LESSON 3: Introduction to Contemporary Literature

1950- PRESENT
“This literary era defines a time period but it also describes particular style and quality of writing.”

What is Contemporary Literature?

The literature of the contemporary period not only refers to a quality/style of writing but also
to poetry and prose, which includes works of fiction such as: novels, novellas, essays, and
dramatic works.

Characteristics of the Contemporary Style

 Reality-based stories
 Believable story-line, sometimes portraying a harsher reality or degradation of society
 Current, modern setting
 “Well-defined, realistic, highly developed” and strong character (s).
 Well-structured
 Writing is “more character driven than plot driven”

GENRES OF CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

Genres of this time included novels and poetry. Flash fiction, short stories, slam poetry,
plays, memoirs, and autobiographies were also popular. Authors found inspiration in the events of
the time period. They often wrote about the realities and experiences that had occurred, no matter
how brutal they may have been.

“The literary innovations of this period were largely influenced by the surroundings and the
changes that were occurring in it…”

I. Story

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

a. Acquaint themselves with styles and concerns of contemporary stories.

WHAT IS A STORY?

A story or narrative is a connected series of events told through words (written or spoken),
imagery (still and moving), body language, performance, music, or any other form of
communication. You can tell a story about anything, and the events described can be real or
imaginary; covering both fiction and nonfiction; and leaving no topic, genre, or style untouched.
There are stories about all things and all times; past, present and future. Whenever you’re telling
somebody about a series of events, you are telling a story, no matter what the subject nor when
they occurred. As such, stories are of great value to human culture, and are some of the oldest,
most important parts of life.

Aside from being a part of every single type of literature, stories are at the foundation of
creativity and part of just about everything we do, particularly when it comes to entertainment,
recording, and reporting of any form. So, they are shared in all different ways—from oral and
written storytelling or journalism; to TV, film, and radio; to fine arts, stage performance and music;
and so on.

In one form or another, stories have been a part of human culture and society for thousands
of years—likely since man has existed! They’re found in the past and present of people from every
culture, religion, and ethnicity; in every region and language. So, all of that considered, the
concept of a story is actually a bit difficult to fully cover or describe. Some would say that life is
made up of a series of never ending stories. From a simple commute to school or work, to all the
events of our lives, everything has a story.

TYPES OF STORIES

The range of types of stories is pretty much endless. For that reason, this article will divide
stories into two very broad categories—fiction and nonfiction. Within each there are a huge
number of possibilities in terms of subject matter, genre, type of delivery (oral, written,
performance), narrative style, and so on.

Fiction stories
Fiction stories are based on made-up or imaginary events. There are dozens upon dozens
of types of fiction stories and genres, including but not at all limited to:
 Fairy tales  Historical fiction
 Folklore  Fantasy
 Mythology  Science-fiction
 Legends  Love stories
 Epics  Horror stories
 Dramas  Ghost stories
 Adventure stories  Bedtime stories

Non-fiction stories

Non-fiction stories can cover any kind of real-life event or experience. But, they often fall
into these kinds of categories:
 Historical events  Science
 News and current events  Family and love
 Biographies and autobiographies  Travel stories
 Memories and experiences  Survivor stories
 Cultural history  War stories
 Crime and justice

IMPORTANCE OF STORY

Stories are, have been, and always will be an absolutely essential part of human culture.
Stories are how we learn about each other, our past, and our cultures. Whether they are created
for entertainment or to recount a real-life event—new stories are literally being lived, told, and
created every second of every day. So, even if there was only one story for every person who ever
lived, that would still be billions of stories in the world; it would be impossible to measure how
many have existed.

ACTIVITY 3

Direction: Read and analyze the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” a story by Edgar Allan
Poe. Write your interpretation and analysis about the story, use the rubric to be
guided for making the given task.