Genre categories in English Literature
Fiction
and Non-fiction
Genre may fall under one of two categories:
Fiction and Nonfiction. Any genre can be either: a work of Fiction (nonfactual
descriptions and events invented by the author) or a work of Nonfiction (a
communication in which descriptions and events are understood to be factual.
Common genres: Fiction
Subsets of genres, known as common genres, have
developed from the archetypes of genres in written expression. The common
genres included in recommended Literation verse or prose, usually for
theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through
dialogue and action
1. Classic: fiction that has
become part of an accepted literary canon, widely taught in schools
2. Comic/Graphic
Novel:
scripted fiction told visually in artist drawn pictures, usually in panels and
speech bubbles
3. Crime/Detective: fiction about a
committed crime, how the criminal gets caught, and the repercussions of the
crime
4. Fable: narration
demonstrating a useful truth, especially in which animals speak as humans;
legendary, supernatural tale
5. Fairy
tale: story
about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children
6. Fanfiction: fiction written by a
fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, etc.
7. Fantasy: fiction with strange
or otherworldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of
reality
8. Fiction
narrative:
literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not
necessarily based on fact
9. Fiction
in verse:
full-length novels with plot, subplot(s), theme(s), major and minor characters,
in which the narrative is presented in verse form (usually free verse)
10. Folklore: the songs, stories,
myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" as handed down by word of
mouth
11. Historical
fiction:
story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting
12. Horror: fiction in which
events evoke a feeling of dread and sometimes fear in both the characters and
the reader
13. Humor: Usually a fiction full
of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain and sometimes cause intended
laughter; but can be contained in all genres
14. Legend: story, sometimes of a
national or folk hero, that has a basis in fact but also includes imaginative
material, Magical Realism magical or unreal elements play a natural part in an
otherwise realistic environment
15. Metafiction: also known as romantic
irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, uses self-reference to
draw attention to itself as a work of art, while exposing the "truth"
of a story
16. Mystery: this is fiction
dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets
17. Mythology: legend or traditional narrative, often based
in part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena
by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods
18. Mythopoeia: this is fiction where characters from
religious mythology, traditional myths, folklores and history are recast into a
re-imagined realm created by the author.
19. Realistic
fiction:
story that is true to life
20. Science
fiction:
story based on impact of actual,
imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on other planets
21. Short
story:
fiction of such brevity that it supports no subplots
22. Suspense/Thriller: fiction about harm
about to befall a person or group and the attempts made to evade the harm
23. Tall
tale: humorous
story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible with
nonchalance
24. Western: set in the American
Old West frontier and typically set in the late eighteenth to late nineteenth
century
Common genres: Non-fiction
1. Biography/Autobiography: Narrative of a
person's life. A true story about a real person.
2. Essay: A short literary
composition that reflects the author's outlook or point.
3. Narrative
nonfiction:
Factual information presented in a format which tells a story.
4. Speech: Public address or
discourse.
5. Textbook: Authoritative and
detailed factual description of a topic.
6. Reference
book: Dictionary,
thesaurus, encyclopedia, almanac, atlas, etc.