STORIES AND

NOVELS WITH THEIR By Ali shexany

KINDS
Hello!

In this book, you will know what is a Story and what is a Novel, and
the difference between them. And you will learn some common and
uncommon terms. You’ll be able to differentiate between stories and
novels, and other kinds of Media arts (Movies and others).
Hope you enjoy :)

Subjects:
1. What is a Story?
2. What is a Novel?
3. Types of literature
4. Types of characters
5. Terms

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 What is a Story?
A story is a fictional or non-fiction thing, narrated or written in a beautiful
artistic

Real stories(non-fiction) are usually very exciting, and it has the main goal for a
reader. For example, some stories are motivational and making the reader and
it makes the reader hope for life. And some stories have a negative vision for
life such as sad stories. In the end, everyone had a different taste of anything in
this world.

Story elements:

• The idea and the meaning

And that is the goal the writer is trying to present in the story.
• Event
Is a group of actions that happens in the circle of a particular subject.
• The plot
It is a group of incidents related to time.
• The people
In this element, the writer will imagine and create several characters at
these dimensions:
1. Physical dimension: The body’s characteristics such as height,
shortness, obesity, thinness, male or female, and their defects,
and their age.
2. The social dimension: It is represented in the belonging of the
character to a social class and the type of work he does.
3. Psychological dimension: prepared and behavior of desires, hopes,
determination and thought, and the mood of the character of
emotion, calm, introversion, or extroversion.

• The story and the environment

The environment is the natural medium within which events take place
and in which people move within a spatial and temporal environment in
which they exercise their existence.

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 The idea Every story has an idea and a specific meaning.
Event The action that the story focuses on.
The plot The action that the story focuses on but in a timeline.
The people Those who pass through the event.
The environment Where the incident is happening.

-We have three main types of stories:

➢ Beginner: These stories are for those people who are new to the English
language

➢ Short stories: We call stories short stories that are easy and don’t exceed
40 pages.

➢ Long stories: A story that has along with plot or event, but it usually
doesn’t get any sequel.

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 What is a Novel?
When a story is very mixed and many things come into it that extended the
story to several parts, the story changes to Novel.

Novels are very popular so that many films are based on Novels, like Lord of
the Ring, Harry Potter and more. Like stories, Novels have the same elements,
but it is deeper. Some Novels are difficult to read or understand. They are
focusing on many things, but without losing the main idea.

Novel’s elements
The Novel has the same elements as the story, but it has some extra things
that make it different from the story. For example, it has a Hero and a Villain
and Secondary characters. Also, it has a special plot, the writer can write the
novel in a general way (telling the plot from the beginning till the end) which is
called Stereotype. And he can tell the plot in Compound plot which is tell us
the end of the plot from the beginning and then the event that led to it are
reviewed.

The Subject is very important for any kind of Novels because it is the Value
that is presented in the Novel and revolves around the entire content of the
Novel. The topic can also be described as a message or lesson that the writer is
trying to teach the reader.

The novel has many small details that make it different from the story such as,
node, escalating events, the peak, dialogue, and dissolve the knot.

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 Types of literature (Stories and Novels)

Anecdotal literature is the most common literature among all societies. Writers
and historians always use this kind of literature to describe something that
happens in their time or long time ago or event in the future. Just like music,
the literature has many types, that are divided Literature may be classified
into several types by content and meaning. according to the way poetry or
prose is written. Or it could be
So, in this chapter, we are going to talk about classified by size for a novel, short
types of literature (Stories and Novels). story, or play.

But we will be classified it according

to the content, and theme.

Literature
-In general, Literature has two types
Fiction non-Fiction
1. non-Fiction:
non-Fiction stories are usually
Realisric Speculative
these stories that happened in Fiction Fiction
real-life or discuss a specific
subject for example (The
Prince) for Nicolo Machiavelli
or (A Brief History of Time) for Stephen Hawking.

2. Fiction:
Fiction stories are these stories that are not based
on real stories or events but inspired by the author’s
inspiration, partly or completely.

Fiction stories are more popular than non-Fiction stories because many
movies and series and other media that we love are based on Fiction
stories.

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 Fiction
-In general, Fiction stories has two types:
Realistic Speculative
1. Realistic Fiction: Fiction Fiction
The stories that fall under this genre
Scientific
are fictional in terms of events Fantasia
Fiction
But the elements are realistic, and
Maybe it will happen. For example (The fault in our
Start) for John Green is talking about a love story
between two people who have cancer.
Realistic Fiction has several types such as (Drama,
Crime, or even Horror).

