English 4

Cristy Millondaga

 Definition of literature
 Writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and
universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history,
biography, and essays.
 Aim of Literature
 Persuade
 To persuade is the first main type of author's purpose. Text written to persuade means
the author's goal is to convince the reader to agree with the author. This might mean
the author wants the reader to think or even act in a specific way. This type of writing is
extremely common. Any piece which pushes a certain opinion or asks for some sort of
call for action is persuasive writing.
 It is true that in these types of writing the author shares his opinion, but usually he also
provides facts and examples. This information serves to support the author's opinion
and further convince the reader to agree with him. Examples of persuasive writing
include speeches, advertisements, commercials and newspaper editorials. Any forms of
propaganda are examples of pieces written to persuade. Look at the picture below and
identify how the author wants you to think or to act.
 Inform
 The second main type of author's purpose is to inform. In this format, the author's goal
is to enlighten the reader about real-world topics and provide facts on those topics.
However, in contrast to pieces written to persuade, these facts are not used to support
a specific opinion. The facts are presented in order to teach the reader. Examples of
texts written to inform include textbooks, cookbooks, newspapers and encyclopedias.
 All these forms are written in order to provide information to the reader. It is also
important to note that many authors present their works as informational texts, while at
the same time inserting their own opinions into the piece. As a reader, be sure to be
ready for opinions masked as information. For instance, some newspapers claim to only
report the facts, but on careful inspection it is clear it might be trying to persuade you to
believe a specific idea.
 Entertain
 The final main category of author’s purpose is to entertain. This contains almost all
example of what you think of when you hear the word ‘literature’. Authors who write to
entertain have the goal to tell a story or describing real or imaginary characters, places
and events this includes all pieces of fiction which is literature that is not real.
 Language and importance
 Strong language skills are an asset that will promote a lifetime of effective
communication. ... Our language is the most important part of our being. I think it is
important to learn other languages, other forms of communication besides our own
because it helps us to learn about other peoples and cultures.
 The importance of language is for better communication among other people either with
the same race or even different one. Literature makes us understand deeper the culture
of other countries for example the Philippines is one of the most diverse cultures in
south east asia because it is influenced by western and eastern cultures. literature lets
 us know the difference and similarities of one culture to another.to express something
without saying lines you must think of movements or gestures that would portrait your
idea for example facial expressions and fast movements and slow movements
depending on what do you want to portrait.
 Genres of Literature

 Genres of literature are important to learn about. The two main categories separating
the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction. There are several genres of
literature that fall under the nonfiction category. Nonfiction sits in direct opposition to
fiction. Examples from both the fiction and nonfiction genres of literature are explained
in detail below. This detailed genres of literature list is a great resource to share with
any scholars.

 Types of Nonfiction:

 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.

 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.
Narrative poetry

Narrative poetry is a form of poetry which tells a story, often making use of the voices of a
narrator and characters as well; the entire story is usually written in metred verse. The poems
that make up this genre may be short or long, and the story it relates to may be complex. It is
usually dramatic, with objectives, diverse characters, and metre. Narrative poems include epics,
ballads, idylls and lays. Some narrative poetry takes the form of a novel in verse. An example of
this is The Ring and the Book by Robert Browning. In terms of narrative poetry, a romance is a
narrative poem that tells a story of chivalry. Examples include the Romance of the Rose or
Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Although these examples use medieval and Arthurian materials,
romances may also tell stories from classical mythology. Shorter narrative poems are often
similar in style to the short story. Sometimes these short narratives are collected into
interrelated groups, as with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Some literatures contain prose
narratives that include poems and poetic interludes; much Old Irish poetry is contained within
prose narratives, and the Old Norse sagas include both incidental poetry and the biographies of
poets. An example is "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service.

Lyrics

are flash stories; they are poems, they contain elements of memoir; in some cases, they
address personal themes, at times universal. Lyrics reflect the individual journey or cultural
observations of the songwriter. They are a serious art form.

