Genre: a distinctive category of literary composition

One is just right for YOU!

Are You for Real?

NON-FICTION: real, factual, deals with actual people, places, and events

FICTION: unreal, not true, not factual, a made up story

Biography

Story of a real person’s life

Form of nonfiction (true)

Bios means life

Graph means to write

Author must do research by interviewing the subject or those who knew the subject

What is an autobiography?

Autobiography

Form of nonfiction (true)Story of a real person’s lifeAuto means selfBios means lifeGraph means to writeWritten by the person the story is aboutAuthor does not need to do researchAuthor shares how he/she feels and what he/she thinks

Realistic Fiction

Form of fiction (not true)

Accurately reflects life as it could be lived today

Everything in the story could happen to real people living in our natural physical world

The characters have normal human characteristics

Story may be set in real places, but the story is NOT based on history

Historical Fiction

Form of fiction (not true)

Based on historical events

Authentic settings

Characters portrayed in realistic manner

Some characters may be actual people from history, but the story is fictional

Artistic mix of fiction and historical fact

Science Fiction

Form of fiction (not true)Contains some sort of scientific element, such as

Outer spaceMedicineTechnology

Within the realm of possibilityCharacters have some believable traits/qualities

Fantasy

Form of fiction (not true)Contains one or more of the following:

supernatural occurrencescharacters with magical powersthings with magical powersanimals with human characteristicsreal people in fantastic placesfantastic creatures or characters in real situations

Mystery

Form of fiction (not true)

Story revolves around a puzzle/problem

Characters deal with the solution to a puzzle/problem, such as

finding a missing item/person

unraveling a secret

rationalize an event that is not explained

Contains clues/hints that help the characters and readers solve the puzzle/problem

Folktales

Form of fiction (not true)

Story that teaches a lesson

Contain the beliefs and customs of a region or country

Original story is modified to make it more interesting or more humorous

Present larger-than-life characters and very unusual happenings

Fables

Form of fiction (not true)

Type of folktale

Ends in a moral or lesson

Characters are animals that talk and act like humans

A character usually represents a single human characteristic, such as a fox being symbolic of a trickster

Legend

Form of fiction (not true)Stories written about a real life hero and his/her mighty deedsMix of fiction and historical facts that have been creatively altered to encourage moral conduct and right choicesLeaves questions/wonder in the reader’s minds (Did Mike Fink really wrestle a grizzly bear?)

Myths

Form of fiction (not true)

Pertains to the actions of the gods and/or goddesses

Characters are super-natural beings with human emotions and qualities

Plot may involve interplay between worlds (this world and previous/original world)

Credit

Adapted from a PowerPoint found at:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fteacher.neisd.net%2Flibrary%2Fpublic%2Flessonplan%2Ffiles%2FPOWERPOINT%2520Types%2520of%2520Genre.ppt&ei=FB8RUsaHK6Tj2AWj7YGoDA&usg=AFQjCNETi6J44UvtQGjUdAN3PJ99XrhItg&sig2=nrL-b7B3dOn-T0ZTPS1CzA&bvm=bv.50768961,d.b2I