Understanding Genre

Definition of Genre

• Genre (zhan-rah) defines the elements that repeat in similar kinds of movies, books, music, etc.
• Called "typified rhetorical action": features repeat over time due to audience expectations.
• Categories developed over time for what we read, watch, and listen to.
• Genres change over time and vary across cultures.

Literary Genres

• Main literary genres: fiction, poetry, nonfiction
  • Nonfiction: memoir, biography, instruction manual
  • Fiction: narrative-based
  • Poetry: features specific line structure, rhyme, figurative language
• Smaller categories: e.g., action movies, superhero action movies, parody superhero action movies

Examples

• Superhero genre:
  • Evil villain vs. superhero
  • Smaller fight scenes, big final showdown
  • Use of superpowers
• Example: 'Ant Man'—superhero, action, comedy, parody
  • Parodies exploit and mock genre expectations

Analyzing Genres

• Identifying features in similar works helps understand genres
  • Gothic novels: creepy characters, sinister settings, themes of humanity's dark side
• Comparing & contrasting helps see adherence or deviation from genre norms
• Common literary devices in genres: metaphors, foreshadowing, flashbacks

Genre vs. Medium

• Medium: form in which content is delivered (e.g., printed book, film)
• Genre isn't dependent on medium
• Email as a medium: can contain various genres but is not a genre itself

Importance

• Analyzing genres helps understand narratives and make sense of surrounding texts.