2. Speculative Fiction:
These stories are far from reality and it has a lot of
types and kinds, but if we talk in general, there will be two main types:
a. Scientific Fiction:
Science fiction stories conclude potential outcomes of
Technological progress, and avoid any supernatural events such as
Ghosts and Magic.
Scientific fiction has many kinds for example (Punk, Space Opera,
Biopunk), but we will consider it under two types:
i. Hard Science Fiction: Scientific
This type is concerned with accuracy, Fiction
details in the story and therefore,
extends to real scientific theories. Soft Science Hard Science
Fiction Fiction
The most famous example of this is
(Interstellar) a movie which talks about space and time with
a huge detail for black holes
ii. Soft Science Fiction:
This type does not care a lot for details, but it cares about
human emotions and characters with their interaction.
The most famous example of this type is (Frankenstein) a
novel for Mary Shelly.

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 The novel about a scientist who creates a
human being in his laboratory, the scientist
succeeds, but the creature was ugly and
frightening, the being tried to merge with
people but he failed in that, so he decided
to take revenge on the scientist.
This story does not tell us how the scientist
could create the creature, it is just telling us
how a being could feel in this world.

b. Fantasia:
As we said before, science fiction is
about scientific concepts and avoids
any supernatural. Fantasia is doing the
opposite.
Fantasia stories are stories that present
elements that are mythical, unfamiliar,
or unexpected to see in real life, for example (Magics or Ghosts or
Mythical Beings like Dragons).
Also, fantasia has two main types:
i. Low Fantasy:
Low fantasia stories take place in a world like ours, where
extraordinary things don't happen. This world is called The
Primary universe, which puts supernatural elements inside a
world like our world. A famous example of this kind is
Supernatural tv series which is talking about two brothers
that hunt ghosts, vampires, and monsters that hide in the
dark.
ii. High Fantasy (Epic Fantasy):
High Fantasy is stories that happen in a world that's different
from ours which is also called (Secondary universe).
This world may be completely different from ours, from the
laws of nature to the quality of the beings that live in it.

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 A secondary universe could be a hidden world within our
world like (Harry Potter), or it could be a parallel world that
can visit using a portal or something like Alice in Wonderland,
or it is a separate world like (A Song of Ice and Fire) on which
the famous series Game of Thrones is based Which is
completely fictional, takes place on three imaginary
continents.

Some other types:

1. Magic Realism:
Magical realism is a genre of literature that depicts the real world as
having an undercurrent of magic or fantasy. Magical realism is a part of
the realism genre of fiction. The best example for understanding this kind
is the (Metal Gear Solid) video game by Hideo Kojima. The story (Metal
Gear) is all about politics, weapons, and genetic engineering, but
sometimes things happen that we can say are supernatural, such as the
character (The Sorrow) who can communicate with the dead.

2. Science Fantasy:
Scientific fantasy provides supernatural
concepts that can be dealt with by scientific
methods. (Death Stranding) is another video
game example for this type. In the game
(Death Stranding) we discover that beings are
coming from another world because of the
formation of a bridge between our world and
their world. Humans are inventing technology
and machines that allow them to sense the
existence of these organisms. With this story,
the fantasy that appears in those creatures,
and science fiction, are integrated into those techniques that are used
to monitor these creatures.

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3. Dark Fantasy:
If we combine Horror and Fantasia, we will get Dark Fantasy. Dark
fantasy is another kind of Fiction story that focuses on dark and creepy
things. The newest example for Dark Fantasy is (Attack on Titan) which
is happening in a world that humans built three high walls to protect
themselves from the Titans who eat people.

4. Fables:
Simply put, it is the stories that position animals as the protagonists of
the story like (The Lion King) movie.

5. Apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction:
Apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction is very popular literature from the
2000s. this kind of literature talks about human civilization after a Great
disaster like Nuclear war or disease. There are a lot of artworks dealing
with this distinctive genre, such as the (The Walking Dead) which is
talks about a disease that turns human into a monster in a ruined
world.

6. Utopian/Dystopian fiction:
Utopian is a world or a civilization that everyone is
happy and everything is available and there is no
sadness or disease or even criminals or bad people.
On the other hand, Dystopian is the opposite of
Utopian. A Dystopian world is a world that everyone
is miserable, perhaps the main reason is a dictatorial
ruler. One of the modern examples of Utopian
literature is (Childhood’s end) by Arthur C. Clarke. The
story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by
the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival begins
decades of apparent utopia under indirect alien rule,
at the cost of human identity and culture.

