UNDERSTANDING MAJOR

LITERARY GENRES
Online Group Quiz
Learning Objectives:

• ·Distinguish one literary genre from another.

• ·Identify the elements of each literary genre.
• ·Analyze the different elements in various
literary texts.
• ·Differentiate genre fiction, emerging literary
genres, electronic literature, and graphic
literature from one another.
• ·Identify the different kinds of genre fiction,
emerging literary genres, and electronic
I. Poetry
LESSON I
The term poetry is derived from the Latin word poema, POETRY and
which means “to create.” It is a literary genre that uses PROSE
the sound, meaning, and rhythm of language to express
feelings and ideas. A poem typically has mood (sad,
happy, angry, etc.), follows a verse form, and uses
literary devices (allegory, metonymy, metaphor, irony,
etc.). It allows the reader to use his or her imagination to
interpret and analyze a text.

There are three types of poetry:

• Narrative Poetry
These are poems that tell a story. Examples of these are
 LESSON I
POETRY and
• Lyric Poetry
PROSE
These are poems that are supposedly sung
with a musical accompaniment. They express
the poet’s or the persona’s (the person
speaking in the poem) feelings and emotions.
Examples of lyric poetry are sonnets, psalms,
elegies, songs, and odes.
 LESSON I
• Dramatic Poetry POETRY and

These are poems that are usually PROSE

performed on stage, and they can be

sung or spoken. The classic plays
Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare and Oedipus the King
by Sophocles are some examples of
dramatic poetry.
The three general elements of
poetry are the following:
• Imagery
Imagery is the use of language that evokes any of
the senses—visual, auditory, gustatory, tactile, and
olfactory. It may also employ the use of metaphor,
personification, simile, and other figures of speech.
 When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess’d,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
• Sound Pattern
Sound patterns include rhyme,
rhythm, and other literary devices
that pertain to sounds, such as
onomatopoeia (using words that
imitate the sound of what they refer
to), alliteration (repetition of initial
sounds), and assonance (repetition
of vowel sounds within neighboring
words).
>Rhyme is the repetition of similar or identical
sounds at the end of poetic lines. The rhyme
scheme is the pattern of the rhyme placed at the
end of eachWhose
linewoods
or stanza in a poem.
these are I think I know. a
His house is in the village though; a
He will not see me stopping here b
To watch his woods fill up with snow. a
My little horse must think it queer b
To stop without a farmhouse near b
Between the woods and frozen lake c
The darkest evening of the year. b
He gives his harness bells a shake c
To ask if there is some mistake. c
The only other sound’s the sweep d
Of easy wind and downy flake. c
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. d
But I have promises to keep, d
And miles to go before I sleep, d
Aside from rhymes, the poem’s
musicality is also achieved through its
rhythm.

• Theme
The theme is the central idea of a poem.
It is usually stated as a philosophical
truth in life.
 Prose
Prose is simply any writing that
does not have a metrical structure
and rhythmical pattern like that of
poetry. It is composed of
sentences and paragraphs
instead of lines and stanzas.
The prose is divided into two: fiction and
nonfiction. For this chapter, we will be discussing
only fiction.

The term fiction comes from the Latin word fictio,

which means “to invent or makeup.” Fiction is a
story that is made up or invented by an author.
This means that the events in the story are not
real; they are products of the author’s
imagination. Examples of fiction are novels and
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:

• Setting

Setting refers to the place, time, and general

environment in which the story takes place.
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:
2 Plot
This is the framework or structure of a story that consists of
causally related events. By “causally,” it means that all events and
actions that happen in the story are linked together.
The basic and common plot structure of a story follows a linear
format: beginning, middle, and end. However, some stories follow a
nonlinear format. It means that some stories start in the middle or in
the end.
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:

Plot structure
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:
The exposition introduces the story’s settings and characters. It also hints at a coming
conflict.

The exposition includes an inciting incident or an event that signals the beginning
of a conflict. This incident, leading to a conflict or a problem that the main character
faces, sets the story in motion.

The rising action is where the tension builds because of the conflict. The conflict, or
a series of conflicts, leads to the climax.

The climax is the turning point in the story.

Falling action is what happens near the end of a story after the climax and resolution
of the major conflict.
Types of Conflict The plot is initiate
d by the
conflict or the prob
lem in the
story. There are fo
• Man vs. self—Also known as internal ur general
types of conflict:
conflict; the main character struggles with
himself or herself. This type of conflict
deals with the main character’s response
to the struggles he or she is faced with
.
• Man vs. man—The main character
encounters a problem with another
character in the story.

• Man vs. nature—The main character

faces the forces of nature, such as a
natural disaster, any naturally occurring
Types of Conflict The plot is initiate
d by the
conflict or the prob
lem in the
story. There are fo
• Man vs. society—Particularly prevalent ur general
types of conflict:
in fiction these days, this type of external
struggle pits the individual against the
collective. In this case, “the collective”
might take the form of something like:

.
• Man vs. supernatural —TWhen your
hero finds themselves up against
something that cannot be explained by
logic or science, they are probably in
conflict with supernatural forces! While
some writers employ this type of conflict
 Characters perform the action in a story. They can
be human or nonhuman. They are critical to the
development of conflict and its resolution.

There are different types of characters classified

according to the following:

• Protagonist—This is the main character in the

story.
• Antagonist—This is the character who struggles
against the protagonist. The antagonist can be a
person or persons, things, conventions of society,
nature, fate, or just about anything or anyone that
causes the protagonist to struggle.
3. Character • Flat —This is a noncomplex character who does
not change in the course of the story.
• Round —This is a complex character who is
changed by the conflict that he or she encounters.
 • Static—ssentially, a static character is largely the
same person at the end of the story as he was in
the beginning. Any character in a compelling story
experiences some life changes and variation in his
environment, but what distinguishes a static
character is usually his existing persona,
confidence, and appeal to readers.

