Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Lesson 1.5
Other Literary Genres
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Let’s Begin 2

Discover 3
Comics and Graphic Novels 3
Elements of Comics and Graphic Novels 3
Difference Between Comics and Graphic Novels 6
Movies and TV Shows 7
Elements of Movies and TV Shows 7
Similar Elements with Prose 10
Oral Literature 10

Wrap-Up 12

Try This! 13

Practice Your Writing Skills 14

Bibliography 17
Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Lesson 1.5

Other Literary Genres

Introduction
After covering the four main literary genres, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama,
you might think all of the literature we consume falls neatly into one of those four
categories. Interestingly, many other forms of literature are not entirely part of the four
main genres. In fact, you might not realize until now that the genres we’re about to study in
this lesson can be considered literary genres. Do you like listening to or telling folktales and
other stories? Do you enjoy watching TV or online streaming services at home? Are you a
fan of comics and graphic novels? All of these can be considered literary genres, and this
lesson will cover their basic elements and conventions.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Learning Objectives DepEd Learning Competencies

In this lesson, you should be able to do the
following:
● Define and explain other literary
genres and their elements.
● Compare and contrast other
literary genres with fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do
the following:
● Analyze and interpret the theme and
techniques used in a particular text
(HUMSS_CNF11/12-Ia-3).
● Create samples of the different literary
elements based on one’s experience [e.g.,
metaphor to describe an emotion]
(HUMSS_CNF11/12-1b-d-4).
This lesson serves as an enrichment lesson for the
following DepEd competency:
● Identify dominant literary conventions of a
particular genre (HUMSS_CNF11/12-Ia-1).

Let’s Begin

Is This Literature? 10 minutes

Choose a show, movie, comic strip, or graphic novel you’ve enjoyed in the past. Look back at
the four literary genres we’ve studied and their elements. See if your chosen show, movie,
comic strip, or graphic novel has similar features as the elements of any of the four literary
genres.

Instructions
1. Choose a show, movie, comic, or graphic novel.
2. Recall the elements of the four main literary genres.
3. Find any features in your chosen medium that are similar to the elements of any of
the four literary genres.
4. Partner up with a classmate and compare what you’ve found.

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Guide Questions
1. What features did you notice from your chosen work?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. How are these features unique to your chosen work?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

3. Which elements of the literary genres are those features similar to?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Discover
Now, we’ll be looking at several other literary genres and their elements, as well as how they
can be compared to the four main literary genres. We’ll start with comics and graphic
novels.

Why can these other genres be considered literary as

well?

Comics and Graphic Novels

Elements of Comics and Graphic Novels
Comics strips or comic books (or simply comics), and graphic novels are forms of literature
that tell stories through a series of illustrations. Comic strips are usually just a page long,
while comic books can have a few more pages. Meanwhile, graphic novels, as the name

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suggests, can be as long as regular novels.

Before we begin, it should be clarified that comics are not synonymous with graphic novels.
Comics and graphic novels are two different genres and aren’t just different in terms of
length. However, they do share most, if not all, of their basic elements. This section will
guide us through quick explanations of the most important ones.

The panel is the simplest element of a comic or graphic novel. It is a single illustration on a
page typically inside a border. A comic book page is a combination of one or more panels
that can be arranged on the page in a number of different ways. Each panel progresses the
story by depicting an action with figures and speech bubbles. A tier is simply a single row of
panels, while the gutter is the space between panels. These spaces can range from small to
large, impacting how easy it is to read the pages.

A splash is a full-page illustration that is usually

used at the start of the comic book or graphic
novel to introduce the story as well as establish
the setting and mood. A spread is an
illustration that takes up more than one page. It
can take the place of a splash at the beginning
of the comic or come in different parts of the
comic or graphic novel to show impactful or
important events or actions.

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Fig. 2. A spread, which takes up multiple pages

A caption is a box of text that is separate from the rest of the panel but is still usually within
the border. It is often used to provide the context of what is happening in the panel or the
page through the voice of the narrator. The speech bubble/balloon is where the dialogue
of the characters inside the panel can be found. Each balloon has a “tail,” which points to
whom the dialogue belongs.

