GENRES OF

LITERATURE
 A. According to Form
1. Prose – is a form of language
that exhibits a natural flow of
speech and grammatical
structure, rather than a
rhythmic structure as in
traditional poetry. Prose comes
from the Latin "prosa" which
means "straightforward."
 Examples of Prose
Narrative Prose
Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of
those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had
always intended to visit him, though to
the last always assuring his wife that he
should not go; and till the evening after
the visit was paid she had no knowledge
of it. It was then disclosed in the
following manner. Observing his second
daughter employed in trimming a hat, he
suddenly addressed her with:
"I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy."
 Nonfiction Prose—Speech
I have a dream that one day even the state
of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the
heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat
of oppression, will be transformed into an
oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children
will one day live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the color of their
skin but by the content of their character.
Nonfiction Prose-Explication
To make the cookies, first, you
add butter and shortening to the
bowl. Mix them together. Then,
you add three eggs and three
cups of flour. You will also
need to add a teaspoon of
vanilla. Mix all ingredients
until a dough forms.
2. Poetry – (the term derives from
a variant of the Greek term,
poiesis, "making") is a form of
literature that uses aesthetic and
rhythmic qualities of language—
such as phonaesthetics, sound
symbolism, and metre—to evoke
meanings in addition to, or in
place of, the prosaic ostensible
 Now I Know
                          Jose Paulo Tolentino 

            Seven months felt like seven years

             and now I face my greatest fears
                Why before I could never wait
             but now I know the heavy weight.

                 In a strange world, a mad city,

                      it is tough to be an adult
                       you take responsibility
                  to bear frustration and insult  
ere are days I would like to die
                       life is not pretty as it seem
                Leave this and what do I redeem?
                   many I have learned is just a lie

                 They say I should create a goal

                 Love and life is what you make it
                 but somehow it just could not fit
                       All I have is a hollow soul 

             From here I don't know where to go

                      Being an adult, now I know. 
3. Drama – is a composition
in verse or prose presenting a
story in pantomime or
dialogue, containing conflict
of characters, particularly the
ones who perform in front of
audience on the stage.
The person who
writes drama for stage
directions is known as a
dramatist or playwright.
Peter
Solis
Nery
B.According to Content
1. Fiction – literature in
the form of prose,
especially short stories
and novels, that
describes imaginary
events and people.
2. Non-fiction – the branch of
literature comprising works of
narrative prose dealing with or
offering opinions or conjectures
upon facts and reality, including
biography, history, and the essay
(opposed to fiction and
distinguished from poetry and
drama ).
 According to Presentation
Print (literary journal, book…)

Oral (delivered…)

Digital (computer, internet…)

Literary Genres in
the 21 Century
st

Literature
Cellphone Novel
Keitai shousetsu (mobile phone
novels)
Read and written on mobile phones
and resemble text messages,
utilizing affective visual elements
which are not part of conventional
orthographies, such as smileys
(emoticons) and symbols.
Cellphone Novel
Started in 2000 by a
young Japanese writer
from Tokyo who posted
the short chapters of his
novel by using a
pseudonym ‘Yoshi”
 Cellphone Novel
Gave the title of his novel as Deep
Love. As there was no website to
host his serial fiction during that time,
initially he sent out the ongoing
chapters of his serialized fiction to
the readers via e-mails and MMS
(Multimedia Messaging Service)
 Cellphone Novel
Later Yoshi himself set up a
website in 2000 and started
posting his novel in small
segments.
Deep Love was then printed in
2002 and turned into a manga,
then a television drama an a
film in Japan.
Text Literature
Text Serye – text or
online version of series
of narratives sent
through either mobile
phones or internet
Vince and Kath is an
online romantic series
written by Filipino
author Jenny Ruth
Almocera.
Story consist of
screenshots of SMS and
chat conversations
between the characters
with few narrative
sections. Each album
consists of chapters of
the story.
Became popular on
social media

Book version is
released under ABS-
CBN Publishing
Incorporated
Serieswas ended on May
17, 2016 with a total of 24
chapters (37 parts)

The series was serialized

into a motion picture
entitled Vince and Kath
and James
Text Literature
Text Tula – short poems
sent as text message or
posts in the internet
Text Tula ni Frank G. Rivera,
ang Makata ng Cellphone

Bayang mahilig sa ganda

Inuuna ang postura
Walang laman ang bituka
Kundi gasgas na pag-asa.
Si Megan Young nang
manalo
Nagbunyi ang Pilipino
May dala sanang asenso
Magkakapag-asa tayo.
Nagkagyera sa Mindanao
Kaban ng bayan ninakaw
Sa bagyo’y daming
pumanaw
Miss World, salamat sa
araw.
Spoken Poetry
Spoken word poetry is
poetry that is written
on a page but
performed for an
audience.
Because it is performed,
this poetry tends to
demonstrate a heavy use
of rhythm, improvisation,
free association, rhymes,
rich poetic phrases, word
play and slang.
It is more aggressive
and “in your face”
than more traditional
forms of poetry.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?

Use of Concrete Language.

This is the use words and
phrases that project on the
minds of the listeners vivid
images, sounds, actions and
other sensations.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?
Repitition. It is a
simple but powerful
poetic device that can
help writer generate
exciting poems.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?
Rhyme. Rhyming can
enrich your poems and
performance if used with
skill, surprise and
moderation.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?
Attitude. It is important
that a spoken word poem
embodies the courage
necessary to share one’s
self with the rest of the
world.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?