• Dynamic—A dynamic character is often easier to

build a compelling story around. Dynamic character
might go through a major life transition, have a
coming-of-age experience, pull through trials and
3. Character tribulations, mature, have a change of heart or
develop more likeable qualities -- or take a turn for
the worse.
 What Is a Dynamic
The term “dynamic character” is often confused with “round
character,” and whileCharacter?
they often overlap, they are not the same.
A dynamic character is one who changes significantly
throughout the story, whereas a round character is simply one
who is interesting and layered. A character can be round without
ever undergoing any changes throughout a story, so characters
can be round without being dynamic.

What Is a Static Character?

The term “static character” is often confused with “flat
character,” and while they do overlap, they are not the
same. A static character is one who doesn’t undergo any
significant change in a story, whereas a flat character is a

3. Character one-dimensional character who isn’t layered or

deep—rather, a flat character just has one or two traits that
make up their whole personality. Flat characters are
almost exclusively static characters, but not all static
characters are flat—many static characters can be
interesting and round.
 Point of view is the perspective from which the
story is presented.

There are four basic types of points of view.

• First person
In the first-person point of view, the narrator is
usually the protagonist. It uses the pronoun “I”
to refer to the narrator. This POV allows the
readers to have access to the character’s inner
thoughts and feelings, thus involving the
readers in the story’s action.
• Objective or dramatic
In the objective or dramatic point of view, the
4. Point of view observer narrator is limited to narrating what the
characters say and do, and does not tell the
readers what the character is thinking or feeling.
 • Second person
In the second-person point of view, the
narrator uses the pronoun “you” to narrate
the story. The narrator or author directly
addresses the readers.

• Third person
In the third-person point of view, the reader
gets to be an observer. The narrator does
not refer to himself/herself or
acknowledges the reader. It does not use
the pronouns “I” and “you” in narrating the
4. Point of view story. Instead, the narrator uses “he/she,”
“their/theirs,” etc.
 Third Person Omniscient
Omniscient means "all-knowing," and likewise an omniscient narrator knows every character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations even if that character doesn’t reveal any of those things to the other characters.

Omniscient means "all-knowing," and likewise an




omniscient narrator knows every character’s

thoughts, feelings, and motivations even if that
character doesn’t reveal any of those things to the
other characters.
Third Person Limited
In third-person limited narration, the narrator still exists
outside the events of the story, but does not know the
motivations or thoughts of all the characters. Rather, one
character is the driver of the story, and the reader is given a
closer peek into that character’s psyche than the others.
Third-Person Objective
In third-person objective narration, the narrator reports the events
that take place without knowing the motivations or thoughts of any

4. Point of view of the characters. We know little about what drives them until we
hear them speak or observe their actions. The resulting tone is
often matter-of-fact, not colored by any opinions or commentary,
nor of knowledge of what takes place outside the scene
 The theme is the general claim or
universal truth that may be
explicitly or implicitly stated in a
story.

5. Theme
References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the
Present. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Enriquez, Delia C. 2012. Philippine Literature: A Regional Approach, 3rd ed. Manila: National Book
Store.

Jose, F. Sionil. 2000. “The God Stealer.” In The Best Philippine Short Stories of the Twentieth
Century: An Anthology of Fiction in English. Edited by Isagani R. Cruz. Manila: Tahanan Books.

New York Writers Workshop. 2006. The Portable MFA in Creative Writing: Improve Your Craft with
the Core Essentials Taught to MFA Students. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books.

Oliver, Mary. 1994. A Poetry Handbook. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company.
LESSON II

CREATIVE NONFICTION

Subtopic:
·Formal Essay
·Informal Essay
Creative Nonfiction
The other type of prose is nonfiction. Unlike fiction, nonfiction
narratives talk about factual events and factual information.
Some examples of nonfiction narratives are autobiographies,
biographies, and personal essays.
Works of creative nonfiction are usually essays. Essays are generally any piece of nonfiction writing written from

the writer’s point of view or opinion. It came from the French verb essayer, which means “to try” or “to attempt.”
Creative Nonfiction

The earliest known essay is said to be the Japanese Zuihitsu. They were popular writings during the

Heian period (794−1185) to the Edo period (1603−1868). Zuihitsu were personal writings that explore

current issues. Some of the notable Zuihitsu are The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon (1000),

Tsurezuregusa by Yoshida Kenkō (1330), and Hōjōki by Kamo no Chōmei (1212).

The essay in the West became popular only in the
1550s. The two writers who were attributed with the
“invention” of the form are Michel de Montaigne and
Francis Bacon.

• Michael de Montaigne
— He published Essai, a collection of 107 essays, in
1580.

— He was said to have essentially invented the literary

form of the essay.

• Francis Bacon
— He published the collection of essays, Essayes:
Religious Meditations. Places of Perswasion and
Disswasion. Seene and Allowed, in 1597.

— Bacon’s essays cover a wide range of styles and

topics drawn from public and private life.

— In 1625, Bacon expanded Essays from the original

ten to fifty-eight essays.
Since then, writers used the essay in various ways,
There are two general types of essays:

Formal essay
This is a serious discussion in which a writer talks
about a subject. It follows the strict structure of
introduction—discussion—conclusion. The tone of
the writing is often objective.

