Branches of Literature

LITERATURE

Literature are written works that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance.

Literature that is written in the ordinary language.

Prose

Poetry

Writings in which words are arranged in a rhythmic pattern. Predominantly, sentences are metaphorical.

Fiction

Works that are imagined by the writer and is not true

Fantasy

Works that are produced by the imagination of the writer.

Mystery

Deals with the solution of a crime

Science-Fiction

Set typically in the future or on other planets.

Myth

Stories which usually contains gods and goddesses and was told in ancient times.

Short Stories

Usually deal with few characters and often just concentrate on the mood rather than the plot.

Parable

Teaches moral or spiritual lessons, especially those told by Jesus and recorded in the Bible.

Folktales

Traditional Stories.

Fable

Stories which main characters are animals and intended to teach lessons.

Fairy Tale

Children’s stories that contains magic or magical creatures.

Used to rationalize the origins of things.

Legend

Tall Tale

Sometimes called Anecdote. Stories that are told in a humorous and exaggerated mean.

Non-Fiction

Opposite of Fiction. Events or characters that exists or existed in real life.

Biography

Story of a person’s life written by another person.

Autobiography

Story of a person’s life written by the same person

Essay

Piece of writing that tells a person’s thoughts and opinions about a subject.

Encyclopedia

A reference work that contains information about many subjects.

Textbook

Book about a particular subject that is used for study.

Magazine

Thin book that contains stories, essays, pictures, etc., that is usually published every week or month.

Brochure

Thin magazine that has many pictures and information about a product, place, etc.

Newspaper

Set of paper that have news stories, information about local events, advertisement, etc.

Research Report

A story that is descriptive about a topic

Atlas

A book of maps

Memoir

A written work in which someone describe past experiences

Editorial

Essay in a newspaper or magazine that gives opinons of its editors or publishers

Advertisement

Shown to the public to help sell a product or to make an announcement

Lyric

Poem that expresses deep personal feelings in a way that is like a song

Simple Lyric

Other Lyric Poetry that does not properly fall into other categories.

Song

Piece of music with words that are sung

Sonnet

Poem made of 14 lines that rhyme in a fixed pattern

Elegy

A sad poem or song for someone who is dead

Ode

A poem in which a person expresses a strong feeling of love or respect for someone or something

Narrative

Something that is narrated

Ballad

Slow song about love

Metrical Romance

Arranged in a rhythmic pattern of beats

Epic

Poem that tells the story of a hero’s adventures

Dramatic

Something that is sudden and extreme

Soliloquy

A long speech that a character in a play makes to an audience that reveals the character’s thoughts

Character Sketch

A short and terse description of characters in a story

Comedy

Something that is meant to make people laugh

Tragedy

A very bad event that causes great sadness