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