• Informal essay
This is a lighter approach that talks about a specific
issue. Its purpose is usually to engage the reader in
a casual discussion of the subject. The tone may be
light or serious and is personal most of the time.
The language may be informal, sometimes
conversational, and the writer’s personality is often
reflected in the essay.
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine

Literature in English from 1900 to the Present. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
LESSON III
Topic: DRAMA


Subtopic:
·Types of Drama


Dramas
are stories in verse or prose forms
that are meant to be performed
onstage in front of a live audience.
They usually tell a serious story that
involves conflicts and strong
emotions. Authors who write
dramas are called dramatists or
playwrights.
 Types of
Drama
TRAGEDY COMEDY MUSICAL DRAMA FARCE MELODRAMA

The central character Comedic plays aim

The characters in Farce is a A melodrama is
in a tragedy has a to make the
musical drama nonsensical kind of characterized by the
tragic flaw, making audience laugh.
dance and sing. drama that employs characters’
this character a Comedic stories are
Various themes are slapstick humor. It is exaggerated
tragic hero. It means lighthearted. They
presented, from mainly comedic and emotions in various
that he or she often take place in
serious to comedic. is characterized by situations.
possesses a unusual
absurd conditions or
characteristic that circumstances, and it
situations and ardent
can lead to his or her is typical for
actions.
downfall. characters in these
plays to utter witty
 DIALOGUE REFERS TO THE CHARACTERS' SPEECH AND IS CONSIDERED THE
LIFEBLOOD OF DRAMA. THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE GET TO UNDERSTAND
THE STORY, NOT ONLY BY THE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS BUT ALSO BY THEIR
SPEECH. DIALOGUE MAY TAKE THE FOLLOWING FORMS:

DIALOGUE MONOLOGUE SOLILOQUY ASIDE

This is the speech of a

These are the This is a long speech This is a remark that
character who is alone
conversations of two given by one onstage. It would seem as a character makes
or more characters character onstage. if the character is talking that is meant only for
onstage. to himself or herself or to the audience to hear.
the audience during a The other characters
soliloquy.
onstage do not hear
asides
 Since it is meant to be performed, there are additional elements in
drama that deal with bringing the story to life. These are the following:
• sets
• lighting
• costumes
• props

When you read a play, always remember that it is meant to be

performed and will have stage directions.
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the
Present. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Enriquez, Delia C. 2012. Philippine Literature: A Regional Approach, 3rd ed. Manila: National Book
Store.

Jose, F. Sionil. 2000. “The God Stealer.” In The Best Philippine Short Stories of the Twentieth
Century: An Anthology of Fiction in English. Edited by Isagani R. Cruz. Manila: Tahanan Books.
 LESSON IV
VARIOUS KINDS OF LITERARY
GENRES
Subtopic:
· Genre Fiction



· New and Emerging Literary

Genres
· Electronic Literature
· Graphic Literature
I. Genre Fiction

Genre fiction, or popular fiction, refers

to plot-driven works that allow the
readers to escape from reality. It does
not mainly focus on thematic
exploration and in-depth
characterization.
The following are the kinds of genre
fiction:
 • Science fiction, or simply sci-fi, explores society and human
knowledge often involving imaginary technological innovations or
scientific advancements of the future. Some examples of science
fiction include George Lucas’s Star Wars series, Ray Bradbury’s
The Martian Chronicles, and Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot.

• Fantasy fiction deals with magic and/or other supernatural

elements. The story takes place in an entirely different world
(Middle Earth, Westeros, Hogwarts). Some examples of fantasy
fiction include J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, J.R.R. Tolkien’s
The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of
Narnia.
 • Horror fiction intends to create a feeling of fear and terror. Some
examples of horror fiction include Stephen King’s The Shining and Pet
Sematary, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist.

• Historical fiction, or period fiction, refers to bodies of work that are set in
the past. They are sometimes based on historical events such as war,
catastrophe, etc. Some examples of historical fiction include Arthur
Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind,
and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.
• Chick literature, or more popularly known as chick lit, deals with issues in
women’s lives; thus, it appeals mostly to women. Some examples of chick
lit include Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, Lauren
Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, and Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s
Diary.

• Romantic fiction focuses on the relationship between two individuals.

However, it is not limited to the love story of the characters. Its subplots
are essential to the story as a whole. Some examples of romance fiction
include John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and Nicholas Sparks’s A Walk
to Remember.
 • Mystery fiction and crime fiction are different genre fictions
although they are sometimes used interchangeably. Crime fiction
involves a crime story where there is a perpetrator or a killer and a
victim, whereas mystery fiction appeals to the mind and deals with
solving a puzzle such as a mysterious death, a missing person, etc.
Some examples of mystery and crime fiction include Arthur Conan
Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Murder on the
Orient.

• Thriller fiction, or suspense fiction, is action-paced and creates

feelings of suspense, excitement, and apprehension on the readers
or the audience. Some examples of thriller fiction include Thomas
Harris’s Silence of the Lambs, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, and S.J.
Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep.
 Young adult fiction, or YA, focuses on characters, experiences,
and issues or conflicts that appeal to teenagers or young adults.
Some examples of young adult fiction include Stephen Chbosky’s
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, John Green’s The Fault in Our
Stars, Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series, Veronica
Roth’s Divergent series, and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga.
II. New and Emerging Literary Genres

II. New and

Emerging Literary
Genres
NEW AND New and emerging literary genres are works written by authors that deviate from traditional writing

methods. Often, these works are related to other genres.

EMERGING 


LITERARY
GENRES
THE FOLLOWING ARE
THE DIFFERENT KINDS
OF NEW AND EMERGING
LITERARY GENRES:
• Flash fiction, also known as short, microfiction, postcard fiction, and
sudden fiction, is usually composed of not more than 1,000 words.
Despite its brevity, it is a complete story— it has a beginning, a
middle, and an end. Some examples of flash fiction include Lydia
Davis’s “Spring Spleen” from The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis,
Ernest Hemingway’s “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn,” and Edith
Pearlman’s “Golden Years” from Hint Fiction.

