Literary Genres and Conventions

Objectives:
1. Recognize some of the different traditional
literary genres
2. Identify the dominant literary conventions of a
particular genre
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Genre
A particular type of literature, painting, music, film
or other art form which people consider a class
because of its special characteristics
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Literary Genres
Categories of literary composition determined by
literary techniques, tone, content or even length
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Literary Conventions
Defining features of a particular genre
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

FICTION
NONFICTION
DRAMA
FOLKTALE
POETRY
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Sub-genres:
Fiction Nonfiction Drama Folktale Poetry
Mystery Biography Plays Fable ABC Poems
Realistic Fiction Autobiography Skits Myth Haiku
Historical
Informational Musicals Fairytale Triangle
Fiction
Fantasy Reference Tragedy Legend Sonnet
Science Fiction Essay Comedy Telltale Free Verse
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Fiction
Written stories about people and events that are not
real
Conventions:
 A happy ending
 A lone hero
 Invasion of aliens or zombies
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Drama
A story of human life told by actual representations
of persons by persons
Conventions:
 Portrayal of believable characters
 Exhibiting real life situations and occurrences
 Use of dialogue and scenery
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Folktale
Stories passed down by oral tradition
Conventions:
 Use of magic and power
 Being passed down from generation to
generation through word of mouth
 Made up stories to explain some wonders
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Poetry
An imaginative and creative form of writing

Conventions:
 Lines and stanzas
 Rhyme and rhythm
 Creative choice and use of words
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Nonfiction
A literary work that offers opinions or conjectures
upon facts and reality
Conventions:
 Narrative prose
 Deals only with real people, events or ideas
 Presents facts or discusses concepts
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Five (5) Major Genres

Creative Nonfiction
 It is a memory or fact-based writing that makes
use of the style and elements of fiction and
poetry.
 It is a form that utilizes memory experience,
observation, opinion and all kinds of research.
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Creative Nonfiction
 Creative Nonfiction stories depict real-life
events, places, people and experiences.
 “Nonfiction” (without the creative designation)
tells true stories as well, there is less emphasis
upon and space for creativity.
 It tells a true story in an artistic – or literary –
way.
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Creative Nonfiction
 It is often told in first person.
 It uses literary devices more creatively and
artistically-oriented than a regular nonfiction.
 The narrator is often the author or a persona of
the author, but not always.
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Creative Nonfiction

The goal is to communicate a bit of the real world –

a personal experience, a scientific discovery, a
history, a place, a person – in a way that will sing on
the page, inform and change readers, and make an
impact.
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Four (4)Rs & W of Creative

Nonfiction
 REAL-LIFE
 REFLECTION
 RESEARCH
 READING
 WRITING
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Personal Essay
 Personal experience that leads to significant
personal meaning
 Writer uses the first person “I”
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Memoir
 Real story within a real time or period of life
 Writer uses the first person “I”
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Literary Journalism Essay
 An output on an issue or topic using the
understood literary devices
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Autobiography
 Writer’s own life story from birth to present
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Travel Writing
 Article narration about travel using literary
devices
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Food Writing
 Crafted stories about food and cuisine using
literary devices
 Literary Genres and Conventions

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Profiles
 Writing life stories of people using literary
devices
 COMMON LITERARY DEVICES THAT
WRITERS INCORPORATE IN NONFICTION
WRITING:
Storytelling or Narration
Character/Characterization
Setting, Atmosphere, Scene
Plot and Plot Structure
Figurative Language Dialogue
Imagery
Theme
 LITERARY DEVICES
Theme
 In literary text, theme is the broader message of
the story.
 In nonfictional informative texts, the central
ideas are the ones most essential.
 Question for Reflection

 How significant is writing Creative Nonfiction?