Genre: Understanding Patterns in Narrative Forms

Introduction to Genre

• Definition: Genre is a term used to define elements that repeat in movies, books, TV shows, music, etc.
• Often described as "typified rhetorical action".
• Audiences expect certain features or experiences based on genre.
• Categories develop over time and change across cultures.

Main Literary Genres

• Fiction: Includes stories that are made up.
• Poetry: Known for structural elements like rhyme, figurative language, and unique punctuation.
• Nonfiction: Includes memoirs, biographies, instruction manuals, which are not made up.

Audience Expectations

• Fiction: Narrative expected to be fabricated.
• Poetry: Expectations for structure, rhyme, and figurative language.
• Nonfiction: Expected to present factual content.

Subgenres

• Example: Action movies, superhero action movies, parody superhero action movies.
• Superhero Genre Characteristics:
  • Presence of an evil villain and a superhero to stop them.
  • Smaller fight scenes leading to a big climactic battle.
  • Often involves superpowers.

Multiple Genres in One Work

• Example: "Ant-Man" as a superhero movie, action movie, comedy, and parody.
• Parodies: Use humor to highlight genre expectations.

Analyzing Genres

• Gothic Novels (e.g., "Frankenstein", "Dracula"):
  • Features: Creepy characters, dangerous settings, sinister themes.
  • Techniques: Use of metaphors, foreshadowing, flashbacks.

Genre vs. Medium

• Medium: Form used to deliver a narrative (e.g., book, film).
• Medium is not indicative of genre.
• Example: Emails can contain various genres (love letters, complaints, poems).

Conclusion

• Understanding genre aids in analyzing narrative structures and recognizing patterns in stories and texts.