The best Example for Dystopian literature is (1984) by George Orwell

which talks about a world divided into four countries

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 Oceania, Eurasia, Eastasia, Disputed.
The event happens in Oceania
which is ruled by a Dictatorial
ruler called Big Brother, and the
protagonist of the story tries to
overthrow this enslaved regime.

7. Wuxia:
Wuxia, which means "martial arts heroes", is a kind of Chinese fantasy
regarding the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although
Wuxia has traditionally been a form of literature and fiction, its
popularity has caused its spread to various art forms such as Chinese
opera, mànhuà, films, television series, and video games. (The way of
the Dragon) is a movie that falls under this type of literature.

8. Historical Fiction:
Historical fiction is a literary genre where the story takes place in the
past. Historical novels capture the details of the period as accurately as
possible for authenticity, including social norms, manners, customs,
and traditions. Many novels in this genre tell fictional stories that
involve actual historical figures or historical events. One of the
examples for this type of literature is (The Fortress) by Jonathan
Hillinger. The Fortress talks about a system of hidden caves beneath
Bucharest's glamorous concert hall was a shelter for homeless children
and their hiding place from the Nazis. Romania, World War II. Nelu
escapes from his home and finds shelter with other homeless children
in the caves beneath Bucharest's spectacular concert hall.

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9. Grimdark:
Grimdark is a subtype of speculative fiction or dystopian, immoral, or
violent setting style. This term is inspired by the slogan of the driving
strategy game Warhammer 40000: “In the dark darkness of the far
future, there is only war.

10. Super Hero Fiction:

The imagination of superheroes is a very distinctive type because it
sometimes merges fantasy and science fiction, and sometimes it merges
between historical fiction and fantasy as it combines many other things.
The most famous examples are (DC & MARVEL) Comics with their movies
and novels.

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 Types of Characters

Of course, every single story has at least one character. In Story literature, we
have so many characters who are divided into many types depending on the
person’s style or behavior. Not every character in a story has the same
personality and behavior.

Some of them are similar in some things and points. In this chapter, we will be
going to learn some terms that are used to describe the different characters in
the stories.

We are going to talk about them in General.

1. The Protagonist (The main character):

The protagonist is the person the story focuses on, it doesn’t matter if
the character is a Hero or a Villain. In some media, we see that the story
is focusing on the hero, for example, Harry Potter, and in some of it, it
focuses on the villain like Walter white from (Breaking Bad) TV series.

2. The Antagonist
The antagonist is the character who is the opposite of the main
character (Protagonist). Usually, the antagonist is the Villain like Sauron
from (Lord of the Rings), but sometimes the hero becomes the
Antagonist, for example, L lawliet from (Death Note). If the story focuses
on the hero then the villain will become the antagonist, and if the story
focuses on the villain then the hero will become the antagonist, like
(breaking bad) tv-series which the villain is the antagonist.

3. Static or Flat character

Flat characters are not an eye-catching part of the story, but still play an
important role in the flow and help the main character in his or her
intention. This characteristic or doesn’t reveal much about the self. It
also stays static throughout the story and feels the gap in the storyline.
Such characters often have a very short role in the story, but sometimes
the writer can make such a character very interesting and memorable by

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 giving it a special style and manner. For example, a normal friend of the
protagonist.

4. Dynamic character
Opposite to the flat character, a dynamic character plays a role that
develops changes during the events in the story. This character may
change positively or negatively depending on the need of the story. It
can be anything from a supporter of the main character to a partner of
the antagonist and may change its direction from positive to negative or
negative to positive. For example, Batman’s partner Robin.

5. Confidante character
A protagonist character’s virtues often get highlight with the help of a
confidante character. This type of character is whom the main character
can trust on and it ultimately helps and develop his heroic
characteristics. A story often must have this character to support the
development of the main character. For example, a hero’s father or
grandfather.

6. Stock character
Unlike other characters, the characters of this type are no much value in
a story. They are usually stereotypical and are conventionally used
repeatedly in the stories of a particular type. They are like any guy found
in the stories who just take the space but doesn’t have any impact on
the plot. They just come and go and are generally not recognized by the
reader. For example, a student who studies in the same protagonist’s
school.

