Forms:

*Poems-
*Prose-
*Drama-
Nonfiction prose is literature that is written in ordinary, non-metrical language and communicates
facts or opinions about reality. Every time you read a science textbook or a how-to article, you are
reading nonfiction prose. Nonfiction meanings are usually pretty straightforward because the writer's
primary purpose is to convey information or persuade readers.
Fiction prose is also written in ordinary, non-metrical language, but it is the product of the writer's
imagination. You've probably been reading novels and short stories for years; if so, you already
know a lot about fiction prose. The meaning of fictional works can stretch all the way from obscure
and difficult to clear and direct.
Poetry, on the other hand, uses metrical language with lots of rhythm and rhyme to create word
pictures. Poetry employs all kinds of word play, figurative language, and imagery to send its
messages, which are often rather obscure and need to be dug out with some effort on the part of the
reader.
Drama combines elements of prose and poetry into plays that are usually intended to be performed
on stage. Drama joins monologues and dialogues by characters with stage directions and
occasionally narrative sections that explain the action. Like poetry, drama can feature hidden
meanings and messages that take some work to decipher.
These four literary forms are like the roots of the literary family tree, and they branch off into many
different genres. We can't meet all these genres within the scope of this lesson, but we'll look at a
few of the most common for each literary form

Subject:
Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is presented in a format which
tells a story.

Essays are a short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point. A
short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and
generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

A Biography is a written account of another person’s life.

An Autobiography gives the history of a person’s life, written or told by that person.
Often written in Narrative form of their person’s life.

Speech is the faculty or power of speaking; oral communication; ability to express

one’s thoughts and emotions by speech, sounds, and gesture. Generally delivered in
the form of an address or discourse.

Finally there is the general genre of Nonfiction. This is Informational text dealing
with an actual, real-life subject. This genre of literature offers opinions or conjectures
on facts and reality. This includes biographies, history, essays, speech, and narrative
non fiction. Nonfiction opposes fiction and is distinguished from those fiction genres
of literature like poetry and drama which is the next section we will discuss.

Genres of Fiction:

Drama is the genre of literature that’s subject for compositions is dramatic art in the
way it is represented. This genre is stories composed in verse or prose, usually for
theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue
and action.

Poetry is verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that evokes an emotional response
from the reader. The art of poetry is rhythmical in composition, written or spoken.
This genre of literature is for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated
thoughts.

Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or other worldly settings or
characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality.

Humor is the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical. Fiction full of fun,
fancy, and excitement which meant to entertain. This genre of literature can actually
be seen and contained within all genres.
A Fable is a story about supernatural or extraordinary people Usually in the form of
narration that demonstrates a useful truth. In Fables, animals often speak as humans
that are legendary and supernatural tales.

Fairy Tales or wonder tales are a kind of folktale or fable. Sometimes the stories are
about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children.

Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential science, either actual or

imagined. Science fiction is one of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on
other planets.

Short Story is fiction of such briefness that is not able to support any subplots.

Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is true to real life.

Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a person of “folk” that was handed
down by word of mouth. Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held, but false
and based on unsubstantiated beliefs.

Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting.

Inspiration: Writers use words in ways that move us. Readers throughout the ages have found reasons
to live, and ways to live, in literature.

Travel: Literature allows us to visit places and times and encounter cultures that we would otherwise
never experience. Such literary travel can be profoundly life-enhancing.
Better writing skills
When you open a book, when your eyes read the words and you take in its contents, do
you ask yourself: How did this person imagine and write this? Well, many of those
authors, poets, or playwrights used literature to expand their writing.

A leap into the past

History and literature are entwined with each other. History is not just about power
struggles, wars, names, and dates. It is about people who are products of their time, with
their own lives. Today the world is nothing like it was in the 15th century; people have
changed largely. Without literature, we would not know about our past, our families, the
people who came before and walked on the same ground as us.

Building critical thinking skills

Many of us learn what critical thinking is in our language arts classes. When we read, we
learn to look between the lines. We are taught to find symbols, make connections, find
themes, learn about characters. Reading expands these skills, and we begin to look at a
sentence with a larger sense of detail and depth and realize the importance of hidden
meanings so that we may come to a conclusion.

Objective Point of View

With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating
more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The narrator
never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a
detached observer.

Third Person Point of View

Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the
characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about
the characters through this outside voice.

First Person Point of View

In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of
the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that
what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should
question the trustworthiness of the accounting.
Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View
A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or
omniscient.

A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor,

has a limited omniscient point of view.

As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:

How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is
your response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective
he or she is? First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is up to you
to determine what is the truth and what is not.

Think about the ways that point of view is used to help you solve the murder in
"A Jury of Her Peers."