• Fan fiction or “fan fic” is literally fiction written by a fan of an

original work, usually found on the Internet. A fan fic could have a
narrative that exists either in the canonical universe of the subject
or outside of it. Usually, fans write stories based on best-selling
novels, with some writing alternative endings or situating it in a
parallel universe. Most prominent examples are fan fiction written
 • Metafiction is a “fiction about a fiction.” In this type of fiction, the
author, the narrator, or the main character directly speaks to the reader.
The reader also plays a part in the story. Some examples of metafiction
include Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World and Umberto Eco’s The Name of
the Rose.

• Slipstream, also considered as “the fiction of strangeness,” is a

nonrealistic fiction that crosses science fiction and fantasy or
mainstream literary fiction. However, not all slipstream stories do.
Slipstream stories often employ elements of the surreal and antireality.
Some examples of slipstream fiction include Kelly Links’s Stranger
Things Happen, Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, and Haruki Murakami’s The
Wind-up Bird Chronicle.
 III. Electronic Literature

III.
Electronic



Literature
Electronic literature, or simply e-lit, as defined by the
Electronic Literature Organization, are literary works that
maximize the features and explore the contexts of personal
and network computers. Most works are not for printing
formats as they are designed to be fully experienced
digitally, such as graphics, animations, games or quests, and
sounds. However, electronic literature is different from
e-books as e-books are a digital version of a paperback.
 The following are the kinds of
electronic literature:

Digital fiction
Hypertext fiction Interactive fiction
is nonlinear and reader centered. The readers are provided is an adventure story in a software-simulated
with different links of the story, thereby deciding on what environment, usually a video game (role-playing
order to read the pages of the story and choosing how a game or RPG), where the reader or the player
story will pan out. In some hypertext works, the readers can controls how the story will develop. It has multiple
even add their own version of the story, which allows for story lines and endings may vary. An example of
different plots. One of the earliest examples of this is this is 80 Days, an adventure game based on Jules
Douglas Cooper’s Delirium, which allowed the reader to Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.
navigate four parallel stories.
 Hypertext poetry
poetry is characterized by links wherein a word, a phrase, or a line is linked
to another page, which describes or elaborates on the idea conveyed in the
poem. Some hypertext poems link sounds, visual images, and other poems
to help in the readers’ interpretation. An example of this is the hypertext
version of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” which enables a

Digital reader to experience the poem in another way by providing links to photos,
web sites, and content that can be associated with the images in the text.
Interactive poetry
poetry allows readers to contribute to the content or form of
a poem. Readers can collaborate or work together to
create a poem or interact with it. One prominent
example is JABBER: The Jabberwocky Engine, a site
that allows a visitor to create neologisms or an
 Code poetry
Digital ·is written in a programming language format (C++, Java, HTML) that is not,
poetry in reality, executable. For example, Kenny Brown’s “Creation?” mimics the
start of our solar system by using rule sets and variables found in coding.

Visual or concrete
poetry
uses visual presentation to enhance the meaning of the poem.
Simply put, the layout, or how the words/lines/verses are
placed or shown, is as important as the content. Some examples
of visual or concrete poetry include Lewis Carroll’s “The Mouse’s
Tale,” George Herbert’s “Easter Wings,” and Eugen Gomringer’s
 Kinetic poetry
uses kinesthesia, a literary device that describes the action
or movement of a person or an object. In modern times,
Digital writers use technology for a more visual expression of their
works. They employ the use of kinetic typography or
poetry moving text for an elaborate expression of an emotion or
thought. Kinetic poetry is often produced in videos. A
current example of this type is by an Australian group
called 313RGB, where one stands in front of the screen and
“moves” words with the use of one’s hands.
IV. Graphic Literature
 Graphic literature, also called sequential storytelling, is literature in
the form of comics. Commonly referred to as the “graphic novel,” the
term has come to encompass not just works of fiction, but also
autobiographical narratives, nonfiction, and even poetry. Usually
credited as being first coined by Will Eisner in A Contract with God
and Other Tenement Stories (1978), the term graphic novel is
distinguished from “comic book” simply because it is presented in
book format. Although the definitions of the terms graphic literature
and graphic novel are points of contention, most critics have used the
term to refer to novel-length works or compilations of previously
serialized narratives. Here are some of the most popular graphic
novels as mentioned in comic studies:
·Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns (1986) is a four-issue comic book compiled
into a single volume. It tells the story of Batman, specifically a 55-year-old Bruce
Wayne who comes out of retirement to fight crime once again. The narrative introduces
a female Robin in the form of Carrie Kelley. It also uses as central conflict Batman’s
confrontation with Superman.

·Alan Moore’s Watchmen (1986–1987) is a DC comic book series that focused on

superhero stereotypes and America’s anxieties over the Cold War and the Vietnam
War. It mostly deconstructed the idea of a superhero, and presented superheroes who
were already past their prime. It has become part of the graphic literature canon and is
included in Time Magazine’s List of the 100 Best Novels.
·Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1980–1986) is a graphic novel about the Holocaust. It features
Spiegelman’s father as he recounts his experience as a Polish Jew. In this graphic novel,
Jews are portrayed by mice, whereas Germans and Poles were cats and pigs. Praised for
its postmodern techniques and its effective mix of genres such as memoir, history, fiction,
and comics, Maus won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992.

·Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman (1989–1996) is an American comic book series that follows
the lives of and those touched by the seven Endless—the main character Dream, also
known as Morpheus; Destiny; Death; Despair; Delirium (who used to be Delight); Desire;
and Destruction. Gaiman personifies the metaphysical concepts through the use of
anthropomorphism and mixes mythology and history in the narrative. The series also
references popular works such as William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Aeschylus’
Oresteia. One of the most critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time, The Sandman has
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine

Literature in English from 1900 to the Present. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes

on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman, Quezon City: University of
the Philippines Press.
Thank you!
UNDERSTANDING MAJOR
LITERARY GENRES
Online Group Quiz
Learning Objectives:

• ·Distinguish one literary genre from another.

