On the basis of content, competencies. Nonfiction 2. Mystery.

Also known as
literature is divided into two essays can give you insights detective fiction, mystery
major forms – fiction and about life or it may lead you often follows a plot with a
nonfiction. As to techniques to think critically or detective as character or
used, literature is also persuasively about things someone playing detective
classified into prose and and ideas around you. and tries to solve a case
poetry. Whatever genre with a sprinkling of clues
Genre refers to a type of art, you read, it is imperative that here and there, giving the
literature, or music you have an understanding readers a feel for
characterized by a distinct of what delineates one suspense, creates
form, content, and style. In from the other for you to anticipation, and ultimately
literature, there are four balance your expectations of bares the truth with some
literary genres: poetry, a particular literary work’s unexpected turns with
drama, fiction, and distinct conventions and nonetheless satisfying
nonfiction. All these literary style. conclusions.
genres have specific Fiction Defined 3. Thriller. This fiction type is
functions and features which Fiction refers to a literary characterized by dark,
distinguish one from the work which comes from the mysterious and
others. As readers of author’s imagination. suspenseful plots. It rarely
literature, part of Through the fictional utilizes humor but highlights
understanding a text is narrative, a writer may techniques like plot
knowing to which genre a inform, entertain, inspire, or twists, red herrings, and
material belongs since the even cliffhangers which can keep
message it conveys may be persuade (Littlehale, 2020). readers guessing until
affected by certain Fiction has three categories: the very end.
conventions. When you have realistic, non-realistic, and 4. Horror. Written to shock,
mastered what distinguishes semi-fiction. MasterClass startle, scare, and even
one from the other, it is (2019) classifies fiction into repulse the readers, horror
easier to grasp what the 14 different forms including fiction creates a horrifying
writer is trying to tell you the sense of dread and may
hence putting you in a better following: include characters like
position to think critically 1. Literary Fiction. It refers to ghosts, vampires,
about the material you have literary works with artistic werewolves, witches, and
read. value and literary merit. monsters. Horror themes
Different genres also have Political criticism, social may be
different roles. Fiction, for commentary, and reflections of death, demons, evil spirits,
instance, may let you into on humanity are most the afterlife, and even fear
a world which is totally often the content of literary itself.
different from ours. Poetry fiction. Contrary to plot- 5. Historical. This type of
may enrich your emotional driven works, they are fiction involves the creative
and typically character-driven, use of research to be able
imaginative powers while and places emphasis and to transport readers to
drama can help improve your focus on the inner story another time and place. This
communicative of the character. time and place may be
real, imagined, or a like dystopian, science 13.Magical realism. The
combination of both. Some fiction, and fantasy, or any world portrayed in magical
historical fiction may utilize other combination. The realism is similar to our real
characters who were setting may be in a world so world but with added
historical figures and use real unlike the world we live in. magical elements which are
events in history. Considered as a considered “natural” in
6. Romance. Created with a supergenre, writers of which the story takes place.
light-hearted, oftentimes speculative fiction have 14.Realist literature. This
optimistic tone, and most limitless use of the type of fiction portrays a
often a satisfying conclusion, possibilities world very much like ours,
romantic fiction highlights beyond the human with all the elements created
love stories between imagination. as truthful as it can be as it
people. 10.Science Fiction. Classified happens in our
7. Western. Stories of this under speculative fiction, sci- world.
type often portray characters fi uses elements that On the other hand, some
and setting of the do not exist in the real world. academics also classify fiction
western frontier like Inspired by both natural into sub-genres which
cowboys, outlaws, and science (physics, include the following:
settlers of the American Old chemistry, and astronomy) 1. Short Story. Shorter in
West. and social sciences length than a novel, a short
One distinct feature of this (psychology, anthropology, story is a fictional prose
form is that it relies mostly and sociology), sci-fi stories work which usually focuses
on the specific locale, may focus on time travel, on one plot, one main
culture, and language of that space exploration, and character (with a few
era in history. societies of the future. additional minor characters),
8. Bildungsroman. Literally 11.Fantasy. Another type of and one central theme. It
translated as “a novel of speculative fiction, fantasy aims at unity of effect
education” or “a novel of has imaginary characters and creation of mood rather
formation,” this form and worlds and may have than on plot. Edgar Allan
highlights the transition or influences of mythology and Poe’s “The Philosophy
metamorphosis of a folklore which can be of Composition” describes a
character appealing to both children short story as one that
from youth into adulthood. and adults alike. “should be read in one
The transition from 12.Dystopian. In contrast to sitting, anywhere from a half
immaturity to maturity utopian fiction which hour to two hours. In
experienced by the character portrays a world better than contemporary fiction, a
may involve a profound loss, the short story can range from
an insightful one we have, dystopian 1,000 to 20,000 words.”
journey, or an intense fiction depicts a society that 2. Novel. A novel is a
conflict. is worse than ours. narrative prose work of
9. Speculative fiction. This Dystopian fiction is also considerable length that talks
type may be a combination another type of science about significant human
of different fiction forms fiction. experience. The novel’s
beginnings date back to as
early as the writing of “Tale thought to have historical C. the possibility of unusual
of Genji” by Murasaki bases. shapes, and
Shikibu; later, in the early 5. Fable. A fable is an D. the distinctive use of
seventeenth century, instructive story about white space which draws our
European novels came to be human social behaviour with eye into the compressed
written (Prahl, 2019). personified animals or essence of feelings and ideas.
