Introduction To Literature 1

A. Define literature.
- The study of literature can be viewed as beneficial to students in many ways. For this
particular program, learners will get the chance to take a peek in the Philippines history,
culture and traditions through the artistic eyes of different authors of their time. It will
also serve as a good English comprehension practice for our learners through the
literary pieces featured in this manual.
What is literature?
- No specific definition of literature.
- Literature can be defined as pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially
novels, plays and poems. (Oxford Adv Learners English Dic) Writers are also considered
as artist)
- Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary
competencies that daily life requires and provides: and in this respect, it irrigates the
deserts that our lives have already become. (CS Lewis)
Forms of Literature
1. Prose – a spoken or written language without metrical regularity.
2. Poetry – the imaginative expression of emotion, thought, or narrative, frequently on
metrical form and often using figurative language. It has been traditionally been
distinguished from prose by rhyme or the rhythmical arrangement of words.
Types of Prose
1. Novel – it is an extended fictional prose narrative, often including the psychological

development of the central characters and their relationship with tye broader world.
Novel is classified according to genres and subgenre, such as the historical novel,
detective fiction, fantasy and science fiction.
2. Short Story – it is an artistic form of prose fiction which entered on a single main
incident whose aim is to produce a single dominant impression. Its qualities are
economy, compression, brevity, and emphasis.
3. Play- it is a piece of creative work presented on stage. It is usually divided into acts.
4. Legend- it is a traditional or undocumented story about famous people, commonly
religious in character and frequently posing problems of authenticity.
5. Fable – it is a story either verse or prose, in which animals or inanimate objects are
given the mentality and speech of human beings to point out a moral lesson.
6. Anecdote – it is a product of the writer’s imagination whose aim is to bring out
lessons to the readers. It can be stories about animals or children.
7. Essay – it is a short piece of nonfiction dealing with a particular subject from a
personal pointy of view.
8. Biography – it is an account of a person’s life. It may consist of factual details of a
persons life told in chronological order, but has generally become a matter of
interpretation as well as historical accuracy.
9. News – it is a report of daily events in society, government or in science and
industry.
10. Oration – it is a piece of work relative to speech whose aim is to arouse the listeners
interest and emotion.
Elements of short Story
1. Setting – it is an element that reveals where the story happened.

2. Characters – they are the performers of a story. It may refer to the hero or to the
heroin of the story. It includes people playing an important role in a given story aside
from the principal characters.
3. Plot – It refers to the storyline in a novel, play, film, or other work of fiction. It is
traditionally a scheme of connected characters.
4. Theme – It refers to the central Idea of any piece of literary work.
5. Point of View – It is device used by the writer in presenting his idea.
6. Conflict – it refers to the collision between one character and another, between a
character and some elements in the world about him.
Types of Poetry
1. Narrative Poetry – it describes important details in life following the order of events,
either real or imaginary. They are classified as epic, metrical tales, and ballad.
2. Lyric Poetry – any short poems which is songlike. This is the most common type of
poetry.
3. Dramatic Poetry – tells stories like narrative poetry but in dialogues of play rhymes,
repeating rhymes, and other poetic elements.
Examples of Lyric Poetry
1. Haiku – a short Japanese poem consisting of 17 syllables arranged in there lines.

2. Ode - a serious lyric poetry that commemorates important public events. It consists of
stanzas with the same pattern of rhythm and rhyme.
3. Elegy – a common lyric that deals with life and death. It mourns the death of a loved
one.
4. Sonnet – a love poem that mostly consists of 14 lines and has a certain pattern of rhyme
and rhythm.
Types of Figure Of Speech
1. Simile- In a simile, two things which are completely unlocked are compared with each
other. A simile is introduced by words such as like, so, as etc.
Examples- The flower is as pretty as a picture.
He is as sober as a judge.
2. Metaphor- It is an informal or implied simile in which the words “like’ ‘as’ are avoided.
For example, “He is like a Giant. (Simile) “and “He is a Giant. (metaphor)”.
Examples
You are an apple of my eye.
Ocean’s sound is music to my ear.
3. Personification- In Personification, non-living things, abstract ideas or qualities are
mentioned as humans or living things.
4. Example-
Angry clouds surrounded the island.
Earth was thirsty for water.
5. Apostrophe- In this figure of speech, the writer mentions the absent or inanimate
objects as alive and writes about them.
6. Oxymoron- An Oxymoron is when two words are used together in a sentence but they
seem to be in contrast with each other. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that willingly
uses two differing ideas. This contradiction creates a paradoxical image in the reader or
listener's mind that creates a new concept or meaning for the whole.
Example-
Life is bittersweet.
They knew they could feel the joyful sadness on his arrival.
7. Hyperbole-
Hyperbole is used when we want to reinforce the point by exaggerating it. It is frequently
used in poetry and found in casual speech as well. Media uses Hyperbole to exaggerate the
facts, in order to make the story impactful.
Example-
The army troops are faster than the wind and stronger than a mountain.
The robber ran faster than lightning.
7. Metonomy – substitute a word closely relates to a person or a thing.