Persona. Spoken poetry

allows you to be anyone
you want to be.
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?
Performance. After
the poem is written,
practice performing the
poem with the elements
of good stage presence
in mind…
What should be kept in mind when
writing a spoken word poem?
Memorization. If you have a
poem memorized you can focus
more on the performance of the
poem. However, so far as
performance is concerned, it is
more important to “learn your
poem by heart”
Hugot Lines
Hugot lines are emotions
concretized.
Hugot lines are the
product of Filipinos’
tactfulness which is one of
their many unique
characteristics.
Hugot Lines
Humor is another
characteristics of hugot line
and it is what makes it
different from epigrams,
quotation, saying and other
short statements.
Hugot Lines
Free verse in structure
and are composed of
two lines that either
support or contradict
each other.
Hugot Lines
Simile, metaphor,
irony, personification
Symbols are also
present in hugot lines.
 Hugot Lines
Subjects are unrequited
love, pain of loving,
difficulty of moving on and
letting go after a break-up,
infidelity, purity of love,
irony of love, life in general
and even politics.
What is Creative Non-Fiction?
Creative nonfiction (also
known as literary nonfiction 
or narrative nonfiction) is a
genre of writing that uses
literary styles and techniques to
create factually accurate
narratives.
What is Creative Non-Fiction?
Creative non-fiction combines
the authority of literature and
the authority of fact which
demands spontaneity and an
imaginative approach while
remaining true to the validity
and integrity of the information
it contains.
Characteristics of CNF
Based on facts
Limited poetic license
Stretched scenes or
experiences
Use of literary elements
and devices
Excerpt from Would Luna Have
Been a Strongman?
By Nick Joaquin
Eyes flashing and fists
clenched, Luna entered the
house and ran upstairs, after
slapping a sentry who had
been too unnerved to salute.
Luna was met by his mortal
Foe, Felipe Buencamino,
who told him that
Aguinaldo had gone to
San Isidro.
Types of CNF
Narrative – tells a story
Exploratory – explains/
discusses a topic or points
of interest
Types of CNF
Reflective – reveals
feelings/ realizations/
changes caused by an
experience, fact or reality
Journalistic – reports/
reviews/comments on facts
and information
Narrative
Biography – life stories
which subject is someone
other than the author
Autobiography – a story
about the author’s own life
Narrative
Memoirs – deals
with particular period
or episode in the
author’s life
Narrative
Character Sketch – a short
piece of writing that reveals or
shows something important
about a person. It is a person’s
portrait based on what he
looks like, what he says what
he does, and how others
behave toward him.
Narrative
Travel Narrative /
Travelogue – it is a
single person’s
account of a trip,
journey or otherwise.
Exploratory
Essay - is generally, a piece of
writing that gives the author's own
argument — but the definition is
vague, overlapping with those of
an article, a pamphlet, and a short
story. Essays have traditionally
been sub-classified as formal and
informal.
Reflective
Review – is an evaluative
report of information / a
formal assessment or
examination of something
with the possibility or
intention of instituting change
if necessary.
 Reflective
Commentary – an
expression of opinions or
offering of explanations
about an event or situation /
a set of explanatory or
critical notes on a text.
Reflective
Devotional
Blog –  (a truncation of the
expression "weblog") is a
discussion or informational
website published on the
World Wide Web consisting of
discrete, often informal diary-
style text entries ("posts").
Speculative Fiction
It is an umbrella genre
encompassing
narrative fiction with supernatur
or futuristic elements. This
includes the genres science fiction
fantasy, horror and
supernatural fiction, as well as
their combinations.
Dystopian / Utopian Literature

Dystopia, which is the

direct opposite of utopia,
is a term used to describe
a utopian society in which
things have gone wrong.
Both utopias and 
dystopias share
characteristics of science
fiction and fantasy, and
both are usually set in a
future in which technology
has been used to create
perfect living conditions.
Chick Lit
Chick lit is a sub genre of
women’s fiction perceived
to appeal to, or be
marketed at, young
women, typically
concerning romantic
Chick Lit
Chick lit is a genre that
usually depicts what life is like
for young women in big cities,
or occasionally – for the sake
of variety – on fashionable
county estates.
Flash Fiction
Exact definitions can
vary by specific market,
but generally, complete
stories of fewer than
1,500, 1,000, 500 or
even 300 words can be
classified as flash
"Golden Years" by Edith
Perlman from Hint Fiction
Flash Fiction
Flash stories can fall
under any genre; publishers
in the sci-fi, fantasy, horror
and even literary realms
notably have embraced the
inherent creativity of the
format.
"Why I Don't Keep A Daily
Planner" by Stace Budzko from 
Hint Fiction
Digital Poetry
Sometimes called e-
poetry, electronic poetry
or cyber poetry – is a
relatively new era of
literature, much of it
written since the 1990’s
Digital Poetry
Its boundaries are far from
sharp, partly because it
remains an emergent form,
but also because it overlaps
with, or shades into, many
other forms of literature
and art.
http://softschools.com/examples/literary_term
s/prose_examples/335/
examples.yourdictionary.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prose
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry
10poemsthatwrittenbyfilipinos.blogspot.com/
https://literarydevices.net/drama/
www.famousfix.com/list/filipino-dramatists-a
nd-playwrights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_nonfict
ion