els types of literature and elements of literature

literature

This is a body of literary productions, either oral, written or visual containing imaginative language that realistically portrays thoughts, emotions and experiences of the human condition

litera

Latin word — which means letter

1. prose

2. poetry

2 major types of literature

prose

It consists written works within the common flow of conversation presented in a straightforward manner

prose

which means straightforward

novel

• This is a long narrative divided into chapters.

• The events may be taken from true-to-life stories and spans for a long period of time.

• There are many characters involved.

short story

This is a narrative involving one or more characters, one plot and one single impression

plays

This is presented on a stage, is divided into acts and each act has many scenes.

legend

• These are fictitious narratives, usually about origins.

• It provides historical information regarding the culture and views of particular group of people or country

folk tales

A traditional narrative, usually anonymous, and handed down orally

fables

• These are also fictitious and they deal with animals and inanimate things who
  speak and act like people.

• Their purpose is to enlighten the minds of children to events that can mold their ways and attitudes

myths

A traditional sacred story, typically revolving around the activities of gods and heroes, which aim to explain a natural phenomenon or cultural practice

anecdotes

These are merely products of the writer’s imagination and the main aim is to bring out lessons to the reader.

essay

• This expresses the viewpoint or opinion of the writer about a particular problem
  or event.

• The best example of this is the Editorial page of a newspaper

biography

This deals with the life of a person which may be about himself, his autobiography or that of others

news

this is a report of everyday events in society, government, science and industry, accidents etc., happening nationally or not.

oration

• This is a formal treatment of a subject and is intended to be spoken in public.

• It appeals to the intellect, to the will or to the emotions of the audience

poetry

It is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices as to evoke emotional response

poetry

It is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices as to evoke emotional response

narrative poetry

This form describes important events in life either real or imaginary.

epic

• it is an extended narrative about heroic exploits under supernatural control. It may deal with heroes and gods.

• The hero/heroine usually has the following characteristics: idealism, courage, wisdom, beauty, endurance, chivalry and justice

1. popular or ancient epic

2. modern epic

2 kinds of epic poetry

popular or ancient epic

often without a definite author and is of slow growth (kind of epic)

modern epic

with a definite author (kind of epic)

metrical tales

• This is a narrative which is written in verse and can be classified either as a ballad or metrical romance.

ballads

This is considered as the shortest and simplest of the narrative poems. It has a simple structure and tells of a single incident.

lyric poetry

• Originally, this refers to that kind of poetry meant to be sung to the accompaniment of a lyre, but now, this applies to any type of poetry that expresses emotions and feelings to the poet.

• They are usually short, simple and easy to understand.

folksongs (awiting bayan)

These are short poems intended to be sung. The common theme is love, despair, grief,
doubt, joy, hope, and sorrow

sonnets

this is a lyric of poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling or an idea

Italian and the Shakespearean

two types of sonnets

elergy

This is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and melancholy, and whose theme is death

ode

This is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite
number of syllables or definite number of lines in a stanza.

psalms

This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a philosophy of life.

awit (song)

• These have the measures of twelve syllables (dodecasyllabic) and slowly sung
  to the accompaniment of a guitar or banduria

• example: florante at laura

corridos

• These have measures of eight syllables (octosyllabic)and recited to a martial beat.

• The songs are often about oppressions, daily life of peasants, and other socially
  important information.

dramatic poetry

• This is an emotional piece of literature which includes a story which is recited
  or sung.

• Soliloquy and dramatic monologues are the main instruments of this form of poetry

comedy

• This word comes from the Greek term “Komos”.

• This form usually is light and written with a purpose of amusing, and usually has a happy ending.

komos

meaning festivity or revelry

melodrama

• This is usually seen in musical play with the opera. Today, this is related to tragedy just as the farce to comedy.

• It arouses immediate and intense emotion and is usually sad but there is a happy
  ending for the principal character.

tragedy

This involves the hero struggling mightily against dynamic forces; he meets death or
ruin without success and satisfaction obtained by the protagonist in a comedy

farce

• this is an exaggerated comedy.

• It seeks to arouse mirth by laughable lines; situations are too ridiculous to be
  true; the characters seem to be caricatures and the motives undignified
  and absurd.

social poems

• This form is either purely comic or tragic and its pictures the life of today.

• it may aim to bring about changes in the social conditions

bible or the sacred writings

this has become the basis of Christianity originating From Palestine and Greece

koran

The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia

the Iliad and the Odyssey

these have been the source of myths and legends of Greece. They were written by Homer

the mahabharata

• the longest epic of the world.

• It contains the history of religion in India.

canterbury tales

• It depicts the religion and customs of the English in the early days.

• This originated from England and was written by Chaucer

uncle tom’s cabin

• Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of the U.S.

• This depicted the sad fate of slaves; this became the basis of democracy later on

the divine comedy

• (by Dante of Italy)

• This shows the religion and customs of early Italians.

el cid compeador

This shows the cultural characteristics of the Spaniards and their national history

The songs of Ronaldo

• This includes Doce Pares and Roncesvalles of France.

• It tells about the Golden Age of Christianity in France

the book of the dead

this includes the Cult of Iris and the mythology and theology of Egypt

the book of the days

this was written by confucius of China

one thousand and one or the arabian nights

• From Arabia and Persia (Iran).

• It shows the ways of governments, of industries and of the society of the Arabs and Persians.

1. setting

2. characters

3. conflict

4. plot

5. point of view

6. tone

7. mood

elements of literature

setting

where it takes places

characters

are the people in the story

1. flat

2. round

3. static

4. dynamic

types of characters

flat characters

• are one dimensional

• good guy = hero

round characters

• have many sides to them

• good/bad

static characters

never change

dynamic characters

• change during the story

• main character

1. protagonist

2. antagonist

3. foil

Major characters fall into one of the three categories

Protagonist

main character

antagonist

opposition of protagonist

foil

character who provides contrast to protagonist

plot

• Sequence of events

• Give Structure

1. exposition

2. rising action

3. climax

4. falling action

5. resolution

basic sequence of plot

exposition

• beginning of the story

• once upon a time

rising action

• sets up conflict

• builds tension

climax

• turning point

• high point

falling action

• wrapping up story

• immediately after climax

resolution

• point of closure

• ending

1. man vs man

2. man vs self

3. man vs nature

4. man vs society

types of conflict

man vs man

two humans in confrontation

man vs self

internal conflict, struggle

man vs nature

facing the elements or animals

man vs society

going against social norms

theme

• central concept

• mystery, science fiction, romance

point of view

Angle the story is being told from

first person

as if you are telling a story

third person limited

• story told from an observer

• see, hear

third person - objective

sees into the mind of a character

omniscient

told by a person who knows everything about everyone in the story

foreshadowing

hints or clues on what’s to come

irony

contrast between that appears true and what really is

1. verbal

2. situational

3. dramatic

three types of irony

verbal irony

what is said vs. what is meant

irony of the situation

happening that is opposite of what’s expected

dramatic irony

reader knows more than character

tone

author’s attitude toward a subject

mood

the feeling or climate of a story

• setting

• objects

• details

• images

• words

influences the mood

figurative language

language that goes beyond literal meaning

simile

direct comparison of two unlike things

metaphor

• implied comparison if two unlike things

• the comparison is not announced

• doesn’t use “like” or “as”

hyperbole

• exaggerated terms

• “i read it a million times!”

onomatopoeia

• words that mimic sounds

• bang! pow!