Aside from these elements unique to comics and graphic novels, the two genres also tell a
story, so they also make use of many of the elements of fiction and creative nonfiction, like
setting, characters, imagery, and the like. The difference is that comics and graphic novels
can present these elements visually through their art.

In addition, the same plot elements of fiction or nonfiction also apply. Furthermore, longer
comics and graphic novels can divide their plots into three acts. Act I is where the
introductions are usually made. The central characters are introduced, as well as the setting,
mood, and dominant conflict. In Act II, character development happens, as well as the
climax of the story and everything in between. Act III is the post-climax resolution that

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shows the growth of the central character(s) after their ordeal.

Difference Between Comics and Graphic Novels

Since a graphic novel is closer to a fictional novel in terms of length and plot, there are a
number of features in a graphic novel that cannot be found in comics. For one, the three
acts described earlier are more visible in graphic novels because they have clear beginnings,
middles, and ends. In graphic novels, there is a clear main narrative as well as a number of
side stories. There should also be character development and thematic messaging. Comics
can do these as well, but they would have to do it through a number of issues instead of in
just one strip or panel.

Graphic novels also contain complete narratives whether or not they are part of a more
extended series. Meanwhile, comics have parts of a serialized narrative. This means that it
might be harder to read comic strips or books if you have not read the previous part or
parts. Because of this difference, comics are often published and released more often,
usually on a weekly or monthly basis.

Writing Tip
You don’t have to be both a writer and an artist to start your own
graphic novel or comic series. Often, comic book and graphic novel
writing are done by at least a pair. As a writer, you can help the artist
by drawing rough sketches or thumbnails of how you envision your
story taking place in a series of panels.

Now, let’s take a look at a sample comic page so that we can have a clearer idea of what the
elements look like since most of them are visual elements.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Corky
Frank King

Take note that since this is a comic strip, it doesn’t have to have the full plot sections of a
novel or graphic novel. It can demonstrate the visual elements of comics. You can see that
the panels are evenly distributed with gutters that allow for easier reading. Captions aren’t
used in this particular comic, but there are speech bubbles that show dialogue between
Corky and his mother. Notice that more colorful text, such as the one in the sixth panel, can
connote sounds or actions as well.

Movies and TV Shows

Elements of Movies and TV Shows
Much like comics and graphic novels, movies and TV shows also have unique visual
elements that separate them from other literary genres. These elements are usually

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involved in how the movies or shows are filmed or made. The lesson will touch on a few
important ones.

One element that movies and TV shows have is the presence of a camera or cameras. There
are usually different camera shots and camera angles. A shot is based on how far the
camera is from the object or character, while the angle is how the camera is tilted while
filming.

Table 1. Camera shots and angles

Camera Shots Camera Angles

Close-up: A very close shot where the Straight-on angle: The camera is at the
camera lens focuses on a particular detail same height as the object.
or a character’s face.

Medium shot: A shot where the camera High angle: The camera is filming from
lens shows part of a background and/or a above the object.
character’s upper body.

Full shot: A shot where the camera lens Low angle: The camera is filming from
shows the full view of a character. below the object.

Long shot: A shot that shows an object or Oblique angle: The camera is tilted
character at a distance. sideways.

These different camera shots and angles determine how the audience sees a particular
object or person. These can then affect the imagery or symbolism in the movie or show, as
often these shots and angles are chosen upon careful deliberation from the director.

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Writing Tip
How can you use the knowledge on camera angles and shots in
writing? Imagine that the short story or nonfiction essay you are
writing will be turned into a show or movie. Describe the scenery or
characters from different shots and angles to give your readers even
more to imagine.

The next important element in shows and movies is lighting. Depending on how it is used, it
can control the focus of the audience. Lighting can direct whether they should pay attention
to the main character, a significant object, or even details or secondary characters who
aren’t necessarily the visual focus of the scene. Lighting can also set the mood or
atmosphere of the scene. High-key lighting means it is bright and illuminating, while
low-key lighting is darker and has more shadows. Using filters or predominant colors can
also affect the scene. For example, filling the scene with red or orange can enhance the
feeling of a sunset. Shades of blue can connote sadness or emptiness.

Editing also plays a big part in movies and TV shows. How the director decides to cut and
put together scenes dictates the pace and flow of the movie or episode, affecting its
storytelling. With editing, movies and shows also have more freedom to add special effects
to their shots and scenes, allowing fantasy productions to have magic, for example.