But are they literature?

Although there are many definitions of literature, my bookshelf copy of Webster’s New World
Dictionary offers the following:

Literature: all writings of prose or verse, especially those of an imaginative or critical

character…. excellence of form, great emotional effect….writings of a particular time, country,
region….all the compositions for a specific musical instrument, voice, or ensemble.

Lyric: a lyric poem; the words of a song, as distinguished from the music.

The definition of a lyric is simple; applying the definition of literature to song lyrics is not. The
above is a broad definition of literature, vis-à-vis lyrics, to be sure, but I’d rather fold lyrics into
the literary family, than exclude them.

Like literature in general, song lyrics often reflect the times in which they were written: While
the song Yankee Doodle Dandy seems nothing more than a cheerful patriotic ditty of words and
music, in reality, it was hugely political. The website Archiving Early America explains that the
song, first a nursery rhyme ridiculing England’s Oliver Cromwell as ”Nankee Doodle,” evolved
into “Yankee Doodle” (indicated a trifling fellow), and “Dandy” (affected manners and dress).
The British made fun of the American colonial motley crew, the early version who wore furs and
buckskins, but over time, the motleys got their revenge, singing Yankee Doodle Dandy when
the British surrendered. Great emotional effect? Writings of a particular time, country, or
region? All the compositions for a specific musical instrument, voice, or ensemble? The lyrics
can certainly be classified as literature.

Fiction vs Non fiction

Fiction is not true and non-fiction is true. This is the simplest way of defining fiction and non-
fiction. Non-fiction involves real things, real people, real events, real places and real writing.
However, fiction is just imaginary things, imaginary people, imaginary events, imaginary places
and imaginary writing.

While a writer based on his imagination creates Fiction, non-fiction is not created but only
written based on facts.

While Non-fiction focuses on ideas or events that actually took place, fiction tends to be
focussing on imaginary ideas and events. Coming to the characters, non-fiction deals with real
people and fiction only creates characters. If some thing is said to have happened in real
places, whether in the past or present, then it is non-fiction. But if something is said to have
taken place in a fake place, then it is fiction.

A big difference is that fictions are made up stories and Non-fictions are entirely fact-based
writings. Fictions are just entertainers and on the other hand non-fictions are informative.
Autobiography, history books and journals are examples of non-fictions. Novels, short stories,
films are all fictions.

Fiction is made out of nothing and on the other hand non-fiction comes out of something.

A fiction writer intends to make the audience believe that the whole things, which they read, or
view, are occurring. But a non-fiction writer cannot indulge in such a thing. Fiction writers
create stories without any commitment to their readers. They only elaborate on their ideas and
views. A non-fiction writer cannot pour out his own imaginations.

Non-fiction can be called as a prosaic piece of literature, which talks about various topics, which
are relevant for every one. Fiction on the other hand elucidates on our imagination. When
Fiction is more symbolic, non-fiction is straightforward, fiction is artificial as it is created from
one’s own imagination. Non-fiction is natural as it deals with events that had actually taken
place. Fiction is an invented story where as non-fiction deals with existing facts.

Fiction is a reflection of the writer’s imagination. Meanwhile, non-fiction is a recollection of

facts. Fiction tends to be more elaborate and descriptive; non-fiction tends to say only that is
necessary to establish a fact or idea. A fiction writer can run his imagination free where as non-
fiction writer cannot.

Simplicity, directness and clarity are most important in non-fiction works. While a fiction leaves
the imagination to audience or readers and they can have their own interpretations.

Summary

1. Fiction is not true and non-fiction is true

2. While Non-fiction focuses on ideas or events that actually took place, fiction tends to be
focussing on imaginary ideas and events.

3. Fictions are made up stories and Non-fictions are entirely fact-based writings.

4. Fictions are just entertainers and on the other hand non-fictions are informative