A novel is also characterized natural objects as characters Poems are usually shorter
by the following: (1) written and always ends with an than novels, may come in
in prose form, (2) explicit moral message. The many shapes and forms,
considerable length or word concept of time and space is and are often (but not
count, (3) fictional content, also not specific in always) divided into stanzas
and (4) individualism; a fable. (or verses). But just like
that is, it appeals to an Poetry prose,
individual audience as a Poetry Defined poems also share similar
reader rather than to a Poetry is a means of sharing features like subject (what it
group. experiences, telling a story, is about), theme (what it says
3. Myth. Derived from the or expressing about the subject), and a
Greek mythos, which has a feelings or ideas through the mood/feeling/tone (how the
range of meanings from use of language in a author feels about this or
“word,” through “saying” particular way. As opposed how
and “story,” to “fiction,” a to the author wants the readers
myth is a symbolic narrative prose writing, poetry in to feel).
of unknown origin and tells written form has a distinct To make meaning out of
events which are partly structure and words may poems, two broad
traditional and associated form approaches can be used:
with religious beliefs. Myths patterns of sound, verse or A) Narrative poem – It tells a
are specific accounts with thought. The creation of story with an orientation,
gods or superhuman pictures with words is very complication, crisis, and
beings as characters involved important in poetry, hence resolution, or
in extraordinary events or poets carefully choose words B) Lyrical poem – It conveys
circumstances in a which will appeal to the an experience, or ideas,
time that is unspecified but imagination of the readers thoughts or feelings about a
which is understood as and create vivid visual subject without necessarily
existing apart from images. having ‘something happen.’
ordinary human experience. There are some distinctive Poems also come in many
Mythology, on the other characteristics of poetry forms. These forms are
hand, refers to both the which sets it apart from distinguished from the
study of myth and the body prose: other by the choice of
of myths belonging to a A. the visual patterning of structural units (couplets,
particular religious lines of unequal and shorter quatrains, and their
tradition. length, arrangement
4. Legend. A legend is B. the frequent division into with the overall poem), the
traditional tale which is stanzas (verses), layout of a poem on the
page, and the organization of 5) Comic Verse. It is a poem line is based on speech
the that involves humor and rhythm which is often a
lines of the poem. Here are makes sense. mixture of iambic and
some of them 6) Diamante. It is a seven line anapestic feet
1) Acrostic. It is a poem poem in which the first and - sometimes with a regular
which consists of vertical first last lines are number of stressed syllables
letters name of the opposites or contrasts. It is in each line. Each line is a
topic while the horizontal written in the shape of a meaningful unit in its own
words describe the topic. diamond. right, and in relation to other
2) Ballad. It is a narrative 7) Elegy. It is a poem of lines. There is pattern and
poem which tells a dramatic mourning to someone’s rhythm, though not in the
story in four-line death. traditional, regular form.
stanza with a regular beat. A 8) Epic. It is a long narrative Form is even more important
ballad was originally set to poem on a subject which is to
music and sung. thought to be great free verse than to traditional
Characterized by simplicity of and serious. verse, and it is usually quite
language, repetition of 9) Epigram. It is a short and subtle.
epithets and phrases, simple pointed poem, often a witty 12) Haiku. Originated in
rhyming schemes (usually statement in verse Japan and often tells about
abcd, sometimes abab) and or prose which may be nature, it consists of three
refrains, topics are often complimentary, satiric or unrhymed lines containing 17
drawn from community life, aphoristic. syllables (5, 7, 5) and
local and national history, 10) Epitaph. It is a poem with portrays a single idea or
legend and folklore; while a short inscription carved on feeling
the a tombstone (or while having a strong visual
verse tales are usually of written with that context in imagery.
adventure, war, love, death mind). It usually rhymes and 13) Light verse. It is a poem
and the supernatural lends itself to imitation and that is cheerful, airy and
3) Chant. Dating to distortion. While the epitaph light-hearted, it often
prehistoric time, hence one in a cemetery is often describes everyday events
of the earliest forms of serious, the form can be and uses language of the
poetry, chant is a poem of no made speaking voice.
fixed form, but in which one humorous. 14) Limerick. This is usually
or more lines are repeated 11) Free verse. It is a poetry brief and lends itself to comic
over and over. It is usually that does not conform to effects. The
meant to be spoken aloud. particular schemes or limerick consists of three
4) Cinquain. It is a five line patterns of rhyme, meter or long and two short lines
poem that follows a pattern form because it doesn’t rhyming aabba. Rhyme and
and does not rhyme. follow strict rules it has rhythm are used to enhance
The cinquain consists of five flexibility. the content.