Check Your Progress

How is the use of lighting and colors in movies similar to mood and
imagery in prose works?
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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Similar Elements with Prose

Much like fiction and creative nonfiction, movies and shows often also tell a story.
Therefore, they also use many of the same elements as prose. The difference between
shows and movies is that these elements, like in dramas, can be employed visually. The
setting is established almost immediately in movies and shows when they show the place(s)
where scenes and events occur. Character appearances are easy to spot as they are
introduced, and their characterization is evident through their dialogue, actions, facial
expressions, and impressions from other characters. Movies and shows can have narrators
as well, and this is when they employ voice-overs. Some shows have characters as narrators,
while a few have narrators who are disembodied voices and aren’t characters in the story.
Symbolism can be seen in many ways, like in the setting, the props, the characters’ actions,
and more. Since they are also set up and performed like drama, there is a lot of space for
symbolism in allegory in movies and television. Lastly, a theme can be established in movies
and shows as well, and all of their elements typically work together to achieve this theme,
much like in prose and drama.

Oral Literature
For the last additional literary genre we will be discussing, let’s take a look at oral literature.
This term is often associated with folklore or folk literature, as a storyteller often tells these
types of stories in front of an audience. It is also sometimes referred to as oral tradition, as
these stories are passed down from the older generation of a tribe or group of people to the
next generation. These stories are typically never written down, and they are only passed on
orally through storytelling. The specifics of oral literature, like how they are told or
performed, vary largely depending on the cultures and traditions of the people who tell
them. However, they all do share a number of similarities.

Generally, oral literature shares some of its elements with other literary genres. Some tales
are formulated similar to poetry, in which they are divided into stanzas and lines. These
works of oral literature are more like songs, and they are performed with rhythm and
repetition. Repetition is especially important for oral literature, as this allows for easier
memorization since these works are only passed on through word of mouth and rarely
through written text.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Since oral literature is usually a performance, it also has elements in common with drama.
Voice and movement are important in oral literature as well, as both help set the mood
and tone of the performance.

What is unique to oral literature is the use of the refrain. These are parts of the
performance where the storyteller sings something repetitive, and other singers, the
audience included, sing along to that part. It is usually a significant part of the performance
and, when done correctly, can induce emotional reactions from the audience.

In line with this, the audience plays a bigger part in oral literature compared to any other
literary genre. While the audience in any other literary genre are often just listeners or
consumers, the audience in oral literature are often active participants as well. They sing
along in refrains, react accordingly to different parts of the story, and can sometimes even
play a role of their own. Members of the audience can even be part of the performance by
playing musical instruments. However, there are also instances when the storyteller, along
with a group of helpers, plays the instruments for the audience.

To conclude, oral literature may share a number of elements with other literary genres like
poetry and drama, but it still has a number of its own unique elements and traits that make
it stand on its own as an entirely different literary genre.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Wrap-Up
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
● The unique elements of comics and graphic novels are panel, tier, gutter, splash,
spread, caption, and speech bubble/balloon.
● Graphic novels are complete works, while comics are serialized works.
● Some of the movies and TV shows’ unique elements are camera shots, camera angles,
and lighting.
● Oral literature is a literary genre that is almost exclusively performed.
● Some unique elements of oral literature are repetition, refrain, and audience
participation.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Try This!
A. True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write false.

________________ 1. Graphic novels are shorter than comic strips.

________________ 2. Comics are serialized works.

________________ 3. Camera shots determine how far the camera is from the
subject.

________________ 4. Camera angles determine how the camera is tilted while

filming.

________________ 5. Works in oral literature are also written works.

B. Fill in the Blanks. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. Graphic novels have a complete ____________________.

2. A ____________________ is a full-page illustration usually used for introductions.

3. ____________________ is an element of movies and shows that can be either high-key

or low-key.

4. Oral literature is also sometimes called oral ____________________ because it is

related to a people’s customs.

