[PRELIM] LIT100: Overview of Literature

a. improves your command of language

b. teaches you about the life, cultures, and experiences of people in other parts of the world

c. gives you information about other parts of the world which you may never be able to visit in your lifetime

d. entertains you and provides useful occupation of your free time

e. makes you a wiser and more experienced person by forcing you to judge, sympathize with, or criticize the characters you read about

f. helps you compare your own experiences with the experiences of other people

g. gives information which may be useful in other subjects

what is the importance of literature?

historical fiction

[literary genres]

transports the reader to another time and place - which can be real, imagined, or a combination of both

speculative fiction

[literary genres]

the stories take place in a world different from our own + knows no boundaries; there are no limits to what exists beyond the real world

literature

it can be defined as pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays, and poems.

literature

an expression of feelings and emotions

fiction & non-fiction

what are the two kinds of literature?

fiction

[kinds of literature]

imaginary composed writing or work of art that is meant to provide information, education, and entertainment to the reader

fiction

[kinds of literature]

it is based on the writer's imagination rather than reality

fiction

[kinds of literature]

examples include plays, poems, short stories, novels, oral literature, and songs

non-fiction

[kinds of literature]

factual writing or written work that gives facts

non-fiction

[kinds of literature]

can be proved to be factual since it provides real places, events, characters, times, or reality rather than imaginary things

non-fiction

[kinds of literature]

examples include autobiographies, biographies, essays, diaries and journals, magazines, newspapers, textbooks

literary fiction

[literary genres]

are considered works with artistic value and literary merit

literary fiction

[literary genres]

often include political criticism, social commentary, and reflections on humanity

literary fiction

[literary genres]

character-driven >>> plot-driven

literary fiction

[literary genres]

follows a character's inner story

mystery

[literary genres]

also called detective fiction - follows a detective solving a case from start to finish

mystery

[literary genres]

it drops clues and slowly reveals information, turning the reader into a detective to solve the case too

mystery

[literary genres]

it starts with an exciting hook, keeps readers interested with suspenseful pacing, and ends with a satisfying conclusion that answers all of the reader's outstanding questions

thriller

[literary genres]

are dark, mysterious, and suspenseful plot-driven stories

thriller

[literary genres]

very seldom includes comedic elements, but what they lack in humor, they make up for in suspense

thriller

[literary genres]

keeps readers on their toes

thriller

[literary genres]

uses plot twists, red herrings, and cliffhangers to keep them guessing until the end

horror

[literary genres]

are meant to scare, startle, shock, and even repulse readers

horror

[literary genres]

focuses on themes of death, demons, evil spirits, and the afterlife

horror

[literary genres]

preys on fears with scary beings like ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and other monsters

horror

[literary genres]

plot and characters are tools used to elicit a terrifying sense of dread

historical fiction

[literary genres]

takes place in the past

historical fiction

[literary genres]

written with a careful balance of research and creativity

historical fiction

[literary genres]

tells stories that involve actual historical figures or historical events within historical settings

romance

[literary genres]

centers around love stories between two people

romance

[literary genres]

it is lighthearted, optimistic, and has an emotionally satisfying ending

romance

[literary genres]

contains conflict, but it does not overshadow the romantic relationship, which always prevails in the end

western

[literary genres]

tells the stories of cowboys, settlers, and outlaws exploring the western frontier and taming the American Old West

western

[literary genres]

it is shaped specifically by their genre-specific elements and rely on them in ways that novels in other fiction genres do not

western

[literary genres]

are not as popular as they once were; the golden age of the genre coincided with the popularity of ________ films in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s

bildungsroman

[literary genres]

a literary genre of stories about a character growing psychologically and morally from their youth into adulthood

bildungsroman

[literary genres]

characters experience a profound emotional loss, set out on a journey, encounter conflict, and grow into a mature person by the end of the story

bildungsroman

[literary genres]

translates to "a novel of education" or "a novel of formation"

speculative fiction

[literary genres]

a super genre that encompasses a number of different types of fiction: from science fiction to fantasy to dystopian

science fiction

[literary genres]

are speculative stories with imagined elements that do not exist in the real world

science fiction

[literary genres]

some are inspired by "hard" sciences like physics, chemistry, and astronomy; others are inspired by "soft" social sciences like psychology, anthropology, and sociology

science fiction

[literary genres]

common elements include time travel, space, exploration, and futuristic societies

fantasy

[literary genres]

are speculative stories with imaginary characters set in imaginary universes

fantasy

[literary genres]

inspired by mythology and folklore and often include elements of magic

fantasy

[literary genres]

this genre attracts both children and adults; well-known titles include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the Harry Potter series

