Literary Genres

LITERARY GENRES
Format
false, fantasy, fable,
Novel
fairy tale, fictitious,

fabricated, phony,
long
fiction
fib, figment, fake,
Types
fraud
short fiction
fantasy
fable
Setting: In a place that does not exist

in the real world.
Elements
Setting: In the distant past or a

timeless place.
Elements
Events occur that could not happen

in the real world.
Short Story
Characters: people animal or objects are able to do things

they cannot do in the real world.
a very short story that usual has

only 2 or 3 characters.
Characters: Often the characters

are animals or things that talk and
act like humans.
fairy tale
Setting: in the distant

past. Often has an open
phrase, Once upon a
time or A very long
time ago
Types
Elements
A difficult, sometimes seemingly

impossible, problem to solve.
Characters: often with magical powers;
imaginary characters such as dragons,
fairies, giants, elves; royal
characters such as queens,
princes, etc. The granting of
wishes often occurs.
Has a happy ending in

which good wins over
evil.
myth
Elements
May explain how

something in nature
looks or works
(example: why the
spider spins a web).
May explain why people behave in

certain ways.
Characters: Often includes gods or

goddesses who interact with humans.
tall tales
Setting: in the recent or

distant past.
Types
Elements
humorous exaggeration to tell the

adventures of a fictional (or possibly
nonfictional) character.
Build upon improbable incidences and unusual
problems that are saved in creative ways.
realistic fiction
Setting: a real place or could be a real place.
Elements
The events in the story could happen in real life.
Characters: behave as people do in real life.
folk tale
Types
Elements
historical fiction
Stories passed down from one generation to

another. Originally told orally. Reflect the
culture in which they originated.
Characters: may include animals or
inanimate objects that speak. They often
teach a moral or lesson in life.
Some folk tales called trickster tales are

about weak people or tiny animals
outwitting their stronger enemies.
Action builds through repetition. Has an

exciting climax at the end. Goodness and
intelligence win out over evil and
foolishness.
Told from 3rd person point of view.
legend
Setting: in the past.
Elements
Tells the story of a hero.
May be based on facts and real history,

but through numerous retellings the hero
and his or her deeds become larger than
life, and some facts are distorted.
Setting: some specific

period of the past.
Elements
A type of
realistic
fiction. Often,
but not
always, the
story is based
on actual
historical
events and
people of the
period.
The plot reflects

events or problems of
the period.
The details about

clothing, tools, and
food are authentic to
the period.
Types
LITERARY GENRES
Format
Book
long
The opposite of fiction.
True.
nonfiction
Essay
short nonfiction
Real.
told as a story
Writing Styles
biography
The true story of
someones life
written by someone
else.
Elements
It may span a persons whole life, or it

may tell about an important part of a
persons life.
An account of an persons entire life is

almost always told in chronological order
(in the time order events occurred).
Contains a variety of
important information
about the persons life.
Often tells how the
person feels and thinks
about things.
facts; information
Types
Elements
Often includes subheads
to organize topics.
opinions &
philosophy
Might contain diagrams,

photographs and other
illustrations.
Contains information that
can be checked by
looking at other sources.
facts about history,

science, politics, etc.
autobiography
The true story of
someones life written
by that person.
Elements
see biography
instruction manuals
LITERARY GENRES
Writing Styles
Sentences are
sometimes broken
into parts. Each part
is on its own line.
Often contains
words that rhyme.
The lines often have
a rhythm or meter.
told as a story
Intended for
representation by
actors
impersonating the
characters and
performing the
dialogue and
action.
A situation or
succession of
events having the
emotional effect
characteristic of a
play.
Words are
sometimes repeated.
Sometimes
describes things by
comparing them with
something else.
Often uses
figurative,
descriptive, and
sensory language.
A serious story.
Identifying The Literary Genre

1.)
Is it fiction or nonfiction
2.)
What type of writing is it?
3.)
What is the format (length)?
4.)
What is the writing style?

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LITERARY GENRES

fairy tale, fictitious,

fib, figment, fake,

Setting: In a place that does not exist

Setting: In the distant past or a

Events occur that could not happen

Characters: people animal or objects are able to do things

a very short story that usual has

Characters: Often the characters

Setting: in the distant

A difficult, sometimes seemingly

Has a happy ending in

May explain how

May explain why people behave in

Characters: Often includes gods or

Setting: in the recent or

humorous exaggeration to tell the

Setting: a real place or could be a real place.

The events in the story could happen in real life.

Characters: behave as people do in real life.

Stories passed down from one generation to

Some folk tales called trickster tales are

Action builds through repetition. Has an

Told from 3rd person point of view.

Setting: in the past.

Tells the story of a hero.

May be based on facts and real history,

Setting: some specific

The plot reflects

The details about

The opposite of fiction.

It may span a persons whole life, or it

An account of an persons entire life is

Might contain diagrams,

facts about history,

Identifying The Literary Genre

What type of writing is it?

What is the format (length)?

What is the writing style?

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