5. ____________________ is a type of oral literature often told in front of an audience.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Practice Your Writing Skills

So that you can get a feel for how comics or shows are planned, this activity will let you try
preparing a thumbnail sketch for a strip or scene. A thumbnail sketch is like a blueprint for
how you want a comic strip or scene in a show to play out. Look at the example below.
Then, choose a prompt to use as a basis for your thumbnail sketch. Make sure to highlight
the following elements in your thumbnail sketch:
● For a comic thumbnail sketch, use panels, gutters, captions, and speech bubbles.
● For a scene thumbnail sketch, use different shots and angles in some panels.

1. Prepare a thumbnail sketch for a scene that shows the first appearance of your main
character.
2. Prepare a thumbnail sketch for a scene that shows the protagonist and antagonist
finally meeting for the first time.
3. Prepare a thumbnail sketch for a scene that shows your main character finally going
home after a long journey.

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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify it based on your needs.
Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels

1 2 3 Suggested
Criteria Score
Beginning Proficient Advanced Weight
Proficiency Proficiency

Usage of The elements The elements The elements

indicated in the indicated in the indicated in the
Elements
instructions are instructions are instructions are ×3
vaguely or correctly used. clearly and
incorrectly used. correctly used.

Completion of The requirements One or two All of the

asked for in the requirements asked requirements asked
Content ×2
prompt are barely for in the prompt are for in the prompt are
present. missing. followed.

Grammar and There are five or There are two to four There is one or no
more mistakes in mistakes in grammar mistake in grammar
Language ×1
grammar and and spelling. and spelling.
spelling.

Total Possible Score 18

Teacher’s Feedback
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Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

Bibliography

Emezue, Godwin. “Essential Stylistic Features of Oral Literature.” ResearchGate, September

29, 2018.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327955273_ESSENTIAL_STYLISTIC_FEATUR
ES_OF_ORAL_LITERATURE.

Lumen Learning & Ivy Tech Community College. “How to Analyze a Film.” Lumen. Accessed
April 20, 2021.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introliterature/chapter/how-to-analyze-a-film/.

MasterClass. “Is It a Comic Book or Graphic Novel? Learn the Difference Between Graphic
Novels and Comics - 2021.” MasterClass. MasterClass, November 8, 2020.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-the-difference-between-graphic-novels-a
nd-comics#what-is-the-difference-between-a-graphic-novel-and-comic-book.

_______. “How to Create a Comic Book: Neil Gaiman's Step-by-Step Guide for Making Comics -
2021.” MasterClass, November 8, 2020.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-comic-book-step-by-step-guid
e-for-making-your-own-comics#what-are-the-elements-of-a-good-comic-book.

Meskin, Aaron. “Comics as Literature? .” British Journal of Aesthetics 49, no. 3 (July 2009):
219–39.

1.5. Other Literary Genres 17

 Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres

1.5. Other Literary Genres

Let’s Begin
1. What features did you notice from your chosen work?
Answers may vary. Students may answer the unique features of a comic, graphic
novel, movie, or TV show. For example, there are illustrations in comics and actors in
a movie.
2. How are these features unique to your chosen work?
Answers may vary. Students may answer by comparing their chosen work with
other works of literature. For example, the student may point out that graphic
novels show the actions of the characters through illustrations instead of simply
describing them like in novels.
3. Which elements of the literary genres are those features similar to?
Answers may vary. Students may continue their comparisons in this question,
except this time, it is finding what’s similar. For example, they can say that in movies,
voice and movement are important too, like in dramas.

Check Your Progress

How is the use of lighting and colors in movies similar to mood and imagery in prose
works?
Answers may vary. Students may answer how prose works sometimes use color to
define the mood, and lighting and color in movies work the same way.

Try This!
A. True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write false.

false 1. Graphic novels are shorter than comic strips.

true 2. Comics are serialized works.

true 3. Camera shots determine how far the camera is from the subject.

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 Unit 1: Introduction to Literary Genres
true 4. Camera angles determine how the camera is tilted while filming.

false 5. Works in oral literature are also written works.

B. Fill in the Blanks. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. Graphic novels have a complete plot.

2. A splash is a full-page illustration usually used for introductions.

3. Lighting is an element of movies and shows that can be either high-key or low-key.

4. Oral literature is also sometimes called oral tradition because it is related to a

people’s customs.

5. Folklore/Folktale is a type of oral literature often told in front of an audience.

1.5. Other Literary Genres 19