2.1 Literary genres - fiction
A genre may be described as a group of books with a similar theme or style, but it is important to note that the boundaries between genres are often blurred. For example, a particular book may incorporate historical realism with elements of fantasy, such as in many of Leon Garfield’s stories, including Black Jack and Mister Corbett’s Ghost.
Below are some of the major genres of fiction, beginning with traditional literature which is the basis for all later literature.
Traditional Literature
The oral tradition of story-telling goes back to the earliest times, and many of the ancient tales have been written down. The stories are important carriers of culture as they reflect cultural knowledge and wisdom, and the social practices and beliefs of their times.
Folk and fairy tales, myths, legends, sagas and fables embody emotional and spiritual truths about human beings, as well as having entertainment value. Each kind of tale has its own features, but overlap exists among them.
Folk tales - share the wisdom and experience of ordinary people
- animals may appear alongside ordinary characters and sometimes replace humans
- the main characters succeed or fail according to their ability to be quick–witted
Example: Dick Whittington and his Cat (based on true story, although the real Richard Whittington was not a poor boy, but the son of a knight).
Fairy tales contain elements of magic, magical folk or the supernatural and could of course be included in the fantasy genre which is discussed below.
Examples: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty.
Myths are explanation stories seeking to account for the origins of natural and supernatural phenomena, human/superhuman and the spiritual.
Examples: The Rainbow Serpent and myths from other cultures about the origins of the earth.
Legends usually refer to individual characters, great heroes or kings who often lived before the time of written records.
Example: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
Sagas are long epic tales of heroic deeds. They are often realistic.
Example: The Viking sagas.
Fables are brief tales with few characters which are most often animals. They are not realistic, but make explicit moral points.
Example: Aesop’s Fables including the Fox and the Crow.
Realistic Fiction
Realistic fiction is a representation of events and experiences as if they are the same as those that take place in the actual world. The emphasis is on characters and their interactions. The narrative function is usually unobtrusive so there is the illusion that what happens in the text is very close to reality. In summary, realistic fiction has:
- characters who could be real
- settings that could exist
- plots which could happen
(can include mystery, adventure and humorous stories)
Examples: The slightly bruised glory of Cedar B. Hartley by Martine Murray; Forrest Gump by Winston Groom.
Historical Fiction
Historical fiction books tell stories that do not conflict with historical records, giving an accurate portrayal of life during a particular time in history. This type of book has a strong sense of time and place.
Examples: They Came on Viking Ships by Jackie French; Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
Fantasy
Fantasy novels contain one or more imaginary elements, such as:
- a make-believe world
- characters (including animals such as dragons) who have magic powers
- imaginary events
(May include science fiction novels, although these are often given a category of their own. Horror novels dealing with the paranormal can also be classified as fantasy.)
Examples: The Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien.
Other genres include:
- Picture books
- Short stories
- Poetry
- Drama
- Romance (Gone with the Wind can be considered as historical romance)
Non-fiction literary genres include:
- Biographies and autobiographies
- Essays