Creative Nonfiction Learner’s Hand Out.

there are four literary genres: poetry, drama, fiction, and

Session 2 nonfiction. All these literary genres have specific functions and
features which distinguish one from the others.
Traditional Genres in Literature
A. Defining Literature
When words are arranged in a certain form or order that
conveys profound or universal meaning to an individual reader, we
call this literature. However, to define something as "literary" or
having "literary merit" has been problematic simply because the As readers of literature, part of understanding a text is
definition of literature has changed over the centuries. Our knowing to which genre a material belongs since the message it
definitions of literature depend on several things, such as content, conveys may be affected by certain conventions. When you have
form, artistry, mode of production, and more. mastered what distinguishes one from the other, it is easier to
According to the Oxford Languages Dictionary, literature grasp what the writer is trying to tell you hence putting you in a
can be defined as something that is printed or published better position to think critically about the material you have read.
somewhere; but this is not always the case-pamphlets bearing the Different genres also have different roles. Fiction, for
logo and advertisement of the latest condominium developments instance, may let you into a world which is totally different from
or a store promotion cannot be classified as literature. The ours. Poetry may enrich your emotional and imaginative powers
instruction manual of your laptop or television is not literary. while drama can help improve your communicative competencies.
Reading a listicle or an infographic online is usually not classified Nonfiction essays can give you insights about life or it may lead
as literature either. The words are arranged in order to entertain you to think critically or persuasively about things and ideas
you, inform you, or instruct you in a certain process, but it does around you. Whatever genre you read, it is imperative that you
not go beyond that. understand what delineates one from the other for you to balance
Another way we can define literature is by looking at the your expectations of a particular literary work’s distinct
books, writing, and articles published under a certain subject or conventions and style.
topic. This is a useful definition if we are looking at literature Conventionally, there are four major literary genres.
academically or as a scholarly pursuit. This kind of literature adds Within those genres is a never-ending list of sub-genres that
to the body of knowledge within a certain subject, topic, or scope become increasingly specific as more writers come up with new
of study. For instance, if you are interested in becoming a ways of using the techniques in that genre. The four major literary
chemical engineer, your teacher or instructor might tell you to genres are:
read up on the latest literature in the field of chemical 1. Poetry - Considered one of the oldest forms of literature,
engineering. But your textbooks will not quite fall under the poetry is characterized by its use of rhythm and meter, as well as
definition of literature as we understand it. Although there is a its reliance on figurative language and symbolism to deliver
certain beauty in watching nature unfold, the way your biology pleasure and meaning. Its visual appearance is also of using
textbook is written is probably not going to fall under the stanzas and verses instead of complete sentences that run the
definition of art. length of a page. Through its varying use of imagery, metaphor,
and its length, poetry can be further sub-divided into the
So, what then is literature? following: narrative, epic, and lyric.
2. Fiction - It is an off-shoot of historical writing that is
We can say that it is the intersection of artistic form characterized as imaginative prose, where events, characters,
and universal or profound meaning when words are used artfully settings, and actions only take place in the imagination of the
to create a certain way of thinking or feeling, emotion, or reader and cannot be easily conceived as happening in real life. It
experience for the reader. The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge puts conventionally uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and
it succinctly when he said that literature is, "the best words in the standard grammar and punctuation. Fiction can be further sub-
best order." In fact, most would agree that for any kind of writing divided by length: the novel and the short story.
to be considered literature, it must possess a certain kind of 3. Drama - Considered to be the only literary form that mattered
artistry or craft. in ancient Greece, drama refers to both the lines recited by actors
But artistry is also very subjective (as is literature), and in a stage performance, as well as the actual performance itself. It
we cannot simply say that what is artistic for one person is is characterized by its minimal use of description and its reliance
completely garbage for another person. Rather, when we talk on action and dialogue to move the narrative forward. Drama is
about artistry, we can talk about a certain kind of elevation of the usually divided into acts which dictate the length of its
craft-in this case, writing-that is not just utilitarian but brings performance. The common classifications of drama are tragedy
about a kind of pleasure and surprise to the reader. It talks about and comedy, although some dramatists would also argue that
ideas that are universally acknowledged and considered parody is a distinct genre from comedy. Drama is also the only
interesting or fascinating to human beings for a long time. literary text that requires collaboration with other artists like
Therefore, many works of classic literature discuss profound actors, set designers, musicians, and choreographers to complete
topics such as love, war, death, faith, existence, the world as we the text.
know it, and the world beyond what we know. It is an expression 4. Essay - Perhaps the youngest of all literary genres, essay is
of mankind's desire to know more, to feel more, and to think characterized by its adherence to the personal experience of the
about and express ourselves using our imagination or experience writer and the insistence of the writer that what they write is
and our knowledge of language. truthful. It borrows techniques from poetry, fiction, and even
B. Defining Literary Genres drama to craft the experience of the writer for their reader. There
Due to the depth and breadth of literature, various are many sub-genres of the essay, but creative nonfiction is
academics have classified it based on its different aspects such as perhaps the most malleable of all.
content, technique, tone, or simply definition. On the basis of
content, literature is divided into two major forms – fiction and
nonfiction. As to techniques used, literature is also classified into
prose and poetry.
Genre refers to a type of art, literature, or music
characterized by a distinct form, content, and style. In literature,