Major Works Data Sheet
How do I do this?
First Box

MLA Book Citation
Author (last name, first name).
 Title.
 City of original publication:
 Name of publisher,
 Date of original publication.


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 nonfiction.

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 (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.
 Regional – A novel faithful to a particular geographic
region and its people, including behavior, customs, speech,
and history.
Genre - Prose – Fiction –
Novel (cont.)

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 form 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 at the time the book was 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
