Genre

Genre
The study of genre is not an exact science.Some texts may belong in more than one genre. For
example: Romeo and Juliet is a drama, a tragedy, and an Elizabethan play. The idea of genre is open
to discussion and there is good reason to discuss genre. Understanding genre will help you know
what to expect from a text based on its genre; it will also help you notice when an author is
playing with your expectations. Wouldnt you like to be in on the joke? First, you must learn some
basics:
Main Genres and Subgenres
Some consider these to be the main genres of writing: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and
folklore. Every piece of writing can fall into one of these categories. Each main genre has a group
of subgenres. Each subgenre has as set of characteristics that you must learn in order to identify
them. This list does not contain all of the possible subgenres, but it should give you a pretty thorough
overview.
1. Fiction: stories that come from the authors imagination.
Historical Fiction: based on a person or event from history.
Science Fiction: dealing with aliens, the distant future, or advanced technology.
Fantasy: containing monsters, magic, or other supernatural elements.
Realistic Fiction: a story that could have happened, but didnt.
2. Nonfiction: writing that is true or factual.
Informational Writing: provides information on a topic.
Persuasive Writing: attempts to influence the reader.
Autobiography: the story of ones life told by oneself.
Biography: the story of ones life told by another.
3. Drama: writing that is meant to be acted on a stage (a play).
Comedy: has a happy ending.
Tragedy: ends in death and sadness.
4. Poetry: writing that is concerned with the beauty of language
5. Folklore: stories handed down through speech from generation to generation.
Fairy Tale: a story with magic, monsters, and/or talking animals (like fiction / fantasy,
but part of the oral tradition).
Fable: a very short story that has a moral or life lesson; usually has talking animals
as main characters.
Myth: has gods or goddesses and often accounts for how something came to be.
Legend: an exaggerated story about something that may have been real at one
time.
Tall Tale: stories set in the Wild West; the main characters strengths, skills, or size
have been exaggerated and the tone is funny.
WORKSHEET No. 2
Name: _________________________________
Genre and Subgenre Worksheet 2
Directions: Choose the genre and subgenre in which the story most likely belongs. Then explain how
you got your answer.
Fiction: science fiction, historical fiction, and realistic fiction
Nonfiction: autobiographies, biographies, informational writing, and essays
Folklore: myth, fairytale, legend, tall tale, and fable
1. Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
The story of a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the
Earth. He, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans climb down a crater and have many wild
adventures, encountering dinosaurs and prehistoric man. They eventually return to surface again in
southern Italy.
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Science Fiction
Explain your answer:
This is a made-up story with futuristic technology.

2. Sleeping Beauty retold by Charles Perrault
A beautiful princess pricks her finger on a sewing needle, after being cursed by a wicked fairy. The
princess falls into a deep sleep. One hundred years later, a prince fights his way through the
enchanted forest and awakens the beautiful sleeping princess with a kiss.
Genre: Folklore / Fiction
Subgenre: Fairy Tale
This is a story containing a fairy, a princess, and magic and it is retold by the author, indicating
that it is folklore.
3. The Reign of Attila the Hun by Ed Reaves

Attila the Hun was the scourge of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires in the 440s and
450s. . He invaded and conquered territory in what would now be considered France and Italy,
terrorizing the countryside along the way. This text tells the story of Attila's life.
Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Biography
This text tells the true story of Attila the Hun's life and it is written by someone else.
4. No Way In by Patty Slate
High school student Darren Banks is sick of being a viewed as a nerd. Darren enlists the help of
his older cousin Tyrone to help him learn to dress, walk, and talk. With Tyrone's help, Darren soon
climbs to the peak of high school popularity, but in his quest to become someone else, will Darren
forget who he was? Find out in this exciting novel.
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Realistic Fiction
This is a made-up story that could really happen.

5. The Big Book of Science, Grades 5-6 by Mortini School Publishing
This science book for grades 5 and 6 puts the "fun" in "fundamental." Students complete a variety of
exercises to develop their science skills using materials that can be found at home. This version
contains over 62 practice activities.
Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Informational Writing
This text contains factual information about science.

6. The Fox and the Grapes retold by Aesop
One day a fox came upon a grape orchard and found a bunch of beautiful grapes hanging from a high
branch. "Boy those sure would be tasty," he thought to himself. He backed up and took a running
start, and jumped. He did not get high enough. He went back to his starting spot and tried again. He
almost got high enough this time, but he still could not reach the grapes. He tried again and again, but
he just couldn't get high enough to reach the grapes. Finally, he gave up. As he walked away, he put
his nose in the air and said: "I am sure those grapes are sour anyway." It is easy to hate what you
cannot have.
Genre: Folklore
Subgenre: Fable
This is a very short story with a moral and it is retold by someone.

7. Bump in the Night by John Fox
Fox tells the story of the fictional John Potter, a seasoned Union soldier who gets captured by
Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Potter undergoes some of the most dreadful
conditions imaginable while detained in a Confederate POW camp, but he soon makes friends with a
Confederate guard who helps Potter survive as they realize that their differences are not as striking
as their similarities.
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Historical Fiction
This is a fictional story taking place around a major event in history.

