Major Works Data Sheet

How do I do this?

It must be neatly hand-printed in dark blue

or black ink!

First Box

MLA Book Citation

Author (last name, first name).

Title.

City of publication of the book you read:

Name of publisher,

Date of publication of the version you read.

Example: Tan, Amy. The Bonesetter’s Daughter. New York: Putnam, 2001.

First Box (continued) Genre

A division or type of literature. Literature is

commonly divided into three major genres:

Poetry

Prose

Drama

Genre - Poetry

Language in its most condensed form.

Words are chosen and arranged to create a

certain effect.

Poetry uses a variety of sound devices,

imagery, and figurative language to express

emotions and ideas.

Genre – Poetry (continued)

Concrete Poetry

Dramatic Poetry

Epic Poetry - a long narrative poem about the

adventures of gods or a hero. Epics address

universal concerns such as good and evil, life and

death, sin and redemption, or other serious

subjects.

Lyric Poetry

Genre - Prose

The ordinary form of written language.

Most writing that is not poetry or drama is

considered prose.

One of the major forms of literature, prose

occurs in two forms: fiction and non-

fiction.

Genre - Prose – Fiction

Novel – a long work of fiction grouped by time period, subject/themes, or techniques used

Adventure – An exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger. The fast-paced plot focuses on the actions of the protagonist within the setting

Robinsonade – simply described as a “desert island story”. The protagonist survives by his wits and the qualities of his cultural upbringing which also enable him to prevail in conflicts with fellow castaways.

Genre - Prose – Fiction –

Novel (cont.)

Allegory – A figurative work in which a surface narrative carries a secondary, symbolic or metaphorical meaning.

Bildungsroman – A novel of personal development in which the protagonist is initiated into adulthood through knowledge, experience, or both, often by a process of disillusionment.

Genre - Prose – Fiction –

Novel - Bildingsroman(cont.)

Epistolary – a novel written as a series of documents. The usual

form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings, and

other documents are sometimes used. Recently electronic

“documents” such as recordings and radio, blogs and emails, have

also come into use. It adds greater realism to a novel because it

mimics the workings of real life. It is thus able to demonstrate

differing points of view without an omniscient narrator.

Genre - Prose – Fiction –

Novel - Bildingsroman(cont.)

Psychological Thriller – Characters are no longer reliant on

physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies, but rather are

reliant on their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits

with a formidable opponent or by battling for equilibrium in the

character’s own mind. The suspense created by these novels often

comes from two or more characters preying upon one another’s

minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by

merely trying to demolish the other’s mental state.

Problem or Trauma – story is written in a diary format,

consisting of a nonlinear plot and jumpy narrative that mimics the

trauma experienced by the protagonist.

Genre - Prose – Fiction –

Novel - Bildingsroman(cont.)

Quest or Journey – The story of someone who undergoes great

tests of character to become the embodiment of the values of his or

her society. The protagonist sets off on an actual journey,

encountering danger and intrigue, adventures that form him or her

into the person that he or she is meant to be.

Genre - Prose – Fiction –

Novel (cont.)

Regional – A novel faithful to a particular geographic

region and its people, including behavior, customs,

speech, and history.

Social Realism – Literature that realistically depicts the

life, struggles, and urban environment of the lower

classes in the 20th century, and focuses on subjects of

social and political concern, such as poverty and

deprivation.

Genre - Prose – Fiction (continued)

Novella- (also called a short novel) is

shorter than a novel, but longer than a short

story. It generally has fewer conflicts than a

novel, yet they are more complicated ones

than those found in a short story. It is most

often concerned with personal and

emotional development.

Genre - Prose – Fiction (continued)

Short story- a brief work of fiction that can

usually be read in one sitting. In most, the

story has one main conflict that involves the

characters, keeps the story moving, and

keeps it interesting.

Genre - Prose – Fiction (continued)

Fable – a brief tale told to illustrate a moral or

teach a lesson.

Myth – a fictional tale, originally with religious

significance that explains the actions of gods or

heroes, or the causes of natural phenomena.

Legend – a widely told story about the past, one

that may or may not have foundation in fact

Genre - Prose - Nonfiction

Prose writing that presents and explains ideas

or that tells about real people, places,

objects, or events.

Narrative Nonfiction – tells a true story that

includes a real setting, all the elements of

plot, actual people, and a point of view. It

may also have a theme. And it is often told

in chronological order.

