GENRES

A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary

technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. Genre should not be confused
with age category, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young-adult, or children's.
They also must not be confused with format, such as graphic novel or picture book. The
distinctions between genres and categories are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups.

The most general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy,
novel, short story, and creative non-fiction. They can all be in the genres prose or poetry, which
shows best how loosely genres are defined. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or
pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre (see below), but as a mixture of
genres. Finally, they are defined by the general cultural movement of the historical period in which
they were composed. The concept of "genre" has been criticized by Jacques Derrida.

Sub-genres

Genres are often divided into sub-genres. Literature, for instance, is divided into three basic kinds
of literature, the classic genres of Ancient Greece, poetry, drama, and prose. Poetry may then be
subdivided into epic, lyric, and dramatic. Subdivisions of drama include foremost comedy and
tragedy, while e.g. comedy itself has sub-genres, including farce, comedy of manners, burlesque,
satire, and so on.

Dramatic poetry, instance, might include comedy, tragedy, melodrama, and mixtures like
tragicomedy. This parsing into sub-genres can continue: "comedy" has its own genres, including,
for example, comedy of manners, sentimental comedy, burlesque comedy, and satirical comedy.

Creative nonfiction can cross many genres but is typically expressed in essays, memoir, and other
forms that may or may not be narrative but share the characteristics of being fact-based,
artistically-rendered prose.

Often, the criteria used to divide up works into genres are not consistent, and may change
constantly, and be subject of argument, change and challenge by both authors and critics.
However, even a very loose term like fiction ("literature created from the imagination, not
presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation") is not universally applied
to all fictitious literature, but instead is typically restricted to the use for novel, short story, and
novella, but not fables, and is also usually a prose text.

Semi-fiction spans stories that include a substantial amount of non-fiction. It may be the retelling
of a true story with only the names changed. The other way around, semi-fiction may also involve
fictional events with a semi-fictional character, such as Jerry Seinfeld.

Genres may easily be confused with literary techniques, but, though only loosely defined, they are
not the same; examples are parody, frame story, constrained writing, stream of consciousness.

Types of Nonfiction:

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

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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.

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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.

Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by literature that is frightfully shocking,
terrifying, or revolting. Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and
the reader.

A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the
impossible with an here of nonchalance.

Legend is a story that sometimes of a national or folk hero. Legend is based on fact but also
includes imaginative material.

Mystery is a genre of fiction that deals with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.
Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown.

Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative. This is often based in part on historical
events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to
the actions of the gods. A body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a
particular person.

Fiction in Verse is full-length novels with plot, subplots, themes, with major and minor characters.
Fiction of verse is one of the genres of literature in which the narrative is usually presented in
blank verse form.

The genre of Fiction can be defined as narrative literary works whose content is produced by the
imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. In fiction something is feigned, invented, or
imagined; a made-up story.

The Oxford English Dictionary is a great place to consult for any further definitions of the different
genres of literature explained here.