INTRODUCTION

TO LITERATURE

LITERATURE
DEFINITIONS

14TH CENTURY
Polite learning
through reading.
A man of
literature or a
man of letter = a
man of wide
reading, literacy

18TH CENTURY

Practice and
profession of
writing

19TH
CENTURY

The high skills of

writing in the
special context of
high imagination

HENRY VAN DYKE

ROBERT FROST

Consists of those
writings which
interpret the meanings
of nature and life, in
words touched w/ the
personality of the
author, in artistic
form, of charm and
power.

Performance in a word

MODERN DEFINITION

Language

artistically used to achieve identifiable

literary qualities
and
to convey meaningful
messages

Literary

is characterized by beauty of expression

form and by universality intellectual and emotional
appeal

LITERATURE

Literature

is anything that has been written which

includes comic books, pamphlets as well as novels.

Literature

books.

is not limited on what is written down in

THE IMPORTANCE OF
LEARNING
LITERATURE

Reading /learning literature improves our Language proficiency.

Reading/learning literature enhances our understanding about
culture of others.
Reading/learning literature gives us a valuable chance to explore
the nature of human being.
Reading /learning literature makes us human.
Reading or learning literature shapes our goal and values by
clarifying our own identity both positively and negatively.
Reading/learning literature helps us grow personally and
intellectually.

TYPES OF ORAL LITERATURE

OF THE WORLD
CREATION
MYTHS

TALES OF
HEROES
AND
TRICKSTERS

Explain the
beginning of
the world

Transformed
the world to
its preset
state

RITUAL
SONGS AND
CHANTS

Parts of the
ceremonies

LITERATURE
GENRES
DRAMA

POETRY

Made of
dialog and
set direction
Designed to
be
performed

Open form
and close
form
Relies on
imagery,
figurative
language and
sounds

PROSE
(FICTION)

Examples:
Myths
Fables
Novels
Short Stories

PROSE
(NONFICTIO
N)
Examples:
News
Reports
Journals
Articles
Essays
Textbooks
Biographies
Etc.

DRAMA

Drama is a story written to be performed by actors.

Although a drama is meant to be performed, one can
also read the script, or written version, and imagine the
action.

POETRY
DEFINITION

Poetry is language written

with rhythm, figurative
language, imagery, sound
devices and emotionally
charged language.

KINDS OF
POETRY/POEM

Concrete poem
Narrative Poem
Lyric Poem

PROSE
DEFINITION
KINDS OF PROSE

PROSE is the ordinary

form of written
language.

o
o

Prose imitates the

spoken language.

Fiction
Non Fiction

KINDS OF
POETRY
CONCRETE
POEMS
o

Concrete Poem is
one with a shape
that suggests its
subject.
The poet
arranges the
letters,
punctuation, and
lines to create an
image or picture,
on the page.

NARRATIVE
POEM

LYRIC POEM

Narrative Poem
is a story told in
verse.
Narrative poems
often have all the
elements of
short stories,
including
characters,
conflict, and plot

Lyric poem is a
highly musical
verse that
expresses the
observation and
feelings of a
single speaker.

KINDS OF PROSE

FICTION
Examples:
Short

Stories
Legend
Fairy Tales Letters
Folk Tales Memoirs
Novels
Short Stories
Fables
Myth
Etc.

NON FICTION
Examples:

Report

Personal Narrative

Memoirs

Letter

Article

Journal

Biographies

ELEMENTS OF
STORY

ELEMENTS OF STORY INCLUDE:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Setting
Characters
Plot
Point of view
Theme
Image
Symbol

ACTIVITY: ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
What of our own story is there to be found in
the stories of others?
What is the role of love in our lives?
How do readers recognize and writers use
elements of good literature?
How do we identify and communicate our own
experiences?
Can fiction reveal truth? How do stories reveal
truths about human nature?