2. Nonfiction
Prose that deals with real events and people
Characters, settings, and events must
conform to what is true
Story cannot be manipulated by the writer’s
imagination
3. Types of Nonfiction
Essay: Brief examination of a subject in prose,
usually expressing a personal or limited view of the
topic
Formal Essay: Serious in tone and subject and
more objective in point of view.
Informal Essay: Informal tone, as if the author is
speaking directly to the reader
5. Exposition
Explains a subject
Writer’s main purpose is to inform
Most objective type of nonfiction
Facts are presented as neutrally as possible
Author’s opinion on the subject DOESN’T
intrude
6. Persuasion
Attempts to influence the reader’s ideas or actions
Major purpose is to convince the reader to think,
feel, or act in a certain way
Writer selects and arranges facts so that the reader
will share the writer’s opinion
Successful only if the reader believes that the facts
support the writer’s opinion
7. Description
Presents a picture or an impression of a subject
Re-creates for the reader a person, a place, or an
event, largely through language that appeals to
the senses
Tells us how something looks, smells, tastes,
sounds, and feels to the touch
8. Narration
Author’s purpose is to relate a series of events
Events usually related in chronological order
Has the form of a story, but the events are factual and
actually recorded
Author depicts characters and may even use
dialogue
9. Biography
An account of someone’s life, written by another person.
The focus of a biography:
The Character
His/Her Career
His/Her Place in History
Uniqueness and Universality of the Character’s
Experience
10. Characteristics of a Good Biography
Accurate presentation of the life history of an
individual (sometimes may be from birth to
death)
Honest effort is made to interpret the life so as
to offer a unified impression of the character’s
mind and personality of the subject
11. Autobiography
A story of a person’s life as written by that person.
Characteristics of an autobiography:
Usually a chronological, narrative account of a
person’s life
Author relates person’s life story to crucial historical
events
Author offers personal evaluations of actions and
speculates on the significance of certain actions and
events
12. Journal
Form of autobiographical writing including a day-by-day
chronicle of events, usually a personal and intimate record
of events and thoughts kept by an individual.
13. Diary
Specialized journal that is a day-by-day chronicle of
events, usually a personal and intimate record of events
and thoughts kept by an individual.
14. Oratory
Formal speech intended to inspire some action. Carefully
prepared and delivered in an impassioned manner, the
oration carries its greatest power in its emotional appeal.
16. Sermon
Formal discussion, usually oral, of a serious subject for
the purpose of religious instruction or urgent advice and
recommendations.
17. Aphorism or Proverb
Brief statement of usually one sentence that expresses
some truth about life in terse, easily remembered form.
18. Epitaph
Commemorative verses or lines inscribed on tombs or
headstones. This information usually includes the name of
the deceased, the dates of birth and death, age,
profession, and some pious motto.
19. Letters
Communication in writing to another person or a group
of persons; correspondence. A specialized form of letter,
called an epistle, is a more formal document prepared for
public reading.
20. Elements of Nonfiction
Characters, Plot, and Setting
Like fiction, nonfiction has characters, plot,
and setting. However, these elements are real,
not made up. The main character in an
autobiography or biography is called the
subject. The subject’s words, thoughts, and
actions are presented.
21. Elements of Nonfiction
Purpose
Different types of nonfiction have different purposes.
Biographies and autobiographies have the purpose of
informing the reader. They use explanatory, descriptive,
and narrative paragraphs.
Newspaper Editorials are intended to win readers over
to a certain opinion. They use persuasive paragraphs.
Diaries can be used to both explain and persuade.
22. Elements of Nonfiction
Tone
The writer’s attitude toward his or her
subject matter is called tone. A writer’s
tone may be sympathetic, bitter, comical,
hopeful, solemn, enthusiastic, etc.
24. Turtles poured out of the surf in wave
after wave through the darkness.
Heaving, huffing, gasping, turtles
plowed the coarse black sand with their
noses, laboring on to the shore.
National Geographic
25. Female sea turtles do not normally leave
the water, except to lay their eggs. The
females often migrate thousands of miles
or kilometers to reach their breeding
beaches. They drag themselves onto a
sandy beach, bury their eggs, and then
return to the sea.
World Book Encyclopedia
26. The jaguar is the biggest and strongest
cat in the rainforest. The jaguar’s jaw is
strong enough to crush a turtle’s shell.
They also have very powerful legs for
leaping from branch to branch to chase
prey.
Student Sample
27. As the sun disappears from the heart of the
forest, the jaguar leaps through the
underbrush, pumping its powerful legs. It
spies a gharial gliding down the river. The
jungle cat pounces, crushing the turtle with
his teeth, devouring the reptile with
pleasure.
Student Revision
