Portfolio entry # 7 Exploring ideas in Literature

GENRES o forms of literature can be classified in:

• FICTION: refers to stories about made-up events and characters. Key elements in good fiction are the plot, the conflict, the characters, the setting, the theme, the narrator. Fiction usually takes one of thee forms:

1. Short stories: focus on a single event or incident.
2. Novels: weave together many different events, storylines and characters.
3. Novelas: are longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.

• POETRY: refers to a type of literature in which words are chosen and arranged in a precise way to achieve specific effects. Poems are made up of lines which are often arranged into groups called stanzas. The rhythm, the rhymes and the imagery chosen by the poet will affect the overall meaning and sound of the poem.

1. Odes
2. Sonnets
3. Narrative poems
4. Lyric poems

• DRAMA: is any work that is written to be perfomed. Drama is made up of a plot, characters, setting and theme. Characters and conflicts are developed through dialogue and action. A drama is usually divided into scenes grouped into acts.

1. Comedies
2. Radio plays
3. Historical dramas

• NONFICTION: is writing that tells about real people, events and places.

1. Autobiographies/ Biographies: are true stories of a person´s life.
2. Essays: ae short works that focuses on a single subject and can be reflective, persuasive, or descriptive.
3. News articles: report on recent events.
4. Speechs: are oral pesentations of the ideas, beliefs or proposals.
5. Feature articles: offer in depth coverage of human-interest topics.
6. Functional documents: serve a practical purpose.

• MEDIA: refers to forms of communication that influence your beliefs and actions. All the media messages have an specific purpose.

1. TV shows: are usually created to entertain or inform.
2. Advertising: is designed to persuade a target audience to buy a product, use a service o agree with an idea.
3. Web sites: present infomation through text, graphics, audio video, animation, and interactive features.
4. News media: are designed to entertain and infom viewers.
5. Feature films: are created fo entertainments and to make money.

Strategies for reading literature:

• Ask the right questions to get the most from what you have read.

1. Before reading, preview what you think the text will be about and have in clear the purpose for reading.
2. During reading, pause ocassionally to monitor understanding and make predictions.
3. After reading, analyse the basic plot and explore key ideas.

• Make connections between the key ideas and your life. 

• Record your thoughts, analysis and opinions as you read o share them with others.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Allen, J et.al. (2011). Literature. U.S.: McDougal Littell