A brief introduction to literature
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This document provides an overview of English literature, including definitions and examples of different genres. It defines literature as imaginative works that reflect society and human nature. The genres discussed include prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and drama. Within fiction, it describes various subgenres like historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. It also discusses elements of stories like plot, setting, characters, point of view, and theme. For non-fiction, it outlines purposes and examples of forms like biographies, essays, textbooks, and newspapers. Finally, it briefly defines poetry and drama, including common drama types like comedy, tragedy, and musicals.
A brief introduction to literature
- 1. English Literature Prepared by: Mubariz Zirman
- 2. What’s literature? • Literature is a product of someone’s imagination, originality, thought, feelings, emotions, idea etc. • Literature is a reflection of the society, human nature or reality. • written or oral artistic works, especially those with a high and lasting artistic value.
- 3. Importance of literature • Literature improves your language • It teaches you about the life, cultures and experiences of people in other parts of the world. • It entertains you and provides useful occupation in your free time. • It helps you compare your own experiences with the experiences of other people. • It makes you a wiser and more experienced person by forcing you to judge, sympathize with, or criticize the characters you read about.
- 4. Literature genres Prose – Fiction – Non-fiction Poetry Dram
- 5. Prose • the ordinary form of written language.
- 6. Fiction • literature work about imaginary characters and events like short story
- 7. Types of Fiction • Historical fiction • Realistic fiction • Science fiction • Fantasy • Mystery • Adventure • folktales
- 8. Historical fiction • A story that takes place in a historically accurate time and setting. The characters and some events are fictional.
- 9. Realistic fiction • A story that seems real or could happen in real life. It is set in present day and includes modern day problems and events.
- 10. Science fiction • A story that is typically set in the future or on other planets. It is based on the impact of actual, imagined, or potential science.
- 11. Fantasy • A story that is imaginative, but could never really happen. The setting may be of another world. Characters might be magical.
- 12. Mystery • A story that usually involves suspense and the solving of a crime. Clues are typically given throughout the story to solve the mystery at the end of the book.
- 13. Adventure • A story where a protagonist and other major characters and are placed in dangerous situations. The characters must use their wit and skills to defeat the antagonist.
- 14. Folktales • Fable • Fairy Tale • Legend • Tall Tale • Myth
- 15. Fable • A brief story that is meant to tell a lesson or a moral. The characters are usually animals with human characteristics.
- 16. Fairy tale • A story that has magical elements. The characters are usually fairies, giants, elves, and other magical creatures.
- 17. Legend • A story usually about a national or folk hero. This story takes place in a particular time and place and is partly true and partly fiction. The character traits of the hero are typically exaggerated.
- 18. Tall tale • A humorous story with extreme exaggerations. The main character, or hero, usually does impossible things with ease.
- 19. Myth • A story that is often based on a historical event that is meant to serve as an explanation for some phenomenon of nature or human behavior. Characters are usually gods.
- 20. Genres of fiction • Short story • Novel
- 21. Short story • A brief artistic form of prose which is cantered on a major main event with a few characters.
- 22. Elements of a story • Plot • Setting • Characters • Point of View • Theme
- 23. plot • Plot is what happens and how it happens in a narrative. Stages of plot: 1. Exposition: The part of the plot that tells how the story begins. 2. Raising action: The action in the story leading up to the climax. 3. Climax: The point of crisis in the plot. It may be the reader’s point of highest interest. 4. Falling action: the logical result of the climax 5. Resolution: the final outcome of the story.
- 25. Setting • Time and place, where the action occurs and state of mind at the time. Setting is the place where character’s story accurse.
- 26. Characters • The people or animals in the story.
- 27. Types of character • Protagonist: the main character • Antagonist: a character in conflict with main character • Round Characters: a character who needs attention to be described • Flat characters: a character readily described in a brief summary • Dynamic character: a character who change in the story • Static character: a character who remains the same
- 28. Qualities of a good character • Consistency : The personality should not change unless there is a reason for it. (sometimes he may be an inconsistent one as well) • Plausibility: The lifelines of the character. The reader should accept the character as a human being. People from everyday life. • Motivation: The cause for the character to act. Necessary for the characters & also for the readers.
- 29. Point of view • The relationship of the narrator to the story. 1. Subjective/first person: a character in the story 2. Objective/third person: as a witness of a story
- 30. Theme • A central message, concern, or insight into life expressed through the story. Types of theme: 1. Stated theme: clearly stated in the story 2. Implied theme: must inferred from the story
- 31. Novel • A long artistic form of prose which covers both main and sub events.
