 INTRODUCTION

DEFINITION OF LITERATURE
IMPORTANCE OF LITERATURE
KINDS OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION

Literature involves the reading and analysis of written

materials of different kinds including fiction and non-fiction
written works in English.
All learners should be ready to analyze whatever they read
critically by the end of this course.
DEFINITION OF LITERATURE

Literature is derived from a Latin word “litaritura/litteratura”

meaning “writing formed with letters”
Literature can be defined as ‘pieces of writing that are valued as
works of art, especially novels, plays and poems’.
 Literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a
people.
IMPORTANCE OF LITERATURE

Sparks empathy and understanding

Learn about past lives
Escapism and possibilities
Literature makes you a wiser and more experienced person
by forcing you to judge, sympathize with or criticize the
characters.
Kinds of Literature
Kinds of Literature
FICTION VS. NON-FICTION

 Fiction Literature is imaginary composed writing or work of art that is

meant to provide information, education and entertainment to the reader.
 Non-fiction Literature is a factual writing or written work that gives
facts that can be proved as it provides real places, events, characters,
times or reality rather than imaginary things.
Kinds of Literature and Their Examples

Examples of Fictional Literature include plays, poems, short

stories, novels, oral literature and songs.
Examples of Non-fictional literature include autobiographies,
biographies, essays, diaries and journals, magazines,
newspapers, subject textbooks such as Geography, History nad
Civic Education.
ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE-STORIES

Short Story
ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE-STORIES

Novel
ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE-STORIES
ELEMENTS OF FICTION

 Author
 Setting
 Plot
 Themes
 Character
 Style
 language
Author

This is the writer of any written

work of art or fiction.
 Setting

This is the place and time in

which the story unfolds or
takes place.
 PLOT

This is the series or chain

of related events that tells
us “what happens’ in a
story.
 Elements of Plot

• Exposition
• Conflict
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution/ Denouement
 Conflict

 This is the core or basic element of plot in the

story. It is conflict or struggle that gives any story
its energy.
 This can be external or internal.
 This conflict can be between one person or
animal and nature, or one person or animal and
a group of person or a whole society.
 6 types of Literary Conflict

Character vs. Self

This is an internal conflict, meaning that the opposition the
character faces is coming from within.

Character vs. Character

This is a common type of conflict in which one character’s need
or wants are at odds with another’s.
Character vs. Nature
In nature conflict, a character is set in opposition to nature. This
can be mean the weather, the wilderness, or a natural disaster.

Character vs. Supernatural

Pitting characters against phenomena like ghost, gods, or monsters
raises the stakes of a conflict by creating an unequal playing field
Character vs. Technology
In this case, a character is in conflict with some kind of technology.

Character vs. Society

This is an external conflict that occurs in literature when the protagonists
placed in opposition with society, the government, or a cultural tradition or
societal norm of some kind.
 o Themes
• This refers to the controlling, main idea or central insights in
the novel or short story. These answers the question “What
does it mean?” “What central Idea or insights into life does
the work convey? “How do other elements reveal this idea or
insights?””

• A theme is usually stated in a sentence or statement.

 o Characters

 These are persons or animals involved in a story in

order to show entertain and show us some truth
about human experiences and ourselves.

 The best story is one in which the narrator doesn’t tell

much directly about what the character is like.
 • Characterization

This refers to the kinds of characters the novel or

short story depending on the level of their
development and involvement in the story of the
book.

For example: characters that are flat or round,

protagonist or antagonist, major or minor, stars or
backers.
 o Style

This refers to the way the novel or short story is

written in order to have a desired effect on the
reader or audience.
Also refers to the techniques used by the writer of
a literary work such as point of view, humor,
fantasy, flashbacks, tone, and so on.
 o Language
Literary language is often used in fiction writing to
‘relish the story so that it is more clear, educative,
informative, and interesting or entertaining.

Some of these language devices include figures of

speech and symbolism such as images,symbols,
irony, metaphors, similes, satire, and so on.
 Prelim Activity:

 Read at least one novel books/ stories.

 Identify the elements of the story.
 How did the story affects you?
 What is the connection of the story in the society?

 Further instructions will be announced during online discussion.