SH1682

Introduction to Literary Genres the struggle. It gives the story its principal
energy. An external conflict involves a
I. Elements of Poetry character’s struggle with another person, or with
A. Verse – This is the one line of the poem. Poems are a force of nature (a tornado, a bear, an icy
written in groups of lines called stanzas. A stanza in mountain path). An internal conflict takes place
a poem is like a paragraph in a story. Often a new in a character’s mind.
idea or image appears in each stanza. 2. In the second part of the plot, which is called
B. Rhyme – This is created when two (2) words have middle, at least one (1) character acts to resolve
the same ending sound. A poem may have a rhyme the conflict. We start to see complications
scheme. A rhyme scheme is the pattern of the develop, leading to the story’s climax.
rhyming words in a poem. 3. The climax is the story’s most emotional or
C. Meter – It is the number of syllables in a line and suspenseful moment. This is when the situation
how those syllables are accented. The meter helps to is altered and the conflict is decided one way or
create the rhythm of the poem. another.
D. Theme – This is the message or the image created by 4. The fourth and the last part of a story is its end or
the poem that the writer wants readers to understand. resolution. This is when the loose ends of the
E. Imagery – these are the words that the writer use to story are tied up. The story is closed.
paint images in the minds of the reader through
figures of speech. B. Point of View – This is the angle from which the
story is told.
II. Elements of Fiction/Nonfiction 1. Kinds of Point of View
The elements of fiction are the following: plot, point of view, a. First person – In this viewpoint, the character
character, setting, tone and atmosphere, symbol and irony, speaks as “I”. We know only what is one
and theme and meaning. character can tell us.
A. Plot – This tells us what happens to that character or b. Third person – The “he” or “she” point of
characters. A story is made up of events, and view.
arranging these events in a logical and clausal c. Second person – it is rarely used and utilizes
manner is called a plot. the pronoun “you” in telling the story.
1. The first part of the plot is the introduction or the 2. Types of Point of View
beginning. This is like an entryway to the story. a. Limited – In this type, the story is only limited
It tells us the basic situation: who the characters to what the narrator can see, hear, smell, feel,
are and what they want. Usually, this is where we and think. This is mostly done in the first
find out about the conflict in the story. Conflict is person point of view.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

Page 1 of 3
 SH1682

b. Omniscient – In this type, the narrator is all- psychological and feelings invoked in a reader while
knowing and is positioned “above the reading the story. This is usually the effect of the
action.” He/she can even know what the other setting.
characters are thinking, even their most F. Symbol – it is an object in a literary work that
private thoughts. This is mostly done in the represents something other than what it is. For
third person point of view. example, a yellow boat in a story or an essay is not
C. Character – The story has at least one (1) character, just a literal boat, while the yellow boat may be real
who may be a person, an animal, or even a machine. and is being used by the characters in the story, a
They are the ones doing actions in the story. small boat in the sea may mean a fragile kind of life.
1. Two (2) types of character G. Irony – it connotes disparity. There are three (3)
• major or protagonist, minor or an observer types of irony:
2. Two (2) kinds of character 1. Verbal irony – It is the disparity between what a
• Complex character – It is round or three- character says and what he/she means.
dimensional. There are contradictions and 2. Situational irony – It is the disparity between
shifting of character. what the character or the reader expects and what
actually happens.
• Simple character – It is flat and two- 3. Dramatic irony – It is the disparity between what
dimensional. This is a weak kind of character a character knows and what the reader knows.
because it is static or there is no change in the
course of the story. H. Theme and Meaning – Theme is the general idea or
general observation about life and people. It will lead
D. Setting – The time and place of the story are called us to the meaning of the story – the effect of the story
setting. It gives the sense if reality in the story. This to the reader which, in most cases, would include
may build the meaning of the story based on the lessons learned. This is the main idea of the story
cultural setting and beliefs in the setting. expresses about life and people. The theme is what
E. Tone and Atmosphere – Tone is the attitude of the the writer intends to say to the reader by writing the
writer towards his/her material. When we use words, story. It is the message we take away from the story.
spoken or written, we use it with a tone The discovery of the theme gives the story a lasting
corresponding to what we feel and what we want to meaning to the reader.
express. The meaning of the story is how the reader is moved
Atmosphere is also called mood and is closely related after reading, and his/her realizations.
to tone. It has something to do with the overall III. Elements of Drama
01 Handout 1 *Property of STI
Page 2 of 3
 SH1682

A. Characters – This is the list of characters at the • It defines the features of a particular genre. The
beginning of the play that tells who will be appearing traditional genre of literature uses an archetype. An
in the play. Some plays have a narrator. The narrator archetype, also known as a universal symbol, may be a
gives the audience information what is happening in character, a theme, a symbol or even a setting.
the play.
• Examples of Archetypes in Elements of Literary Genre:
B. Setting – The setting is where and when the play 1. Character
takes place. Many plays have more than one setting. a. hero
C. Descriptions – These are related to the setting of the b. mother figure
play, but provide much more information about what c. the great teacher, mentor, wise old man/woman
has already happened before the play begins or how d. the innocent
the characters are feeling before the first lines of e. underdog
dialogue. Descriptions can also provide detailed f. giant, monster, ogre
information about the setting. 2. Setting
a. garden
D. Dialogue – The dialogue contains the lines the b. forest
characters speak in the play. A play’s dialogue often c. caves and tunnels
tells what the characters are thinking and feeling. d. mountains and peaks
E. Stage Direction – These tell the actors what to do. e. river
They tell the actors where to go on the stage, how to f. sea
move, and how to say their lines. 3. Theme
a. Good triumphs over the evil.
F. Theme – This is the lesson or message of a play. To b. Enduring the hardships to succeed.
identify the play’s message, look for clues in what c. Love conquers all.
the characters say and do, what happens as the result
References:
of their actions, and how the characters change. Archetypes in literature. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 14, 2016, from
http://www.hudson.edu/custom_users/kellerd/AP/Archetypes/archetypesLiterature.pdf
IV. Conventions of Traditional Genre Elements of poetry. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 13, 2016, from

• A customary feature of a literary work, such as the use

https://macmillanmh.com/ccssreading/treasures/grade4/ccslh_g4_rl_1_2c_l1.html
Literary conventions. (n.d.). Retrieved on October 14, 2016, from
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/fiction_glossary.html
of a chorus in Greek tragedy, the inclusion of an explicit Moratilla, N. and Teodoro, J. (2016) Claiming spaces: Understanding, reading, and writing creative
moral in a fable, or the use of a particular rhyme scheme nonfiction. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

in a villanelle. Literary conventions are defining features

of particular literary genres, such as novel, short story,
ballad, sonnet, and play.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

Page 3 of 3