Presented by Rita Jackson Library Media Specialist

Presented byRita Jackson

Library Media Specialist

What is a Genre?

• Genre is defined as a category, kind, or type of literature that has a common set of characteristics.

04/20/23 Created by Rita Jackson, LMS 2

• Realism• Formula Fiction• Fantasy• Traditional

Literature• Poetry• Informational Books• Classics

Created by Rita Jackson, LMS 3

Definition – Fictional narrative with characters who are involved in some kind of action that holds our interest; set in a possible time and place with action that seems truthful; a story is possible, although not necessarily probable.


Let’s name a few: The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich by Alice Childress

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

Realistic Stories – Social issues or realistic stories containing real personal problems that teenagers have to face, like being a foster child.


http://catalog.athenslimestone.lib.al.us/polaris/Search/dispatch.aspx?ctx=3.1033.0.0.1&action=1&pos=1

Animal Realism – This form may involve nonfiction or

fiction, but must remain true to animal nature and not take on human qualities; restrictions of scientific accuracy is a factor, as well as maintaining an objective point of view. Influences of nature, of geographic regions, and of life cycles may be easily added.

This genre's stereotypical portrayal of animals constrains our conceptualization of the human-animal bond.

Let’s name a few examples:

Call of the Wild and White Fang London, J. (1903 & 1906.) New York: Scholastic.

Lassie by E. Knight. (1940). Philadelphia: Winston.

Old Yeller by F. Gipson (1956). New York: Harper & Row.

My Friend Flicka. O'Hara, M. (1941). New York: Dell.

04/20/23




Let’s name a few examples: Elizabeth Speare’s The

Witch of Blackbird Pond Mildred Taylor’s Roll of

Thunder, Hear My Cry Bette Greene’s Summer of

My German Soldier Lois Lowry’s Number the

Stars Louise Gouge’s Then

Came Faith Larry McMurtry ‘s

Lonesome Dove

Historical Realism – This subgenre reveals time and place from the past to determine the setting with accurate details about the past; although, the fictional portrayal of the protagonist may be in a suspenseful plot.



Let’s na me a few examples: • Sports Stories - Well-developed

characters struggling with personal issues in sports themes while discovering the forces and choices they must confront. Frequent themes: team play, sportsmanship, and feelings of acceptance.

Matt Christopher’s The Hit-Away KidLeonard Kessler’s Here Comes the Strikeout.Jerry Jenkins Hometown LegendTerry Egan’s The Good Guys of Baseball



Let’s Recap the Subgenres of Realism:

1.How many subgenres are there?

2.Can you name them?3.Look at the books to

the left and decide which subgenre these belong in.






Created by Rita Jackson, LMS 10

Three subgenres include:







Definition - Easily recognizable due to the distinct writing pattern.Subgenres:1.Mysteries and thrillers contain suspense from unexplained events that are solved by reason.2.Romantic stories may tend to oversimplify or sentimentalize male-female relationships; however, romance differs in that it is a freely imaginative fictitious narrative in prose of which incidents are very remote from ordinary life.3.Series Books are stories published as part of a series held together by a string central character or theme.


Definition – Literary fantasy creates a world for characters and readers, asking to accept the pretense that the other world could and does exist within the framework of the book.

Subgenres – 1] Fantastic Stories2] High Fantasy3] Science Fiction








Handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth through ordinary storytellers, anonymous minstrels, these stories evolved as a “cement of society.”

Subgenres –


• A few examples:

Definition – A brief story containing animal characters that clearly points to a moral or lesson, perhaps with a didactic or preachy theme.


Other Aesops Fables: The Hare and the TortoiseThe Goose with the Golden

EggsThe Lion and the MouseThe Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing




Definition –Relies on the appearance of flat characters {ex: fairy godmother in “Cinderellla”} with progressive narration of plots, fast-moving action, and a climax coming near the end with “and they lived happily ever after.”






Definition – Stories which are handed down by word of mouth; originated in religious beliefs, are based upon supernatural forces, often involve gods and goddesses which stress cultural ideals or attempt to explain natural occurrences.

A few examples:

The Golden BoughThe IlliadVariations in modern day: Blair Witch TrialsCoyote Brings Fire Phaeton, Son of ApolloIcarus and DaedalusDemeter and Persephone






• Definition – Believed to be based on real-life events with people who are larger than life, these stories contain fewer supernatural occurrences than myths; however, legends are usually based upon some historical event or person.







Definition – A long narrative poem of unknown authorship about an outstanding or royal character in a series of adventures related to the heroic central figure.








Definition - Artistic, imaginative writing that is not prose and is the most musical of all literary forms. Many subgenres exist of poetry, such as haiku, lyric poetry, ballad, free verse, nursery rhymes, nonsense poetry, and many more.






Definition – Nonfiction or biographies that convey informational facts to the reader; relates facts to concepts, and stimulates curiosity, often written with high artistry.




Definition – Stories that cross all genre lines; can be historical fiction, regional literature, or high fantasy. Well worn and has attracted readers from generation to generation.


There you have the main genres of literature!


Documents

Presented by Rita Jackson Library Media Specialist