Ex. The pen is mightier that the sword.
8. Synecdoche – uses a part to present the whole
Ex. All hands at work.
9. Irony – makes use of exaggeration
Ex. Her hair was a flowing golden river.
10. Alliteration- It is the series of words which commence with the same letter.
Alliteration consists of the repetition of a sound or of a letter at the beginning of two
or more words.
For Example-
Dirty dolphins dove across the ocean.

Purple pandas painted portraits.
11. Onomatopoeia- It is the figure of speech where the word is used to describe a
sound. When we explain any action by putting the sounds into language, it is known
as onomatopoeia. It is generally used in fiction or in nursery rhymes, for eg- Old
Macdonald had a farm eea eea ooo.
Example-
I could hear the leaves rustling and wind howling.
Bam! He hit the truck at the speed of 80 kmph.
12. Allusion – refers to any literary, biblical, historical, mythological, scientific event,
character or place. EX. She was a good Samaritan when she helped the lady (bible)
13. Antithesis – involves a contrast of words or ideas. Ex. To err is human to forgive is
divine; Give every man they ear, but few thy voice.
14. Paradox – uses phrases or statement that on surface seems contradictory butu
makes some kind of emotional sense. Ex. I must be cruel to be kind – William
Shakespeare, Hamlet.
What is literary genre?
- A literary genre is a type or category of literature.
Four Main Literary Genre
1. Drama – a play theater told by character dialogue (talking)

Subgenres
Comedy – a funny or humorous drama with a happy ending (The Comedy of
Errors by shakepeare)
Tragedy – a sad drama with a sad ending (Romeo and Juliet)
2. Fiction – a story that did not actually happen in real life (twilight movie)
Subgenres
Fantasy – a story in a fantasy world (harry Potter)
Folklore – old cultural stories (includes fairytales, fables, myths, legends and tall
tales)
Historical Fiction – a fiction story based on real history
Mystery – a story about crime
Realistic Fiction – a story that seems real but isn’t real
Romance – a love story
Science Fiction – a story in the future with advanced technology (Hunger Games)
Thriller or Suspense – a story that makes readers nervous or excited
3. Non-Fiction – writing that is real and factual, or that actually happened
Subgenres
Biography – a story of a persons life
Autob key works in world literature. iography – a story the author writes about
himself or herself
Narrative non-fiction – a story (or narrative) that happened in real life
Periodicals – magazines, newspapers, and journals that are written regularly
Reference Materials – books with facts in alphabetical order (dictionary,
thesaurus and encyclopedia)
4. Poetry – writing using language and sounds in special ways to express ideas
Subgenres
Lyric – a poem about the speakers thoughts (examples are elegy, ode and sonnet
and haiku)
Narrative – a poem that tells a story (includes epic)
Dramatic – words spoken by a character (includes soliloquy, dialogue and
monologue)
Subgenre – smaller group or category

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A. Define literature.

1. Novel – it is an extended fictional prose narrative, often including the psychological

Elements of short Story

1. Setting – it is an element that reveals where the story happened.

1. Haiku – a short Japanese poem consisting of 17 syllables arranged in there lines.

Types of Figure Of Speech

The robber ran faster than lightning.

7. Metonomy – substitute a word closely relates to a person or a thing.

Dirty dolphins dove across the ocean.

I could hear the leaves rustling and wind howling.

Bam! He hit the truck at the speed of 80 kmph.

What is literary genre?

- A literary genre is a type or category of literature.

Four Main Literary Genre

1. Drama – a play theater told by character dialogue (talking)

Subgenre – smaller group or category

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