• ·Identify the elements of each literary genre.
• ·Analyze the different elements in various
literary texts.
• ·Differentiate genre fiction, emerging literary
genres, electronic literature, and graphic
literature from one another.
• ·Identify the different kinds of genre fiction,
emerging literary genres, and electronic
I. Poetry
LESSON I
The term poetry is derived from the Latin word poema, POETRY and
which means “to create.” It is a literary genre that uses PROSE
the sound, meaning, and rhythm of language to express
feelings and ideas. A poem typically has mood (sad,
happy, angry, etc.), follows a verse form, and uses
literary devices (allegory, metonymy, metaphor, irony,
etc.). It allows the reader to use his or her imagination to
interpret and analyze a text.

There are three types of poetry:

• Narrative Poetry
These are poems that tell a story. Examples of these are
 LESSON I
POETRY and
• Lyric Poetry
PROSE
These are poems that are supposedly sung
with a musical accompaniment. They express
the poet’s or the persona’s (the person
speaking in the poem) feelings and emotions.
Examples of lyric poetry are sonnets, psalms,
elegies, songs, and odes.
 LESSON I
• Dramatic Poetry POETRY and

These are poems that are usually PROSE

performed on stage, and they can be

sung or spoken. The classic plays
Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare and Oedipus the King
by Sophocles are some examples of
dramatic poetry.
The three general elements of
poetry are the following:
• Imagery
Imagery is the use of language that evokes any of
the senses—visual, auditory, gustatory, tactile, and
olfactory. It may also employ the use of metaphor,
personification, simile, and other figures of speech.
 When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess’d,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
• Sound Pattern
Sound patterns include rhyme,
rhythm, and other literary devices
that pertain to sounds, such as
onomatopoeia (using words that
imitate the sound of what they refer
to), alliteration (repetition of initial
sounds), and assonance (repetition
of vowel sounds within neighboring
words).
>Rhyme is the repetition of similar or identical
sounds at the end of poetic lines. The rhyme
scheme is the pattern of the rhyme placed at the
end of eachWhose
linewoods
or stanza in a poem.
these are I think I know. a
His house is in the village though; a
He will not see me stopping here b
To watch his woods fill up with snow. a
My little horse must think it queer b
To stop without a farmhouse near b
Between the woods and frozen lake c
The darkest evening of the year. b
He gives his harness bells a shake c
To ask if there is some mistake. c
The only other sound’s the sweep d
Of easy wind and downy flake. c
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. d
But I have promises to keep, d
And miles to go before I sleep, d
Aside from rhymes, the poem’s
musicality is also achieved through its
rhythm.

• Theme
The theme is the central idea of a poem.
It is usually stated as a philosophical
truth in life.
 Prose
Prose is simply any writing that
does not have a metrical structure
and rhythmical pattern like that of
poetry. It is composed of
sentences and paragraphs
instead of lines and stanzas.
The prose is divided into two: fiction and
nonfiction. For this chapter, we will be discussing
only fiction.

The term fiction comes from the Latin word fictio,

which means “to invent or makeup.” Fiction is a
story that is made up or invented by an author.
This means that the events in the story are not
real; they are products of the author’s
imagination. Examples of fiction are novels and
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:

• Setting

Setting refers to the place, time, and general

environment in which the story takes place.
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:
2 Plot
This is the framework or structure of a story that consists of
causally related events. By “causally,” it means that all events and
actions that happen in the story are linked together.
The basic and common plot structure of a story follows a linear
format: beginning, middle, and end. However, some stories follow a
nonlinear format. It means that some stories start in the middle or in
the end.
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:

Plot structure
There are five basic elements of fiction. They
are as follows:
The exposition introduces the story’s settings and characters. It also hints at a coming
conflict.

The exposition includes an inciting incident or an event that signals the beginning
of a conflict. This incident, leading to a conflict or a problem that the main character
faces, sets the story in motion.

The rising action is where the tension builds because of the conflict. The conflict, or
a series of conflicts, leads to the climax.

The climax is the turning point in the story.

Falling action is what happens near the end of a story after the climax and resolution
of the major conflict.
Types of Conflict The plot is initiate
d by the
conflict or the prob
lem in the
story. There are fo
• Man vs. self—Also known as internal ur general
types of conflict:
conflict; the main character struggles with
himself or herself. This type of conflict
deals with the main character’s response
to the struggles he or she is faced with
.
• Man vs. man—The main character
encounters a problem with another
character in the story.

• Man vs. nature—The main character

faces the forces of nature, such as a
natural disaster, any naturally occurring
Types of Conflict The plot is initiate
d by the
conflict or the prob
lem in the
story. There are fo
• Man vs. society—Particularly prevalent ur general
types of conflict:
in fiction these days, this type of external
struggle pits the individual against the
collective. In this case, “the collective”
might take the form of something like:

.
• Man vs. supernatural —TWhen your
hero finds themselves up against
something that cannot be explained by
logic or science, they are probably in
conflict with supernatural forces! While
some writers employ this type of conflict
 Characters perform the action in a story. They can
be human or nonhuman. They are critical to the
development of conflict and its resolution.

There are different types of characters classified

according to the following:

• Protagonist—This is the main character in the

story.
• Antagonist—This is the character who struggles
against the protagonist. The antagonist can be a
person or persons, things, conventions of society,
nature, fate, or just about anything or anyone that
causes the protagonist to struggle.
3. Character • Flat —This is a noncomplex character who does
not change in the course of the story.
• Round —This is a complex character who is
changed by the conflict that he or she encounters.
 • Static—ssentially, a static character is largely the
same person at the end of the story as he was in
the beginning. Any character in a compelling story
experiences some life changes and variation in his
environment, but what distinguishes a static
character is usually his existing persona,
confidence, and appeal to readers.