lines of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 2 Its rhythm is created by the 15) Lyric. Concerned with
syllables respectively. natural flow of the poet’s feelings and thoughts rather
thoughts and emotions. Each than action or
narrative, it usually 20) Riddle. It indirectly perform in front of the
represents and reflects on a describes a person, place, audience on the stage. The
single experience, is thing or idea and can be person who writes drama for
intensely any length and usually has a stage
personal, and its rhythms rhyming scheme. directions is known as a
often have a musical 21) Song lyric. It is a poem “dramatist” or “playwright.”
flexibility. It does not have to that has been set to music. The term “drama” is also
tell a The word ‘lyric’ comes used
story, and is often short (eg from the Greek word lyre, a for the type of play written
haiku, cinquain, shape, kind of harp that was often for theater, television, radio,
tongue twisters, rhyming used to accompany songs. and film.
couplets, acrostic poems). 22) Sonnet. It is a lyric poem Because of the combination
16) Narrative. It tells a story that has fourteen lines of five of performance, music,
with an orientation, beats each. Rather dance, props, and others
complication and resolution than tell a story. It usually which enable the audience to
eg nursery rhymes. It can be explores a feeling or state of feel like a part of the action,
short or long, serious, mind or expresses a fixed drama is considered a
humorous, personal or idea. It first appeared in Italy unique and distinctive genre
impersonal. It may come in in the 13th century. Many of literature.
the form of allegories, fables sonnets have an alternating There are four distinct types
or accounts of everyday rhyme scheme and usually of drama:
events have a ‘turning point’ at the A. Comedy. A comedy is a
17) Nonsense verse. eighth line. type of dramatic
Categorized as light verse 23) Tanka. A type of presentation which intends
that has structure and rhyme Japanese poem similar to to make the
and invented words, it is haiku, it consists of five lines audience laugh through well-
characterized by fantastic with the first and third lines composed humorous
themes, absurd images, usually having five syllables elements. The story may be
artificial and the others seven, about
language and humor. making it a total of 31. real-life characters, funny
18) Nursery rhyme. Usually 24) Villanelle. It is a fixed experiences in life, or any
having regular rhymes, form, usually containing five type of fun-provoking
strong rhythms and three-line stanzas and situation. It
repetition, it could be a four-line stanza, with only may be sarcastic and
described as jingles for two rhymes throughout. raunchy, light in tone and has
children, forming part of the Drama happy endings. Since
oral A drama is a composition in provoking
tradition of many countries. either verse or prose laughter is not an easy task,
19) Ode. Usually celebrating presenting a story through comedy writers require high
a person, animal or object, pantomime or dialogue. It level of intellect and
an ode is often written contains conflict of perceptive faculties to attain
without the constraints of characters, particularly the the desired end for a
formal structure or rhyme. ones who comedic presentation.
B. Tragedy. One of the oldest aspects of the characters witnessed, more than the
forms of drama, tragedy involved. telling of his
exposes the plight and D. Musical drama. In a or her own life, character,
suffering of humans to the musical drama, the story is and developing self.
audience. Common tragic told through acting and Secondly, while a memoir
themes include ruins of a dialogue, as well as through talks about
dynasty, downfall of man, dance and music, as well. The how one remembers one's
emotional betrayals, moral story may be comedic, own life, an autobiography is
setback, personal loss, death, though it may also involve history, requiring research,
and denials. A tragedy when serious subjects. dates, and facts double-
composed and enacted well Other Forms of Literary checked.
can touch the audience Genres Speeches
deeply. These rarely have Diaries/Journals Merriam-Webster defines
happy endings. Diaries and journals both speech as “the
C. Melodrama. This type of contain records of communication or expression
drama uses a technique experiences by its writer. A of
marked by surge of feelings diary thoughts in spoken words.”
since melodrama highlights records events, transactions, Although speeches are not
exaggeration of emotions. or observations daily or at primary genres of literature,
The technique intends to frequent intervals. A journal, its significance lies in the fact
make the character and the on the other hand, contains that these are important
plot more appealing to the one’s experiences, ideas and historical documents or
audience although it can reflections but not moments and literature. A
sometimes fail to derive necessarily on a daily basis. formal address meant to be
applause, because excessive Memoirs given to an audience,
display of emotions can A memoir is an author’s speeches can be found in
become monotonous. On the narrative of his or her prose, drama, and poetry,
other hand, a superbly- experiences, which makes it and their primary goals are
executed melodramatic plot similar to an autobiography, to
can absorb the audience’s but with certain persuade, inform,
attention completely. This distinguishable demonstrate, or entertain a
happens when it effectively characteristics. In terms reader, an audience, or other
depicts the good and evil of focus, memoirs highlight
what the writer has

characters. They can also be used in nonfiction