Introduction to Literature Flashcards
- it is a story of man
- it is the product of the mind grounded in reality
- it is a body of texts marked by the imaginative verbal recreation of the world as we experience it.
- it relies upon the powers of form, allusion, poetic qualities of language and tropes to intensify and render complex such representation of experience.
- it is a beautiful expression of man’s personal interpretation of some aspect of human life, or a wording out in a unique, beautiful and personal manner or saying an author thinks is the passionate meaning of life, this is saying that literature not only becomes but it is “life itself”.
Literature
6 qualities of literature
- Artistry
- Suggestiveness
- Intellectual Value
- Spiritual Value
- Universality
- Permanence
- This quality appeals to our sense of beauty.
- It presents truth which only few could appreciate
Artistry
- It is associated with emotional power of literature.
- It moves us deeply and stirs our feelings and imagination
Suggestiveness
- It refers to how literature stimulates our thoughts.
- It enriches our mental life by making us realize fundamental truths about human life and nature.
Intellectual Value
It brings our moral values which makes us better persons.
Spiritual Value
Literature appeals to everyone regardless of culture, race, sex and the time which all considered significant.
Universality
It means it is here to stay. Literature endures across time and remains invariable throughout time.
Permanence
3 principal ingredients of literature
- Subject
- Form
- Point of View
The description of the particular event, emotion, idea, etc. that the piece reveals
First Level
The generalization drawn from the description
Second Level
- The human condition and the system of values that the topic of the literature deals with.
- It is commonly known as the theme
Third Level
- The specific vehicle or artistic structure chosen by the writer to convey meaning or value. A work of art is in large part an aesthetically shaped structure
- On the highest level, it may include the stanzas, rhyme, meter for poetry; of arrangements in particular plot or of the sequence in which ideas are developed for the novel; of the development and sequence of ideas for the essay
Form
- The particular angle of vision assumed by the writer to present human experience.
- It is through the angle of vision that the reader becomes personally involved in the experience related by the writer
Point of View
3 main categories of literature in terms of form
- Poetry
- Prose
- Drama
more concentrated; concerned with ideas and insights expressed through sense-oriented language
Poetry
means letter
litera
means beautiful writing
belles-lettres
means straightforward
prosa
It has a structured nature since it follows standard and rules of punctuation and grammar; organized in sentences and paragraphs
Prose
arranged in dialogue
Drama
a form or narrative which deals, in part or in whole, with events that are not factual, but rather imaginary and invented by its author
Prose Fiction
8 types of Prose Fiction
- Myth
- Legend
- Parable
- Fable
- Fairy Tale
- Short Story
- Novel
- Novella
- explains how the world and the people came to be in our form;
- first tools man used to define his world, explain his feelings, and make his judgements
Myth
- an account of an extraordinary happening believed to have actually occurred.
- are believed to be about more recent events than myths
Legend
simple story depicting a moral or religious lesson
Parable
animal or plant as characters; conveys a message or virtue
Fable
story of fantasy and wonder mainly told to entertain and teach a lesson (pervading power of love, reward for kindness, and punishment for evil)
Fairy Tale
brief fictional prose narrative concerned with a single effect conveyed in a single significant episode or scene involving a limited number of characters
Short Story
fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actors, speech, and thoughts of numerous characters placed in a number of different situations (chapter)
Novel
longer than short story, shorter than a novel. It is a form in its own right
Novella
a form or narrative which deals, in part or in whole, with based on facts
Prose Non-Fiction
7 types of Prose Non-Fiction
- Travel Literature
- Diary or Journals
- Editorial
- Essay
- Biography
- Autobiography
- Character Sketch
narration of any tour or foreign journey with the description of the events, dates, places, sights, and author’s view
Travel Literature
daily record of events in person’s life
Diary or Journals
a statement or article that expresses the opinion of the editor, editorial board, or publisher
Editorial
- a brief discussion of a single subject.
- It can be long or short, personal or impersonal, formal or informal
Essay
a personal account of a person’s life written by another person
Biography
biography written by the person him/herself
Autobiography
- abbreviated portrayal or a particular characteristic of a person.
- It emphasizes the most striking part of a person’s life
Character Sketch
- It is a form of art in which language is used for the aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning.
- It may be written independently, as discrete as poems, or may occur in conjunction with other arts.
- It usually has religious, historical, and cultural significance and is transmitted from generations to generations by word of mouth.
- It is melodic and rhythmic, as concerned with sounds as it is with content.
Poetry
3 types of Poetry
- Lyrical Poetry
- Narrative Poetry
- Dramatic Poetry
- Expresses thoughts or feelings.
- They do not tell stories which portray characters and actions.
- It addresses the reader directly, portraying his or her own feeling, state of mind, and perceptions
Lyrical Poetry
4 types of Lyrical Poetry
- Song
- Sonnet
- Elegy
- Ode
short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung
Song
“little song”; reflects a single sentiment, with clarification or “turn” of thought in its concluding lines
Sonnet
melancholic poem that laments its subject’s death but ends in consolation.
Elegy
ceremonious lyrical poem that addresses and often celebrates a person, thing, place, or idea.
Ode
- Gives a verbal representation, in verse, of sequence of connected events;
- it propels characters through a plot. It is always told by a narrator
Narrative Poetry
3 types of Narrative Poetry
- Ballad
- Epic
- Metrical Romance
folk/traditional ballads are anonymous and recount tragic, comic, or heroic stories with emphasis on a central dramatic event
Ballad
- long narrative poem that operates in a large scale.
- It uses elevated or dignified language, celebrating feats of a legendary hero with the intervention of supernatural beings.
Epic
- a poem which tells a story that ends happily, whether love is involved or not.
- It represents chivalric themes and relates improbable adventures of idealized characters in some remote or enchanting setting.
Metrical Romance
Tell stories, but the poet lets one or more of the story’s characters act out the story
Dramatic Poetry
2 types of Dramatic Poetry
- Dramatic Monologue
2. Soliloquy
- dramatic, since it is acted out; and monologue, a speech that one person makes, either to himself or to another.
- It is written to reveal both the situation at hand and the character himself
Dramatic Monologue
- long speech in which the character is alone on a stage expressing his or her private thoughts or feelings.
- It is intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections
Soliloquy
It is written to be performed on a stage before an audience, a group of people collected together in the same place and at the same time for the purpose of sharing the experience of a theater
Drama
3 types of Drama
- Tragedy
- Comedy
- Farce
refers to a drama where the chief characters undergoes a morally significant struggle which ends disastrously
Tragedy
2 types of Tragedy
- Tragicomedy
2. Melodrama
neither a tragedy or comedy, although it has the features of both.
Tragicomedy
a work with exaggerated, sensational events and characters. It is highly emotional, focusing on exciting but over-the-top situations that are designed to encourage emotional responses in the audience
Melodrama
drama with happy ending; depicts humorous events in which protagonists are faced with moderate difficulties.
Comedy
- an exaggerated comedy based broadly on humorous situations.
- It is generally regarded as intellectually and aesthetically inferior to comedy in its crude characterizations and implausible plots.
Farce
