Literature features human experiences

that are seen as a fleeting moments

caught by the creative eye. From the
ordinariness, storytellers, poets and
dramatists unearth a part of the scene
to be able to form speeches and plots
into something significant. Therefore.
Literature develops people to share a
magnitude of deep sensibility and
information.
Tracing back, the Latin root of Literatura is
taken from littera which means letter or
writing that is shown through spoken and
written accounts. Literature can be either be
fiction or nonfiction. These two divisions can
be in the forms of prose. Poetry, drama and
film.
Meanwhile the word “GENRE” is a french
word which means “Type”.
The major genres in literature are;
Poetry, Fiction, Drama and Essay
Genre can also refer to more specific
types of literature such as comedy,
tragedy, epic poetry or science fiction.
FICTION
It is a product from the imagination but with
truthfulness of what has been happening
around. Its events are carved from the truth
thereby exhibiting the faithfulness of a
reality with a goal to entertain and delight
the readers or spectators. Fiction can be
expressed in the form of short story, novel,
drama and film.
FICTION AND THE CANON
The term canon according to Jocobus (1996)
in the Literature; an introduction to Critical
Reading stems from the Greek notifying
“measure”, law or rule. Therefore pertains
to the study of the Bible books. In
contemporary literature, a canon is viewed
as a set of authors and their respective
works that are claimed to be classics.
PROSE

Prose takes its form in an unmetered

style and uses natural speech than
a rhyme.
SHORT STORY
Is a concise prose that is shorter than a novel
with few characters to portray. A flash
fiction covers from 50-300 or 750 words
and a short story may run from 750 to
1500 words or more but not more than
7,500 words.
The short story is acknowledged to be the
most exquisite kind of prose fiction.
ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY
Character – can be a person or an animal
taking the action of the story.
Setting- brings the readers as where the story
happens which is illustrated through
scenery, landscape, building, weather, or
season.
Plot- leads to the central conflict by building a
series of events in the characters’ life.
Conflict – is the wrestle of the character with
another character against nature, forces,
society or oneself.
Theme- is the central idea or concept of the
storyline
NOVEL

Written in prose format and published as

a book, a novel is along piece of creative
fiction that is believed to be possessing,
demanding, and complex. It may follow
the format of a short story with all of its
imaginary characters but the details of it
are expanded and elaborated. Best
selling novels are transformed into films
and plays.
DRAMA/THEATRE PLAY

Its origins trace back to the Greek with

the word dean meaning “to do” or “to
perform”.

The script which serves as the text of the

play may only come to existence when it
is being performed before an audience.
SOME COMMON GENRES IN DRAMA

• Comedy- stems from komēōdē which

means merrymakings. It is believed
that Greek comedy originates from the
village festivities and the worship of
Dionysus.
• FARCE
aims at entertaining the audience through
situations that are highly exaggerated,
extravagant, and thus improbable

• SATIRE
It employs different comic exaggeration to
mock human behavior in the chance of being
transformed or corrected
• TRAGEDY
Portrays sad ending
• HISTORICAL DRAMA
Is as old as theatre featuring historical characters
and events
• MUSICAL THEATRE
Combines dialogues, songs, and dance numbers
• ABSURB PLAY
Demonstrate existentialism that rejects the realistic
characters, setting, situations.
• FILM
are often based on novels, short stories
and plays.