO: WHILE YOU READBelow are observations and conclusions you might make
OBSERVATIONSI have noticed that…
CONCLUSIONSThe story is about…
the narrator really wants to catch the giant bass that is
in the river
catching the “big one that got away”
he is falling in love with Sheila
teenagers falling in love
he sacrifices his chance to catch the “big one” to try to
win Sheila’s love
making sacrifices for love
he doesn’t end up with Sheila
???
Identifying ThemeFinally, let’s think about the piece as a
whole.STEP THREE: AFTER YOU READ
What is the author trying to say by telling the story of a young man who sacrifices his one
chance to catch the “big one” for love but who gets neither the fish nor the girl?
The answer to this question is the theme!“The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” reveals the extremes to which young people will go when they are in love, and it reminds readers that these sacrifices may still fail to win love.
Stating ThemeState the theme in the form of a complete sentence.
It is a generalization about the human condition.
It DOES NOT refer to specific characters or events.
In fact, many themes are universal. They apply to people everywhere because we all have common needs, desires, and experiences as human beings.
Consequently, similar themes can be found in various genres– but remember that each genre has a different purpose. Therefore the choice of genre influences how the author states his or her theme.
THE END