Genres of Fiction

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Genres of Fiction

• Today we will identify genres of fiction.

By Mrs. Robold
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Mystery

• Usually realistic
• Contains a mysterious event, situation or problem
  which is not explained
• Could contain a crime that is not solved until
  the end of the story to keep the reader in
  suspense
• Strangeness of something unknown
• Centers on someone investigating something or
  searching for secret information

3
Science Fiction

• Includes details on science or technology of the
  future - seems almost impossible
• Blends scientific facts with fictional elements
• Set in the future, space, or a different world
• Makes guesses about the future

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Historical Fiction

• Takes place in the past
• Written to portray or convey information from a
  specific time period or historical event
• Often the setting is real
• The characters are usually fictional
• If the characters are fictional, they must be
  portrayed authentically.

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Realistic Fiction

• Take place in modern time (right here, right now)
• The characters are involved in events that could
  really happen
• Reader often relates to characters - characters
  have real life problems
• Characters have normal human powers

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Adventure

• Almost always fast-paced
• A likeable hero is usually male (always follows
  moral code)
• There is always physical action
• Includes a villain which has no moral code
• Setting changes frequently
• Often violence of some kind is present

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Fantasy

• Contains elements that are NOT realistic
• Often includes talking animals with magical
  powers
• Could also be considered make-believe

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Folk Tales

• Types of folktales
• 1. Fable
• 2. Tall tales
• 3. Myths
• 4. Legends
• 5. Fairy Tales

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Fables

• Teach people how they should live
• Often animals are thinly disguised people
• Have a moral at the end
• Animals talk
• Example Aesop Fables

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Tall Tale

• Started in 1800s for pioneers to understand
  greatness of American West - contains info about
  the West
• Huge forests, animals, deserts, mountains
• Bigger than life heroes for taming the West
• Some heroes are real
• Stories are exaggerated
• Came from bragging contests

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Myths

• Very old, passed down from generations
• Earliest form of folklore
• May have some truth, but not true anymore
• People believed them at one time
• Stories about Greek and Roman gods and goddesses
• May have mythical animals

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Myths Cont...

• Gods control or have power over people (Zeus)
• Explained natural events
• Stories about how the world began
• Contains gods and heroes
• Took place before recorded history

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Legends

• Narrative of human actions
• Take place in human history
• May have miracles happen
• Everything that happens is possible
• Passed down from generation to generation
• Have a moral lesson

Big Foot Sighting
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Legends Cont...

• A tale rooted in a small truth
• Believable
• No mythical creatures
• Cannot be proven

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Fairy Tales

• Teach children lessons to obey
• Use magic
• Use good and evil
• Contains supernatural events
• Mystical creatures
• Kings and Queens

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Fairy Tales Cont...

• Takes place in far away places
• Contains unusual names
• Sometimes humans are turned into animals and vice
  a versa
• Animals can sometimes talk
• Begins with Once upon a time or Long ago
• Ends in Happily ever after