Chart of Literary Genres and Subgenres:

All Fiction

Drama
Stories composed in verse or prose, usually for theatrical performance, where conflicts and
emotion are expressed through dialogue and action.

Fable
Narration demonstrating a useful truth, especially in which animals speak as humans;
legendary, supernatural tale.

Fairy Tale
Story about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children.

Fantasy
Fiction with strange or other worldly settings or
characters; fiction which invites suspension of
reality.

Fiction
Narrative literary works whose content is produced
by the imagination and is not necessarily based on
fact.

Fiction in Verse
Full-length novels with plot, subplot(s), theme(s),
major and minor characters, in which the narrative
is presented in (usually blank) verse form.

Folklore
The songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" as handed down by word of
mouth.

Historical Fiction
Story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting.

Horror
Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader.

Humor
Fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain; but can be contained in all genres
Legend
Story, sometimes of a national or folk hero, which has a basis in fact but also includes
imaginative material.

Mystery
Fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.

Mythology
Legend or traditional narrative, often based in part on historical events, that reveals human
behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods.

Poetry
Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that creates emotional responses.

Realistic Fiction
Story that can actually happen and is true to life.

Science Fiction
Story based on impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on
other planets.

Short Story
Fiction of such brevity that it supports no subplots.

Tall Tale
Humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible with

nonchalance.
All Nonfiction

Biography/Autobiography
Narrative of a person's life, a true story
about a real person.

Essay
A short literary composition that reflects the
author's outlook or point.

Narrative Nonfiction
Factual information presented in a format
which tells a story.
Nonfiction
Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject.

Speech
Public address or discourse.

Elements of a Short Story

What Is a Short Story?

A short story is a work of short, narrative prose that is usually centered around one
single event. It is limited in scope and has an introduction, body and conclusion. Although a
short story has much in common with a novel, it is written with much greater precision. Any
time you are asked to write an essay that is based on a piece of fiction, the following guide and
questions may help you.

Once you examine these narrative elements, you want to look for PATTERNS, or
MOTIFS, in the work. Pay attention to words & images that are related

Setting
Setting is a description of where and when the story takes place. In a short story there are
fewer settings compared to a novel. The time is more limited. Ask yourself the following
questions:
 How is the setting created? Consider geography, weather, time of day, social conditions,
etc.
 What role does setting play in the story? Is it an important part of the plot or theme? Or
is it just a backdrop against which the action takes place?
 Does the setting change? If so, how?
Study the time period, which is also part of the setting, and ask yourself the following:
 When was the story written?
 Does it take place in the present, the past, or the future?
 How does the time period affect the language, atmosphere or social circumstances of the
short story?

Characterization
Characterization deals with how the characters in the story are described. In short stories there
are usually fewer characters compared to a novel. They usually focus on one central character
or protagonist. Ask yourself the following:
 Who is the main character?
  Who or what is the antagonist?
 Are the main character and other characters described through dialogue – by the way
they speak (dialect or slang for instance)?
 Has the author described the characters by physical appearance, thoughts and feelings,
and interaction (the way they act towards others)?
 Are they static characters who do not change?
 Are they dynamic characters who change?
 What type of characters are they? What qualities stand out? Are they stereotypes?
 Are the characters believable?
 Do the characters symbolize something?

Plot and Structure

The plot is the main sequence of events that make up the story. In short stories the plot is
usually centered around one experience or significant moment. Consider the following
questions:
 What is the most important event?
 How is the plot structured? Is it linear, chronological or does it move around?
 Is the plot believable?
CONFLICT: Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main
character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle.
 How would you describe the main conflict?
 Is it an internal conflict within the character?
 Is it an external conflict caused by the surroundings or environment the main character
finds himself/herself in?
CLIMAX: The climax is the point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story. It can also be
the point where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion.
 When does the climax take place?
RESOLUTION: The resolution is the end of the story. It focuses on how the conflict is ultimately
resolved.
 Are the closing sentences significant? How does the end relate or connect to the
opening?

Narrator and Point of View

The narrator is the person telling the story. Consider this question: Are the narrator and the
main character the same?
By point of view we mean from whose eyes the story is being told. Short stories tend to be told
through one character’s point of view. The following are important questions to consider:

 Who is the narrator or speaker in the story?

 Does the author speak through the main character?
  Is the story written in the first person “I” point of view?
 Is the story written in a detached third person “he/she” point of view?
 Is there an “all-knowing” third person who can reveal what all the characters are thinking
and doing at all times and in all places?
 Is the narrator trustworthy?

Style
The author’s style has to do with the his or her vocabulary, use of imagery, tone, or the feeling
of the story. It has to do with the author’s attitude toward the subject. In some short stories the
tone can be ironic, humorous, cold, or dramatic.
 Is the author’s language full of figurative language: metaphors, symbols, personification,
etc.?
 What images are used?
 What is the tone or mood of the story?

Theme
The theme is built on a topic, such as death, hope, the American dream, etc. and how the topic
affects the human condition, society, or life. As a reader, focus on what the story
is revealing about the topic. The theme should be expressed as a statement, a general
observation about human nature.
To help you write a thematic statement, consider the following:
 What is the story about – its general topic(s) (IE: money, wealth, death, etc.)?
 How is the topic developed? (Consider how characters change, symbols, climax, etc.)
 Do you notice any patterns in imagery, diction, etc.?
 Does the title have any significance?
 Does the narrator or character include any statement(s) that reveals a theme or
observation?
What a theme is NOT:
 a word or phrase (topic or subject)
 a command
 a judgment