Genre - Prose – Nonfiction (continued)

Autobiography – a form of nonfiction in which a person tells his or her own life story

Memoir – a sub-class of autobiographical writing in which a person recalls significant events in his or her life. Memoirs often include writers’ feelings and opinions giving the reader insight.

Biography – a form of nonfiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person

Genre - Prose – Nonfiction (continued)

Essay – a brief composition on a single subject that usually presents the personal views of an author.

Expository – used to explain something

Narrative – tells a story

Persuasive – used to convince

Critical – evaluates

Personal – expresses viewpoints by reflecting

Genre - Prose – Nonfiction (continued)

Speech – a talk or public address. The

purpose of a speech may be to entertain,

explain, persuade, or inspire, or it may be

any combination of these aims.

Genre - Drama

Serious Drama – a story written to be

performed by actors; developed into a

sophisticated art form by the ancient Greeks

who created the forms of comedy and

tragedy. The first English dramas were

miracle plays, Bible stories; and morality

plays that dealt with personified virtues and

vices.

Genre - Drama (continued)

Comedy – a work of literature, especially a play, that has

a happy ending; often shows ordinary characters in conflict

with their societies; problems resolved through laughter,

reconciliation, and the correction of moral faults or social

wrongs.

Tragedy – type of drama or literature that shows the

downfall or destruction of a noble or outstanding person,

traditionally one who possesses a character weakness

called a tragic flaw

Genre - Drama (continued)

Biographical Drama – a work of dramatic fiction

depicting the life story of a real person

Courtroom Drama – a work of dramatic fiction

about law, crime, punishment of the legal

profession.

Characteristics of the genre – Third Box

The genre of each ORM book is listed for you on

your course syllabus.

From your notes, you are expected to list here the

salient points for the identified genre.

What is it about this piece of literature that makes

it fit the particular genre you have indicated?

First Box (continued) Point of View

Refers to the method of narrating a piece of

literature First-Person – the reader knows only what this character

does or thinks

Third-Person – a person outside the story narrates it

Omniscient – the reader knows what all the characters

think and do

Plot Summary

(two sentences to explain each)

Exposition/Background

Initial Conflict

Rising Action

Crisis/Climax

Falling Action

Biographical information about the

author.

This is where you will need to do a little

research about your author.

Focus your entry on information that helped

shape the author.

Historical information about the

period of publication.

Again you will need to do some research –

this time about what was happening in the

world when the book was first published.

Focus your entries on what was going on in

the world that may have influenced the

author to write this particular book.

Characters

Make them three dimensional State character’s full name

Explain role in story – be specific

Adjectives – make vivid specific choices

State a quote from the novel that reveals something

significant about this character

MLA site the page number of the quote (4)

Discuss the significance of this quote

Memorable Quotes

If you could only pick three lines from the book which

tell your reader everything he needs to know, what

three lines would they be?

“MLA cite the page number of each quote” (4).

Identify the speaker of each quote.

Significance: Why were each of these three lines the most

important in the book?

Examples of Literary Techniques

Choose three different Literary Techniques.

“MLA cite the quote and the page number of

each quote” (4).

Identify the speaker of each quote.

State and discuss each technique listed.

Setting

When and where did this book take place?

What do you think the author had in mind

when s/he chose this setting?

Mood

Describe the atmosphere or emotional

condition created in you by this piece of

literature

Symbols

A symbol stands for something else. Literary

symbolism combines the literal and the

abstract. The American flag is a symbol of

the United States and its democratic ideals.

The dove symbolizes peace.

State at least two symbols in this work.

Explain the meaning and significance of each of

these symbols.

Themes

Remember a theme is:

Similar to the moral of a fable, it is a life lesson,

or an observation about life or human nature that

the writer shares with a reader

State it as a complete sentence including both a

subject/topic AND your opinion about that

subject.

Theme itself does not include plot details, but

the discussion of the theme must include them.

Possible Themes (continued)

Pick a topic such as maturity, friendship, love,

desire, self-worth, thankfulness, superstitions, etc.

Add your opinion about that topic.

Loyalty, affection, and conscience are far

more important than wealth and social

position.

Growing up and becoming a young adult is a

painful process.

Significance of opening scene.

Why did the author choose to start the book this particular way?

Significance =

Importance

Implication

Consequence

Worth

Connotation

Significance of closing scene

Why did the author choose to end the book

this way?

Some closing remarks

Completely respond to each topic

Limit yourself to the allotted space for each

response

Make it neat and complete – this should be

a final draft

Turn it in as soon as you can once you

finish reading the piece of literature