Literary Genres

There areThere are 55 main genres main genres of of

literatureliterature1. Fiction

2. Non-Fiction

3. Play/Drama

4. Poetry

5. Folktale/Tall Tale/Mythology

Fiction

Invented stories Invented stories with imaginary with imaginary characters and characters and

eventsevents

There are There are

5 5 subgenressubgenres of of

fictionfiction

(1.) Fantasy(1.) FantasyContains elements such as characters

or settings that could not exist in life as we know it today.

(2.) Historical Fiction(2.) Historical FictionGives a historically accurate portrayal

of life during a particular time in history.

(3.) Realistic Fiction(3.) Realistic FictionStories take place in Stories take place in present-daypresent-day. Characters . Characters encounter modern day difficulties and dilemmasencounter modern day difficulties and dilemmas

(4.) Mystery or (4.) Mystery or SuspenseSuspenseStories that involve suspenseful eventsStories that involve suspenseful events

(often a crime of some type). The reader(often a crime of some type). The reader

uses clues from the story to graduallyuses clues from the story to gradually

discover who has committed the crime.discover who has committed the crime.

(5.) Science Fiction(5.) Science FictionExplores the question “What if?”. ItExplores the question “What if?”. It

investigates moral, philosophical, andinvestigates moral, philosophical, and

technological possibilities by creating newtechnological possibilities by creating new

and exciting realities.and exciting realities.

““Wait…what are those Wait…what are those

55 subgenres of Fiction subgenres of Fiction again?”again?”FantasyFantasy

Historical FictionHistorical Fiction

Realistic FictionRealistic Fiction

Mystery or SuspenseMystery or Suspense

Science FictionScience Fiction

Non - fictionNon - fictionTrue stories of actual events True stories of actual events

and charactersand characters

Examples of Non-Examples of Non-FictionFiction

(1.) (1.) AutobiographyAutobiographyA literary work about the

author’s own life

(2.) Biography(2.) Biography

An account of a person’s life that An account of a person’s life that is is

written by someone elsewritten by someone else

Examples of Non-FictionExamples of Non-Fiction

(3.) Memoir(3.) Memoir

A story about an author’s personal A story about an author’s personal

experiences and observations; experiences and observations;

a memorya memory

Examples of Non-Examples of Non-FictionFiction

Play oror DramaA story for stage performances by

actors.

Example:Example:

““The Monsters Are Due on Maple The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”Street”

P o e t r yWords arranged in metrical Words arranged in metrical pattern, often using rhymed pattern, often using rhymed verse in an imaginative wayverse in an imaginative way

Example:Example:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Sugar is sweet

And so are you!

Folktale, Tall Tale, or Folktale, Tall Tale, or MythologyMythology

An anonymous, timeless and placeless storyAn anonymous, timeless and placeless story

that was originally told rather than written.that was originally told rather than written.

ReviewReviewWhat are theWhat are the 55 main genres main genres of literature?of literature?

(1.)(1.) FictionFiction

(2.)(2.) Non-fictionNon-fiction

(3.)(3.) Play or DramaPlay or Drama

(4.)(4.) PoetryPoetry

(5.)(5.) Folktale, Tall Tale, or MythologyFolktale, Tall Tale, or Mythology

What are theWhat are the 5 sub-5 sub-genresgenres of fiction? of fiction?

(1.) Historical FictionHistorical Fiction (2.) FantasyFantasy (3.) Suspense/MysterySuspense/Mystery (4.) Science FictionScience Fiction (5.) Realistic FictionRealistic Fiction