Skip to main content

How to Distinguish Between Fiction & Nonfiction Literary Genres

The saying "truth is stranger than fiction" sometimes applies to literary works. Determining if a book is fiction or nonfiction can sometimes prove difficult. Some books are labeled as fiction while other books are labeled as nonfiction. When these labels do not appear clearly on the book, evaluate the content of the book and determine if it is fiction or nonfiction. Evaluate the two literary genres through a combination of common sense and research.

Step 1: Determine the nature of the content. If the book you are looking at is a biography, autobiography, historical text or deals with material that lists facts and figures, it is likely that you are reading a nonfiction book. If the book deals with mythical creatures, or uses facts but creates a dramatic storyline rather than researched facts, the book is probably fiction.

Step 2: Look on the side of the book. Most books will list whether they are fiction or nonfiction accounts.

Step 3: Evaluate whether the book is based on a person's life story that only changes the names of the characters, but keeps everything identical, or if the story is only loosely based on the writer's life. If the writer only changed the names but stayed true to the facts, it may classify as nonfiction, provided this information is disclosed in the text.

Be aware that the line between fiction and nonfiction is blurry. A memoir may be based only loosely on fiction and fall somewhere between fiction and nonfiction. When in doubt, consult the publishing company of the book to determine the literary genre the text falls under.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Claude Debussy Never Cared About Music Theory

  Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862. So, I felt writing a blog post to celebrate would be appropriate. Debussy was a revolutionary composer who challenged the conventions of Western music. He was influenced by the impressionist painters, the exotic sounds of gamelan music, and the symbolist poets. He created a musical language that was expressive, colorful, and atmospheric. One of the most remarkable aspects of Debussy's music is his use of harmony. He did not follow the rules of tonality and functional harmony that dominated the music of his time. Instead, he used modes, scales, chords, and parallel movements that created a sense of ambiguity and fluidity. He also experimented with timbre, texture, rhythm, and form to create musical images that evoked moods and emotions. Debussy's music can inspire us to think outside the box and explore new possibilities in our own compositions. We can learn from his innovative techniques and his artistic vision. We can also apprecia...
Post a Comment
Read more

List of Musical Techniques and Their Meanings

Musical techniques are the building blocks of any basic music training. These techniques allow performers to improve their coordination and develop accuracy through repetitive daily exercises. Musical techniques progressively build upon previously learned techniques. Scales Scales form the basis for other musical techniques. Student may study major and minor scales as well as modern scales, such as the whole-tone and octatonic scales. A scale consists of patterns of half steps and whole steps. These whole steps and half-step arrangements will be different for each scale. Scales are musical techniques that can help a performer to play faster and more accurately, and make learning new pieces easier. Chords Chords require knowledge of major and minor scales. Chords come in several different forms that affect the sound. Triads consist of three notes spaced a third apart and classified as major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. Seventh chords build on triads and have an additional no...
Post a Comment
Read more

Similarities of Classical and Baroque Music

Music has evolved through the centuries and undergone drastic changes. One of the most significant transitions was from the Baroque to the Classical period of music. In this paragraph, I will compare and contrast some of the main features of these two styles, such as ensembles, instrumentation, and counterpoint study. The Baroque and Classical periods of music have many similarities. While the style of music changed drastically, certain key elements remained the same between the two styles. Composers in the Classical period sought to simplify music and create clearly audible musical lines. In contrast, composers from the Baroque period were interested in creating complex and highly ornamented musical lines. The Baroque period occurs from approximately 1600 to 1750, and the Classical period extends from 1750 to 1820. Ensembles Ensembles are groups of musicians that perform together. Both the Baroque and the Classical period had similar types of ensembles, such as operas, orchestras, str...
Post a Comment
Read more