Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

The Study of Genre

Example: Fairy Tales

Some of the elements of the genre of fairy tales:

•Begins with the phrase “Once upon a time…” or

“Once there was…”

•Setting is a faraway or imaginary land •Characters are often royal,

such as kings, queens, princes, and princesses

•Things happen or appear in

threes

•The granting of wishes •The use of magical powers •A happy ending where good wins over evil

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Fable

Some of the elements of the genre of fable:

•Stories are very short •Stories usually have two

or three characters

•Characters may be animals

or things that act like people

•Stories teach a “lesson” or

moral Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Fantasy

Some of the elements of the genre of fantasy:

•People,animals,or objects do things they cannot

do in real life.

•Story takes place in a make-believe setting. •Story has creatures in it that are not found in

real life Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Legend

Some of the elements of the genre of legend:

•A story about a hero or

heroine

•May be based on facts,

but the hero or heroine’s actions are “bigger” than life

•The story has factual

elements, but through countless retellings, the characters and their actions have become exaggerated

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Myth

Some of the elements of the genre of myth:

•A story that offers

an explanation of how something in nature looks or happens

•A story that explains

why people act as they do

•The characters may

be human, or gods or goddesses Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Science Fiction

Some of the elements of the genre of science fiction:

•Characters solve problems

in a futuristic setting any where in the universe

•Characters are humans,

extraterrestrials, or members of other species

•Involve the effects of

advanced science and technology on life Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Realistic Fiction

Some of the elements of of the genre realistic fiction:

•Characters behave like real people and animals •Settings in the story are real or could be real •Events in the story could happen in real life •Conflicts in the story are similar to problems

that happen in real life Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Historical Fiction

Some of the elements of the genre of historical fiction:

•Story is set in a particular

time and place in the past

•Story contains details that

make the story more realistic

•Characters talk, dress, and

act like people of that time period

•Story involves real people and

actual events that happened in history Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Political Fiction

Some of the elements of the genre of political fiction:

•Provides commentary on political

events, systems, and theories

•Often criticizes current society

or presents an alternative reality

•These alternative realities are

often dystopias (imagined places in which everything is unpleasant or bad) Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Play/Drama

Some of the elements of the genre of play/drama:

•Meant to be performed or

acted out

•Has a list that names and

describes the characters

•Includes descriptions of

scenes or settings

•Includes dialogue •Includes stage directions,

giving more details about what is happening on the stage or what actors are to do Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig

The Study of Genre

Example: Poetry

Some of the elements of the genre of poetry:

•Poems often contain

words that rhyme

•Poems often contain

incomplete sentences

•Poems often contain

lines with rhythm or meter

•Poems often contain

repeated words

•Poems often are rich

in imagery and other figurative language Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Nancy R. Craig