Introduction to literature

Literature is the body of creative and/or imaginative writing of a language, period or culture, especially of recognized artistic value.

Genre is a type, class or category.

The three genres are: drama, poetry and prose fiction.

Drama is the oldest of the three (3) genres. Unlike the other two genres it is intended for performance. (nb. The definition will be expanded in term 3.)

Poetry is a condensed form of literature that uses literary devices and the clever use of words for effect and to convey the writer's main concern. (nb. The definition will be expanded in term 2.)

Prose is written or spoken language that does not use a measured structure or rhyme as is the case with poetry. It is greater than composition due to the use of plot and setting. It is used for the novel, short story, some types of letters and biographies. It has chapters and paragraphs.

Elements of Prose

1. Plot is the storyline or the way the events are arranged.
2. Characters are the people, animals, robots (etc) that take part in the action of a story.
3. Theme is the broad idea, message or lesson that is conveyed by a work; for example love, war and family.
4. Setting refers to the place and time (historical period) in which the action of a story takes place.
5. Point of View/ Narrative Perspective is the standpoint from which characters and events are presen­ted in a text. The narrator is the “voice” that tells the story. Unless it is an autobiography, the narrator is not identical with the author/writer.

Types of narrators:

a)      First person narrator: The narrator is a character in the story, who uses the first person singular (“I”). This narrator may be either the protagonist or a minor character, who is just an observer

b)      Second person narrator: The second person narrator communicates with the reader directly using “you”. It is a friendly, but uncommon form of writing.

c)      Third person narrator: The narrator stands outside the story and uses the third person (“he”, “she” or “they”) to refer to the characters. This narrator can have limited knowledge of events or can me an omniscient narrator who appears to see and know everything.