Genre gets especially interesting when we find even smaller categories like action movies, or superhero action movies, or parody superhero action movies. That is, when we read fiction, we expect the narrative to be made up, and when we read poetry, we expect that the each line of a poem match with other lines in a particular way, or it rhymein the manner of a sonnet, or break rules of punctuation, or simply take us through a lot of figurative language in a very short amount of time.īut those are the big genre categories. All are kinds of non-fiction writing – the only thing that ties them together is that they’re not made up. The same is true for fiction and poetry, too, and when we read poetry or prose fiction, we, as the audience, have some expectations as to what should be included. For example, non-fiction can encompass everything from a memoir, to a to a biography, to an instruction manual. But those are the biggest categories we can think of, really. The main kinds of literary genre that you might be familiar with are fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. And the kinds of genres that exist in one culture at one time may not exist in another culture at another time – they’re constantly changing. Genre is the name we use to describe the categories that have developed over time for what we read, what we watch, and what we listen to. Genre is what some might call “typified rhetorical action” and what that means is that there are features that repeat again and again, over time, with few differences, in part because audiences expect certain things to happen or because they want certain kinds of experiences. And genre is a term frequently used to define the elements that repeat themselves in similar kinds of movies, books, television shows, music, and more. You know that moment when you’re watching a movie, and it’s been really captivating, and you’re getting interested in the characters, and a little bit lost in the story, when something shifts and you can sense what might happen next? Well in those moments, you might be experiencing what it’s like to recognize genre. What is a Genre? Transcript (English and Spanish Subtitles Available in Video)īy Ehren Pflugfelder, Oregon State University Associate Professor of Rhetoric Conference for Antiracist Teaching, Language and Assessment.Fall 2023 Undergraduate Course Descriptions.

Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS).Scientific, Technical, and Professional Communication Certificate.

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