dystopian

[literary genres]

are a genre of science fiction

dystopian

[literary genres]

they're set in societies viewed as worse than the one in which we live in

dystopian

[literary genres]

exists in contrast to utopian fiction, which is set in societies viewed as better than the one in which we live in

magical realism

[literary genres]

depicts the world truthfully, while also adding magical elements

magical realism

[literary genres]

the fantastical elements are not viewed as of or unique; they're considered normal in the world in which the story takes place

magical realism

[literary genres]

the genre was born out of the realist art movement and is closely associated with Latin American authors

realist literature

[literary genres]

are set in a time and place that could happen in the real world

realist literature

[literary genres]

they depict real people, places, and stories in order to be as truthful as possible

realist literature

[literary genres]

remain true to everyday life and abide by the laws of nature as we currently understand them

author

[elements of literature]

it is the writer of any written work of art or fiction

author

[elements of literature]

it is very important to not only know the name of the ________, but also understand and appreciate his or her background.

author

[elements of literature]

by understanding the ________, it will help the reader discover what, how, and why the ________ writes any story or novel.

setting

[elements of literature]

it is the place and time in which the story unfolds or takes place.

plot

[elements of literature]

it is a series or chain of related events that tells us "what happens" in a story.

plot

[elements of literature]

when the ________ is well mapped out, it hooks us or catches our curiosity (interest) about what will happen next.

plot

[elements of literature]

a good ________ draws us along after the narrator, just as a fish is hooked, played, and reeled in by an expert fisherman.

conflict

[elements of literature]

it can be external, such as when a person struggles with another person (man vs. man), with an angry warthog (man vs. nature), or when women fight against the patriarchy (man vs. society).

conflict

[elements of literature]

aside from it being external, it can also be internal, that is, it can take place inside a person's mind or heart (man vs. himself).

theme

[elements of literature]

it refers to the controlling, main idea, or central insight in the novel or short story.

character

[elements of literature]

these are persons or animals involved in a story to entertain and show us the truth about the human experience and ourselves.

character

[elements of literature]

a good ________ should be "alive" to help us appreciate the story well.

style

[elements of literature]

it refers to the way the novel or short story is written in order to have a desired effect on the reader or audience.

style

[elements of literature]

it also refers to the techniques used by the writer of a literary work such as point of view, humor, fantasy, flashbacks, tone, and so on.

language

[elements of literature]

it is the most important element of writing.

literary language

[elements of literature]

it is often used in fiction writing to "relish" the story so that it is more clear, educative, informative, and indeed interesting or entertaining.

prose

written in paragraph form

e.g., short story, essay, novel, drama

poetry

written by stanza or by verse

e.g., narrative poetry, lyric poetry, drama

narrative poetry

it is an objective kind of poetry since it aims to tell a story

epic, ballad, metrical romance

what are examples of narrative poems?

epic

[kinds of narrative poetry]

a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

ballad

[kinds of narrative poetry]

a narrative poem that is shorter than an epic

metrical tale or romance

[kinds of narrative poetry]

also known as medieval romances

idyll, psalm, hymn, songs, elegy, ode

what are examples of lyric poetry?

idyll

[kinds of lyric poetry]

a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place

psalm

[kinds of lyric poetry]

a sacred song or poem used in worship

hymn

[kinds of lyric poetry]

a song of praise to God

elegy

[kinds of lyric poetry]

a sad or mournful poem

ode

[kinds of lyric poetry]

a formal lyric poem that is written in celebration, appreciation, or dedication

comedy, tragedy, melodrama, farce

what are examples of dramatic poetry?

comedy

[kinds of dramatic poetry]

a humorous work of drama

tragedy

[kinds of dramatic poetry]

a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.

melodrama

[kinds of dramatic poetry]

a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions

farce

[kinds of dramatic poetry]

a play filled with ridiculous or absurd happenings; broad or far-fetched humor; a ridiculous sham

time, setting, characters, plot, theme, point of view

what are the elements of prose?

man vs. himself, man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature

what are the types of conflict?

imagery, rhyme, mood, rhythm, foot, meter

what are the elements of poetry?

sense, sounds, structure, speaker, sensory

what are the 5 S's to summarize the elements of poetry?

sense

[5 S]

includes the diction, imagery, and impression

sounds

[5 S]

includes a combination of elements

structure

[5 S]

it is the arrangement of parts to form a whole

denotation

it is the dictionary definition of a word

connotation

it is the implied or associative meaning of a word

speaker

[5 S]

it is the voice that talks to the reader; persona or narrator

sensory

[5 S]

involves the five senses