• Dynamic—A dynamic character is often easier to

build a compelling story around. Dynamic character
might go through a major life transition, have a
coming-of-age experience, pull through trials and
3. Character tribulations, mature, have a change of heart or
develop more likeable qualities -- or take a turn for
the worse.
 What Is a Dynamic
The term “dynamic character” is often confused with “round
character,” and whileCharacter?
they often overlap, they are not the same.
A dynamic character is one who changes significantly
throughout the story, whereas a round character is simply one
who is interesting and layered. A character can be round without
ever undergoing any changes throughout a story, so characters
can be round without being dynamic.

What Is a Static Character?

The term “static character” is often confused with “flat
character,” and while they do overlap, they are not the
same. A static character is one who doesn’t undergo any
significant change in a story, whereas a flat character is a

3. Character one-dimensional character who isn’t layered or

deep—rather, a flat character just has one or two traits that
make up their whole personality. Flat characters are
almost exclusively static characters, but not all static
characters are flat—many static characters can be
interesting and round.
 Point of view is the perspective from which the
story is presented.

There are four basic types of points of view.

• First person
In the first-person point of view, the narrator is
usually the protagonist. It uses the pronoun “I”
to refer to the narrator. This POV allows the
readers to have access to the character’s inner
thoughts and feelings, thus involving the
readers in the story’s action.
• Objective or dramatic
In the objective or dramatic point of view, the
4. Point of view observer narrator is limited to narrating what the
characters say and do, and does not tell the
readers what the character is thinking or feeling.
 • Second person
In the second-person point of view, the
narrator uses the pronoun “you” to narrate
the story. The narrator or author directly
addresses the readers.

• Third person
In the third-person point of view, the reader
gets to be an observer. The narrator does
not refer to himself/herself or
acknowledges the reader. It does not use
the pronouns “I” and “you” in narrating the
4. Point of view story. Instead, the narrator uses “he/she,”
“their/theirs,” etc.
 Third Person Omniscient
Omniscient means "all-knowing," and likewise an omniscient narrator knows every character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations even if that character doesn’t reveal any of those things to the other characters.

Omniscient means "all-knowing," and likewise an




omniscient narrator knows every character’s

thoughts, feelings, and motivations even if that
character doesn’t reveal any of those things to the
other characters.
Third Person Limited
In third-person limited narration, the narrator still exists
outside the events of the story, but does not know the
motivations or thoughts of all the characters. Rather, one
character is the driver of the story, and the reader is given a
closer peek into that character’s psyche than the others.
Third-Person Objective
In third-person objective narration, the narrator reports the events
that take place without knowing the motivations or thoughts of any

4. Point of view of the characters. We know little about what drives them until we
hear them speak or observe their actions. The resulting tone is
often matter-of-fact, not colored by any opinions or commentary,
nor of knowledge of what takes place outside the scene
 The theme is the general claim or
universal truth that may be
explicitly or implicitly stated in a
story.

5. Theme
References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the
Present. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Enriquez, Delia C. 2012. Philippine Literature: A Regional Approach, 3rd ed. Manila: National Book
Store.

Jose, F. Sionil. 2000. “The God Stealer.” In The Best Philippine Short Stories of the Twentieth
Century: An Anthology of Fiction in English. Edited by Isagani R. Cruz. Manila: Tahanan Books.

New York Writers Workshop. 2006. The Portable MFA in Creative Writing: Improve Your Craft with
the Core Essentials Taught to MFA Students. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books.

Oliver, Mary. 1994. A Poetry Handbook. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company.
LESSON II

CREATIVE NONFICTION

Subtopic:
·Formal Essay
·Informal Essay
Creative Nonfiction
The other type of prose is nonfiction. Unlike fiction, nonfiction
narratives talk about factual events and factual information.
Some examples of nonfiction narratives are autobiographies,
biographies, and personal essays.
Works of creative nonfiction are usually essays. Essays are generally any piece of nonfiction writing written from

the writer’s point of view or opinion. It came from the French verb essayer, which means “to try” or “to attempt.”
Creative Nonfiction

The earliest known essay is said to be the Japanese Zuihitsu. They were popular writings during the

Heian period (794−1185) to the Edo period (1603−1868). Zuihitsu were personal writings that explore

current issues. Some of the notable Zuihitsu are The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon (1000),

Tsurezuregusa by Yoshida Kenkō (1330), and Hōjōki by Kamo no Chōmei (1212).

The essay in the West became popular only in the
1550s. The two writers who were attributed with the
“invention” of the form are Michel de Montaigne and
Francis Bacon.

• Michael de Montaigne
— He published Essai, a collection of 107 essays, in
1580.

— He was said to have essentially invented the literary

form of the essay.

• Francis Bacon
— He published the collection of essays, Essayes:
Religious Meditations. Places of Perswasion and
Disswasion. Seene and Allowed, in 1597.

— Bacon’s essays cover a wide range of styles and

topics drawn from public and private life.

— In 1625, Bacon expanded Essays from the original

ten to fifty-eight essays.
Since then, writers used the essay in various ways,
There are two general types of essays:

Formal essay
This is a serious discussion in which a writer talks
about a subject. It follows the strict structure of
introduction—discussion—conclusion. The tone of
the writing is often objective.

