Genres in Fiction

Cheryl YouseColquitt County High School

Narrative writing tells a story or part of a

storyFiction means the story is NOT true

Genre means a type or style of writing

Fantasy• Has elements that are not

realistic:1. Talking animals2. Magical powers3. Mythical beings

• Fantasy can be divided further into:

1. Science fiction AND 2. Folklore, which includes:• Folk Tales• Tall Tales• Fairy tales• Fables• Myths• Legends

Fanta

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Science Fiction• Like fantasy, but

generally includes MACHINES

• Partly true scientific theories

• Settings: space, the future, a different world, universe

• May be possible someday

FOLK TALES• Fictional stories handed down

by retelling• No known author• “Once upon a time…”• Repetition• Numbers 3 or 7• Transformations• Trickery or magic

Fairy Tales• Magic• Enchantment• Royalty• Supernatural• Original or have

named authors

Rapunzel

Fables• Very short stories

with a moral or lesson

• Characters are animals that act like human

• They do not change but do learn

Myths• Stories told as if

they were fact• Usually involve

gods, goddesses, supernatural powers

• Happened a long time ago

• Often deal with creation of the world

Legends• Set in historic,

less-remote past• Based on real life

hero and his/her deeds

• Not generally religious

• Humans, not gods, are main characters

‘Possible’ Fiction• Events that might or might

have happened1. Historical Fiction2. Realistic Fiction3. Some Science Fiction

Historical Fiction

• Real person with imagined accounts of what happened

• Real event with imaginary person

Realistic Fiction

• Stories that take place in here and now

• Characters are involved in events that could happen

Mystery• Has:1. Strangeness2. Solving a puzzle3. Solving a crime4. Centered

around a person who investigates problems

5. Centered around person whose job is to get secret information

Genres in fiction can be:• Fantasy Science Fiction Folklore• ‘Possible’ Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic fiction (contemporary)• Mystery• Some Science Fiction