8. Paul Bunyan and the Seven Wonders of the World retold by Patrick Schuster
This text contains a handful of different stories about the world's largest lumberjack, Paul Bunyan,
who is so big that he wrings out a handful of maple trees to make syrup for his giant waffles. He is so
big that he made the Great Lakes when he couldn't find his spittoon. Read about how he met his
giant blue ox, Babe, and how they became best friends and inseparable companions. Also read about
how he dug the Grand Canyon by dragging his axe behind himself after a long day of work.
Genre: Folklore
Subgenre: Tall Tale
This is a greatly exaggerated story that is intended to be humorous.

9. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
When John Carter finds gold in Arizona, he makes enemies with some Apache warriors. While
attempting to escape from these warriors, Carter hides in one of their sacred caves and is
mysteriously transported to Mars. He finds that he has great strength and superhuman agility in this
new environment as a result of its lesser gravity. He soon falls in with a nomadic tribe of Green
Martians and thanks to his strength, speed, and fighting skills, Carter rises to a high position in the
tribe. When the Green Martians capture Dejah Thoris, princess of the humanoid Red Martians, Carter
can't help but to be taken with her beauty. He will have to make some tough decisions in the exciting
novel.
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Science Fiction
This is a made-up story that takes place in outer space.

10. The Reading Times published by the Mortini Group
This periodical contains strategies for teachers and students about how to improve reading
comprehension skills.
Genre: Nonfiction
This text provides readers with information about becoming better at reading.
11. The Silver Cross by Steve Stark

This novel tells the story of a fictional American teenager named Henry Cross. Against his mother's
wishes, Cross enlists in the fight against the Germans in World War II. At first he is frightened and
ineffective in battle, but after making friends with an elite sniper, Cross learns to overcome his fear in
battle and become a better solider. Soon Cross is a war machine, but sometimes soldiers have to
make difficult decisions concerning the lives of others. Will Cross make the right decision when he
runs into just such a situation? Is there a right choice for Cross to make?
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Historical Fiction
This is a made-up story based around an important event in history.

12. African Creation Story by unknown
According to this Bakuba account of the world's creation, the Earth was once just darkness and water
and it was ruled by the giant Mbombo. One dayMbombo felt some sharp pains in his stomach, which
caused him to vomit the sun, moon, and stars. The sun's rays evaporated the water covering the
Earth, which created clouds, and soon the dry hills emerged from the water. Still feeling some pains in
his stomach, Mbombo vomited again, this time expelling the world's first man and woman, all of the
animals, the trees, falling stars, the firmament, and lighting.
Genre: Folklore
Subgenre: Myth
This is part of the oral tradition, has a god in it, and accounts for the creation of something.
13. Shooting for the Moon by Lance Legstrong

Lance tells the true story of his own adventure into outer space. Legstrong was once an
underachiever with a troubled past, until one day a teacher influences him positively. Lance describes
how he worked hard from that point on until getting accepted into an experimental NASA space
program and going to the moon. Lance shares with readers the many life lessons he has learned in
this exciting text.
Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Autobiography
This is the story of Lance Legstrong's life and it is written by himself.

14. The Most Exciting Moment of My Life by Mr. Morton
Mr. Morton, in a five paragraph narrative, tells the true story of the most exciting moment in his life:
when he went to a reading workshop near downtown Chicago.
Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Essay / Narrative Essay
This is a short narrative, told from the first-person perspective, and written about a single
event.
15. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by unknown
Sir Gawain is King Arthur's nephew, and this is the story of how Gawain met a challenge from a giant
knight dressed in all green armor. The story is very serious and is told as though it was true; many
people believe that King Arthur was a real person, but this story is probably not true. If it were true, it
has been greatly exaggerated.
Genre: Folklore
Subgenre: Legend
Since King Arthur may have actually existed, and since the author's tone is serious, this is a
legend.
16. U.S. History by Mortini Publishing Group
This textbook tells the history of America, from the Revolutionary War to the Iraq War.
Genre: Nonfiction
This text provides factual information about history.

17. The Rising by Lindsay Logan
When Sheila moves to a new school in California, she has some trouble fitting in with the other kids.
She cannot afford the expensive clothing that the other kids wear and she does not have the newest
cell phone, but she does have a good heart. Will a chance run-in with a celebrity whom Sheila
admires give Sheila the confidence she needs to adapt to her new environment.
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Realistic Fiction
This is a made-up story that could actually happen.

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Genre

Subgenre: Science Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a made-up story with futuristic technology.

Subgenre: Fairy Tale

Explain your answer:

3. The Reign of Attila the Hun by Ed Reaves

Explain your answer:

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a made-up story that could really happen.

Subgenre: Informational Writing

Explain your answer:

This text contains factual information about science.

Explain your answer:

This is a very short story with a moral and it is retold by someone.

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a fictional story taking place around a major event in history.

Subgenre: Tall Tale

Explain your answer:

This is a greatly exaggerated story that is intended to be humorous.

Subgenre: Science Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a made-up story that takes place in outer space.

Subgenre: Informational Writing

Explain your answer:

11. The Silver Cross by Steve Stark

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a made-up story based around an important event in history.

Explain your answer:

13. Shooting for the Moon by Lance Legstrong

Explain your answer:

This is the story of Lance Legstrong's life and it is written by himself.

Subgenre: Essay / Narrative Essay

Explain your answer:

Explain your answer:

Subgenre: Informational Writing

Explain your answer:

This text provides factual information about history.

Subgenre: Realistic Fiction

Explain your answer:

This is a made-up story that could actually happen.

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