UNIT 6: GENRE UNIT 6: GENRE FICTIONFICTION
Genre FictionGenre FictionWorks of fiction with similar
characters, plots, or settings (such as mystery, science fiction, romance, and fantasy)
Does NOT come from oral tradition (like myths and folktales)
NOT usually rooted in history
Genre FocusGenre Focus
Science Fiction FantasyDeals with impact of
science and technology (real or imagined) on society and people
Sometimes set in future
Often portrays space travel, planet exploration, futuristic societies, or scientific/technological advances
Highly imaginativeUsually set in
unfamiliar world or distant, heroic past
Often includes fantastical beings (elves, gnomes, hobbits, etc.), supernatural forces, and sometimes humans
Often uses magic
FantasyFantasy
Genre FocusGenre Focus
Fable MysteryBrief, usually simple
taleTeaches lesson or
gives advice on good behavior
Themes often stated directly
Modern fables focus on themes relating to human behavior—little development of individual characters
Standard plot pattern with mystery to solve
May include spy stories and tales of danger or adventure
Detective stories follow standard plot pattern: crime is committed & detective searches for clues to find criminal
Mystery
Elements of Genre FictionElements of Genre Fiction
Style
Diction
Voice
Tone
Imagery
Sensory Details
Author’s Style Author’s Style Expressive qualities that distinguish a writer’s works
contribute to styleDiction=word choice
Voice=distinctive use of language to convey personality of author or narrator to reader
Author’s ToneAuthor’s ToneWriter’s attitude toward subject
Conveyed through word choice, punctuation, sentence structure, and figures of speech
Examples of tone: sympathetic, serious, objective, ironic, sad, sarcastic, light-hearted, bitter, humorous
Imagery and DescriptionImagery and DescriptionCreate vivid word pictures
Imagery=descriptive language that appeals to the senses
Description=detailed portrayal of a person, place, thing, or event
Sensory DetailsSensory DetailsEvocative words or phrases that
appeal to one or more of the five senses to create effective
images Sight
Hearing Touch Taste Smell
DESCRIPTIONDESCRIPTIONQ: How do fantasy and science
fiction writers help readers experience events and things that are imaginary?
A: Create word pictures that evoke emotional responses or use details that appeal to the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell
A: Use figurative language
Figurative LanguageFigurative LanguageUses figures of speech or
expressions that aren’t literally true but express some truth on another level
SimileMetaphor
Personification
Figurative LanguageFigurative Language
Simile: uses like or as to compare two seemingly unlike things
Metaphor: compares two seemingly unlike things without using like or as
Figurative LanguageFigurative LanguagePersonification: gives human characteristics to an animal, object, force of nature, or idea
““[love] is a pot full of yellow [love] is a pot full of yellow corn to warm your belly in corn to warm your belly in winter” (Baca).winter” (Baca).
1. Simile2. Metaphor3. Personification
She ate like a bird.She ate like a bird.
1. Simile2. Metaphor3. Personification
““Nor shall Death brag thou Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade” wand’rest in his shade” (Shakespeare).(Shakespeare).
1. Simile2. Metaphor3. Personification
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