- 32. Non-fiction • literature work about real characters and events.
- 33. Characteristics of non-fiction • The people, events, places and ideas presented in nonfiction are real. • Nonfiction is narrated by a real person. • It presents facts, describes true experiences or discuss ideas. • Nonfiction is written for a specific audience or group of readers.
- 34. Strategy for reading nonfiction 1. Recognize the author’s purpose, why the write is writing. 2. Identify the author’s main points. 3. Identify support for the author’s points. 4. Recognize patterns of organization. 5. Vary your reading rate depending different types of nonfiction materials and your purpose.
- 35. Types of non-fiction • Biography • Autobiography • Essay • How-to • Textbook • Encyclopedia • Magazine • Research report • Newspaper • Memoir • Atlas • Brochure • Editorial • Advertisement
- 36. Purposes of non-fiction • To entertain • To inform • To explain • To persuade
- 37. Biography • A history of someone’s life, or part of someone’s life. This is a true story about a real person.
- 38. Autobiography • A biography written by a person about his/her own life and history.
- 39. Essay • A short composition, usually written from the author’s point of view. Essays can be persuasive, comparative, literary criticism, political manifestos, arguments, observations, recollections, or reflections.
- 40. How-to • An instructional form of writing that demonstrates how to do a task, activity, procedure, etc.
- 41. Textbook • A manual of instruction or standard book in any branch of study. Textbooks are usually written according to educational demands.
- 42. Encyclopedia • A comprehensive written work that is used as a reference. It contains articles on various topics and branches of knowledge.
- 43. Magazine • A periodical that contains articles, pictures, advertisements, stories, etc. that is published on a regular schedule.
- 44. Research report • An informational, objective piece of writing based on multiple accurate references.
- 45. Newspaper • A publication containing news, information, current events, and advertising. There are feature articles on topics such as political events, crime, business, art/entertainment, society, and sports. Many newspapers also include some editorial columns. Other sections include advertising, comics, and coupons.
- 46. Memoir • A type of an autobiography. It is a writer’s own account of one or two important events and is told in the first person. It is descriptive and highly personal.
- 47. Atlas • A collection of maps of Earth, or parts of Earth. The atlas presents geographic features, political boundaries, and geopolitical, social, religious, and economic statistics.
- 48. Brochure • A pamphlet or leaflet advertisement. Brochures may advertise locations, events, hotels, products, services, etc. They are usually brief in language and have an eye- catching design.
- 49. Editorial • An article that is usually in a newspaper or magazine, or on television or the radio. This article expresses the author’s personal opinion and view on a particular topic.
- 50. Advertisement • A public promotion of a product or service. It is a form of communication used to help sell these products or services. It usually describes how the products or services can benefit the customer.
- 51. Poetry • Poetry is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices so as to evoke an emotional response.
- 52. Drama • Drama is a story written to be performed by actors. Although a drama is meant to be performed, one can also read the script, or written version, and imagine the action.
- 53. Types of drama • Comedy or humor • Farce • Tragedy • Horror • Melodrama • Fantasy • musical
- 54. Comedy A drama which makes the reader or audience laugh either because of character or action.
- 55. Farce • A drama in which characters become in unlikely situations (something does not happen in the way it should).
- 56. Tragedy • A drama about death or suffering of the character with sad end.
- 57. Horror • A drama in which strange and frightening things happen, for example dead people coming to life and people being murdered.
- 58. Melodrama • A drama in which characters show stronger emotions than real people usually do (a character become more angry or upset than is really necessary).
- 59. Fantasy • A drama based on imagination and something unlikely to happen.
- 60. Musical • A drama containing dance and music.
- 61. Active Reading Strategy A strategy to mentally direct, perform and read a drama 1. Visualize: Picture the elements the playwright describes. 2. Listen: As you read, imagine how each character says his or her lines. If possible read aloud. 3. Question: Note the question you have as your read. 4. Connect: Draw parallels between the play and your own life. 5. Predict: Use direction and clues in the dialogue to guess what is going to happen next. 6. Interpret: Think about character, assess why the characters act as they do and what their action mean. 7. Respond: React to the Play. Consider your spontaneous thoughts and feelings.
- 62. Thanks!