As we know there is a Hero ad a Villain, but there are some types of characters
who fall between them.

We will recognize some types of heroes and villains in stories.

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 Anti-Villain Anti-Hero

Hero Villain

Anti-Hero
The anti-Hero is not a Good person and doesn’t have the qualities of a hero,
but he happens to be on the side of good. The anti-hero has corrupt principles
or he has no principles at all and is often greedy, selfish and coward, and he
also uses unethical methods to defend the good. For example, Max from (Mad
Max) movie. Max is a cop who killed his wife and children by a gang.
Throughout the movie, Max tries to survive in devastated Australia, and at the
same time tries to avenge his family.

Anti-Villain
The Anti-Villain is a person
who does evil and bad deeds
but for good and good
purpose or he thinks it is good.
The anti-villain is a person who
doesn’t lack sympathy or
compassion, but he is forced
to do bad things because of
something to do with his past
or the environment in which
he was raised. The best
example for Anti-Villain is V
from (V for Vendetta) by Alan Moore. V for Vendetta is a graphic novel that
talks about a world after a nuclear war. A fascist and dictatorial party was able
to ascend to the rule of Britain, and they also set up torture camps for anyone
who opposes or is not European, and in one of these camps, a person managed

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to escape full of hatred towards the fascist party. That person became a
terrorist and called himself V. Attempting to bring down the government is a
good goal, but the methods used by V are so violent that it is difficult to call
him a hero. So, the perfect title is Anti-Hero.

Some other types:

Unlikely Hero: is someone you don’t expect to do a heroic act. For example,
Shrek.

Zero to Hero: is someone who acquires elements of a hero over time. For
example, PO from Kung fu Panda.

Unreliable Narrator: is someone who narrates the story, but we can’t trust or
believe his story. Maybe because he is crazy or he is just a liar.

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 Terms

In this chapter, we are going to talk about some scientific terms that are used
in literature, and we are going to mention and explain some other types of
literature that we didn’t talk about it including one more type of character.

Breaking the fourth wall

The Fourth wall is a wall that divides us from the characters in the story. The
term “fourth wall” was used in plays and performances so that actors imagined
a wall between them and the audience. If
someone speaks to the audience or
addresses them, then the person has broken
the fourth wall, and the same applies to
other artworks. Perhaps the most famous
person who breaks the fourth wall is (Dead
Pool). Dead Pool breaks the fourth wall in
every artwork he appears, in the post-credit
of his movie, he came and tell the audience to leave the cinema because the
movie is finished.

Space Opera

Space Opera is a type that falls under Science-Fiction

literature which is talks about the battles and adventures
that happen in Space. (Star Wars) is one of the famous
examples of this type.

Horror literature

It is a kind of fictional literature that attempts to terrify

and shock the reader. Horror genres are very popular, be it from books and
novels to other artworks such as movies and games, also it has a lot of types
and genres, but we won’t talk about it right now.

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Punk

The Punk stories talk about a civilization that combines itself with machines.
For example (Cyberpunk) video game.

Biopunk

It talks about possible changes in the genes of humans or living things, and
thus changes occur in the physical shape of the organism. For example,
(Resident Evil) games and movies.

TimeLine

Timeline is a scientific term that describes the order in

which events occur from beginning to end. This term is
often used in scientific theories such as time travel. Since
time travel is impossible (yet), this term is used in fiction
stories, usually, after the protagonist travels in time and
changes something in the past so that it does not happen.
With this old timeline, it will be erased, and a new
timeline will be created. The best example for this term is
(The Time Machine) a novel by Herbert George Wells.

Technological Singularity

Technological Singularity is a scientific theory that talks about the great

development of machines and robots so that they cannot track or predict their
behavior. This theory inspired many writers and movie makers. For example, (I
Robot) movie or (The Matrix0 or the famous novel (2001: A space odyssey) by
Arthur C. Clarke.

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The Multiverse

The multiverse is another scientific theory that says there is more than one
universe which means there is another copy of you is living in another< or died
in another. Every universe is different from another in small or big detail. For
example, Germany loses world war 2 in our universe, but maybe it won the
war in another universe which is called alternate universe or alternate history.
Many writers and directors are using this theory in their artwork like (DC &
MARVEL) comics with their cinematic universes.

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Thanks for Reading.

I hope you learned something and get a vision about the literature world.

Stories and Novels with their kinds (2021)

Writes by Ali Shexany

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