• Informal essay
This is a lighter approach that talks about a specific
issue. Its purpose is usually to engage the reader in
a casual discussion of the subject. The tone may be
light or serious and is personal most of the time.
The language may be informal, sometimes
conversational, and the writer’s personality is often
reflected in the essay.
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine

Literature in English from 1900 to the Present. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
LESSON III
Topic: DRAMA


Subtopic:
·Types of Drama


Dramas
are stories in verse or prose forms
that are meant to be performed
onstage in front of a live audience.
They usually tell a serious story that
involves conflicts and strong
emotions. Authors who write
dramas are called dramatists or
playwrights.
 Types of
Drama
TRAGEDY COMEDY MUSICAL DRAMA FARCE MELODRAMA

The central character Comedic plays aim

The characters in Farce is a A melodrama is
in a tragedy has a to make the
musical drama nonsensical kind of characterized by the
tragic flaw, making audience laugh.
dance and sing. drama that employs characters’
this character a Comedic stories are
Various themes are slapstick humor. It is exaggerated
tragic hero. It means lighthearted. They
presented, from mainly comedic and emotions in various
that he or she often take place in
serious to comedic. is characterized by situations.
possesses a unusual
absurd conditions or
characteristic that circumstances, and it
situations and ardent
can lead to his or her is typical for
actions.
downfall. characters in these
plays to utter witty
 DIALOGUE REFERS TO THE CHARACTERS' SPEECH AND IS CONSIDERED THE
LIFEBLOOD OF DRAMA. THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE GET TO UNDERSTAND
THE STORY, NOT ONLY BY THE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS BUT ALSO BY THEIR
SPEECH. DIALOGUE MAY TAKE THE FOLLOWING FORMS:

DIALOGUE MONOLOGUE SOLILOQUY ASIDE

This is the speech of a

These are the This is a long speech This is a remark that
character who is alone
conversations of two given by one onstage. It would seem as a character makes
or more characters character onstage. if the character is talking that is meant only for
onstage. to himself or herself or to the audience to hear.
the audience during a The other characters
soliloquy.
onstage do not hear
asides
 Since it is meant to be performed, there are additional elements in
drama that deal with bringing the story to life. These are the following:
• sets
• lighting
• costumes
• props

When you read a play, always remember that it is meant to be

performed and will have stage directions.
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the
Present. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Enriquez, Delia C. 2012. Philippine Literature: A Regional Approach, 3rd ed. Manila: National Book
Store.

Jose, F. Sionil. 2000. “The God Stealer.” In The Best Philippine Short Stories of the Twentieth
Century: An Anthology of Fiction in English. Edited by Isagani R. Cruz. Manila: Tahanan Books.
 LESSON IV
VARIOUS KINDS OF LITERARY
GENRES
Subtopic:
· Genre Fiction



· New and Emerging Literary

Genres
· Electronic Literature
· Graphic Literature
I. Genre Fiction

Genre fiction, or popular fiction, refers

to plot-driven works that allow the
readers to escape from reality. It does
not mainly focus on thematic
exploration and in-depth
characterization.
The following are the kinds of genre
fiction:
 • Science fiction, or simply sci-fi, explores society and human
knowledge often involving imaginary technological innovations or
scientific advancements of the future. Some examples of science
fiction include George Lucas’s Star Wars series, Ray Bradbury’s
The Martian Chronicles, and Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot.

• Fantasy fiction deals with magic and/or other supernatural

elements. The story takes place in an entirely different world
(Middle Earth, Westeros, Hogwarts). Some examples of fantasy
fiction include J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, J.R.R. Tolkien’s
The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of
Narnia.
 • Horror fiction intends to create a feeling of fear and terror. Some
examples of horror fiction include Stephen King’s The Shining and Pet
Sematary, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist.

• Historical fiction, or period fiction, refers to bodies of work that are set in
the past. They are sometimes based on historical events such as war,
catastrophe, etc. Some examples of historical fiction include Arthur
Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind,
and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.
• Chick literature, or more popularly known as chick lit, deals with issues in
women’s lives; thus, it appeals mostly to women. Some examples of chick
lit include Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, Lauren
Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, and Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s
Diary.

• Romantic fiction focuses on the relationship between two individuals.

However, it is not limited to the love story of the characters. Its subplots
are essential to the story as a whole. Some examples of romance fiction
include John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and Nicholas Sparks’s A Walk
to Remember.
 • Mystery fiction and crime fiction are different genre fictions
although they are sometimes used interchangeably. Crime fiction
involves a crime story where there is a perpetrator or a killer and a
victim, whereas mystery fiction appeals to the mind and deals with
solving a puzzle such as a mysterious death, a missing person, etc.
Some examples of mystery and crime fiction include Arthur Conan
Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Murder on the
Orient.

• Thriller fiction, or suspense fiction, is action-paced and creates

feelings of suspense, excitement, and apprehension on the readers
or the audience. Some examples of thriller fiction include Thomas
Harris’s Silence of the Lambs, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, and S.J.
Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep.
 Young adult fiction, or YA, focuses on characters, experiences,
and issues or conflicts that appeal to teenagers or young adults.
Some examples of young adult fiction include Stephen Chbosky’s
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, John Green’s The Fault in Our
Stars, Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series, Veronica
Roth’s Divergent series, and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga.
II. New and Emerging Literary Genres

II. New and

Emerging Literary
Genres
NEW AND New and emerging literary genres are works written by authors that deviate from traditional writing

methods. Often, these works are related to other genres.

EMERGING 


LITERARY
GENRES
THE FOLLOWING ARE
THE DIFFERENT KINDS
OF NEW AND EMERGING
LITERARY GENRES:
• Flash fiction, also known as short, microfiction, postcard fiction, and
sudden fiction, is usually composed of not more than 1,000 words.
Despite its brevity, it is a complete story— it has a beginning, a
middle, and an end. Some examples of flash fiction include Lydia
Davis’s “Spring Spleen” from The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis,
Ernest Hemingway’s “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn,” and Edith
Pearlman’s “Golden Years” from Hint Fiction.

• Fan fiction or “fan fic” is literally fiction written by a fan of an

original work, usually found on the Internet. A fan fic could have a
narrative that exists either in the canonical universe of the subject
or outside of it. Usually, fans write stories based on best-selling
novels, with some writing alternative endings or situating it in a
parallel universe. Most prominent examples are fan fiction written
 • Metafiction is a “fiction about a fiction.” In this type of fiction, the
author, the narrator, or the main character directly speaks to the reader.
The reader also plays a part in the story. Some examples of metafiction
include Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World and Umberto Eco’s The Name of
the Rose.

• Slipstream, also considered as “the fiction of strangeness,” is a

nonrealistic fiction that crosses science fiction and fantasy or
mainstream literary fiction. However, not all slipstream stories do.
Slipstream stories often employ elements of the surreal and antireality.
Some examples of slipstream fiction include Kelly Links’s Stranger
Things Happen, Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, and Haruki Murakami’s The
Wind-up Bird Chronicle.
 III. Electronic Literature

III.
Electronic



Literature
Electronic literature, or simply e-lit, as defined by the
Electronic Literature Organization, are literary works that
maximize the features and explore the contexts of personal
and network computers. Most works are not for printing
formats as they are designed to be fully experienced
digitally, such as graphics, animations, games or quests, and
sounds. However, electronic literature is different from
e-books as e-books are a digital version of a paperback.
 The following are the kinds of
electronic literature:

Digital fiction
Hypertext fiction Interactive fiction
is nonlinear and reader centered. The readers are provided is an adventure story in a software-simulated
with different links of the story, thereby deciding on what environment, usually a video game (role-playing
order to read the pages of the story and choosing how a game or RPG), where the reader or the player
story will pan out. In some hypertext works, the readers can controls how the story will develop. It has multiple
even add their own version of the story, which allows for story lines and endings may vary. An example of
different plots. One of the earliest examples of this is this is 80 Days, an adventure game based on Jules
Douglas Cooper’s Delirium, which allowed the reader to Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.
navigate four parallel stories.
 Hypertext poetry
poetry is characterized by links wherein a word, a phrase, or a line is linked
to another page, which describes or elaborates on the idea conveyed in the
poem. Some hypertext poems link sounds, visual images, and other poems
to help in the readers’ interpretation. An example of this is the hypertext
version of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” which enables a

Digital reader to experience the poem in another way by providing links to photos,
web sites, and content that can be associated with the images in the text.
Interactive poetry
poetry allows readers to contribute to the content or form of
a poem. Readers can collaborate or work together to
create a poem or interact with it. One prominent
example is JABBER: The Jabberwocky Engine, a site
that allows a visitor to create neologisms or an
 Code poetry
Digital ·is written in a programming language format (C++, Java, HTML) that is not,
poetry in reality, executable. For example, Kenny Brown’s “Creation?” mimics the
start of our solar system by using rule sets and variables found in coding.

Visual or concrete
poetry
uses visual presentation to enhance the meaning of the poem.
Simply put, the layout, or how the words/lines/verses are
placed or shown, is as important as the content. Some examples
of visual or concrete poetry include Lewis Carroll’s “The Mouse’s
Tale,” George Herbert’s “Easter Wings,” and Eugen Gomringer’s
 Kinetic poetry
uses kinesthesia, a literary device that describes the action
or movement of a person or an object. In modern times,
Digital writers use technology for a more visual expression of their
works. They employ the use of kinetic typography or
poetry moving text for an elaborate expression of an emotion or
thought. Kinetic poetry is often produced in videos. A
current example of this type is by an Australian group
called 313RGB, where one stands in front of the screen and
“moves” words with the use of one’s hands.
IV. Graphic Literature
 Graphic literature, also called sequential storytelling, is literature in
the form of comics. Commonly referred to as the “graphic novel,” the
term has come to encompass not just works of fiction, but also
autobiographical narratives, nonfiction, and even poetry. Usually
credited as being first coined by Will Eisner in A Contract with God
and Other Tenement Stories (1978), the term graphic novel is
distinguished from “comic book” simply because it is presented in
book format. Although the definitions of the terms graphic literature
and graphic novel are points of contention, most critics have used the
term to refer to novel-length works or compilations of previously
serialized narratives. Here are some of the most popular graphic
novels as mentioned in comic studies:
·Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns (1986) is a four-issue comic book compiled
into a single volume. It tells the story of Batman, specifically a 55-year-old Bruce
Wayne who comes out of retirement to fight crime once again. The narrative introduces
a female Robin in the form of Carrie Kelley. It also uses as central conflict Batman’s
confrontation with Superman.

·Alan Moore’s Watchmen (1986–1987) is a DC comic book series that focused on

superhero stereotypes and America’s anxieties over the Cold War and the Vietnam
War. It mostly deconstructed the idea of a superhero, and presented superheroes who
were already past their prime. It has become part of the graphic literature canon and is
included in Time Magazine’s List of the 100 Best Novels.
·Art Spiegelman’s Maus (1980–1986) is a graphic novel about the Holocaust. It features
Spiegelman’s father as he recounts his experience as a Polish Jew. In this graphic novel,
Jews are portrayed by mice, whereas Germans and Poles were cats and pigs. Praised for
its postmodern techniques and its effective mix of genres such as memoir, history, fiction,
and comics, Maus won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992.

·Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman (1989–1996) is an American comic book series that follows
the lives of and those touched by the seven Endless—the main character Dream, also
known as Morpheus; Destiny; Death; Despair; Delirium (who used to be Delight); Desire;
and Destruction. Gaiman personifies the metaphysical concepts through the use of
anthropomorphism and mixes mythology and history in the narrative. The series also
references popular works such as William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Aeschylus’
Oresteia. One of the most critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time, The Sandman has
 References:

Abad, Gémino H. 1998. The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine

Literature in English from 1900 to the Present. Diliman,
Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

Dalisay, Jose Y. 2006. The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes

on the Practice of Fiction. Diliman, Quezon City: University of
the Philippines Press.
Thank you!