This document discusses different types and classifications of fiction. It begins by defining fiction as prose stories involving imaginary elements, whether realistic or unrealistic. It then explores the evolution of fiction throughout history, beginning with fairy tales and fables as the earliest forms, followed by early tales about humans, romances, and the development of the modern novel in the 18th century. The rest of the document discusses various classifications of novels based on subject matter, including social, domestic, historical, humorous, science fiction, and allegorical novels. It provides examples for each classification.

1. FICTION
Fiction
Ms. Abeer Barakat
Islamic University of
Gaza
Classes 2.5-2.6
27/02-/6/3/2017

2. WHAT IS FICTION AND WHAT IS NOT?
 What is the medium of fictions?
 Is it in verse or prose?
 What does the term fiction entail?
 Can we classify epics and long narrative poems
as fiction?
 Thus, how can you define fiction?
 Fiction refers to prose in which imaginary stories
either realistic or unrealistic are told; which
includes: stories, novels, and romances.

3. THE EVOLUTION OF FICTION ALONG HISTORY
Fairy
Tales
• The
oldest
stories
known
Fables
•Allied
to Fairy
tales
Early
Tales
about
humans
• Later or
concurren
t to Fables
& Fairy
Tales
Modern
Fiction
•Slow
process
evolution
Romances
•1st realistic
fiction in
English
Novels

4. 1. FAIRY TALES
Fairy Tales & Fables were the earliest
stories in history.
Found in every culture and
language.
Imaginary story in which principles
characters are supernatural beings.
With supernatural powers, can fly, be
invisible, carry mountains…etc

5. CLASSES OF FAIRY TALES
1. Fairies Proper
• Delicate Creatures
• Ex: The fairy in Cinderella & the Fairies in
Wild Swans
2. Giants
• Huge in size
• Ex: The Giant in Aladdin and his Magic
Lamp
3. Ghosts
• Spirits of the death
• Wicked
• Ex: Ghosts in the Arabian Nights

6. 2. FABLES
• Stories about animals gifted with the power of
speech.
Definition
• Some originated from Greece by Aesop
• Others from India , Ex: Panchatantra.Origin
• Were translated to nearly every language.
• Children’s stories.
• Allegorical representing humans by animals.
• Human attributes were given to animals.
Aesop’s
Fables

7. CLASSES OF FABLES
1. Straightforward animal stories
• The characters are animals we know about.
• Ex: lions, serpents, cocks, hens, swans,
donkeys, rabbits, etc.
2. Imaginary animals
• Animals have never existed.
• Ex: winged dragons breathing fire, unicorns,
mermaids, phoenix, flying horses, etc..
• These animals possess certain human
attributes.

8. 3. EARLY TALES ABOUT HUMANS
Definition
Stories about imaginary world in which the right and
wrong are balanced, with pictures of desired life
should be.
Rules &
Themes
Violated laws of
time, space, and
reality
About human,
supernatural
beings, &
animals.
Early
tales
Metamorphoses
By the Latin
author Ovid
Kata-Serita-
Sagara from
India

9. 3. EARLY TALES ABOUT HUMANS
Decameron by Boccaccio (14th c.)
• Theme: Temporary exile
• Varied narrative between realistic and marvelous mediaeval
Europe.
• Exposed religious hypocrisy.
The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (14th C.)
• A collection of stories written in verse.
• Dramatic framework of dialogues and quarrels of the
narrators make the stories so realistic as if it was written by
a modern author
The Arabian Nights (One Thousand and a Night) by Hazar Afsana
(16th C.)
•A collection of miscellaneous tales
•Stories are enclosed with a concentric framework.
•Ex. Ali Baba and the Fourty Thieves, Aladin and His Magic Lamp, The Four
Dervishes.
•Marks the evolution of fiction.
•Portrayed human greed, cruelty, and love.
•Depicted princes, princesses, merchants, vendors, with unrealistic
supernatural influence or miraculous change of state.

10. 4. MODERN FICTION
 How does modern fiction differ from the previous
types of fiction?
 Does it follow any rules?
 What is the main concept that authors adhere to
in this type?
 How can you define modern fiction?
 Stories that give representation of life as it
actually is with out supernatural elements.

11. 4. MODERN FICTION
Convincing
Realistic
Modern or
past
• Normal people
• In any place
• No excess emotions
• Restricted by limits of
possible.
• Normal human conduct
• Characters of flesh and
blood not statues
• Real feelings

12. 5. ROMANCES
The 1st to be written of realistic fiction
in 16th C.
• 2 works prepared the stage foe fiction: Arcadia &
Euphues
Romances describe long versified
narratives about mediaeval knights in
15th C.
• Collection of Arthurian tales by Sir Thomas
Malory entitled: Morte d’Arthur

13. 5. ROMANCES
Arcadia by Philip Sidney is
about an imaginary country
ruled by a king who has 2
daughters.
Euphues by John Lyly is a
bout a man who was exiled
from his country and
warned people from royalty.

14. THE NOEL & ITS STRUCTURE
 Arrived in England in 18th C.
 Realistic portrayal of society.
 The greatest of English Lit. is Tom Jones by Fielding.
 The difference between Tom Jones and Euphues is
based on the level of realism in the characters.

15. Structure
of the
novel
The Novel is loose with no definite structure like drama
Details & elaboration are what matters the most.
The size of novels are bigger than Arabian Nights &
Decameron
David Copperfield by Dickens: 600 pages
Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky: 2000 pages
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin: 325 pages
Some novelists wrote the well-defined structure of a
tragedy (beginning, middle, end)
Ex: The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
The writer can move in describing times freely.
Can provide as any sub-plots as he wishes.
Ex. David Copperfield & Pickwick Papers by Dickens

16. Realistic
•Focus: life
•Portray: pain,
misery, suffering,
reactions.
•Ex: Madam Bovary
by Flaubert, which
discusses in detail
the state of mind of
Madam Bovary.
Romantic
•Focus: emotions,
feelings, optimistic
•Ex: Old Curiosity
Shop by Dickens in
which a romantic
halo is woven
around the little girl
(heroine) of the
novel
 Novels can be classified according to subject matter and aim.
 2 broad classes of novel depending on the emphasis on fact or
fancy
CLASSIFICATION OF NOVELS

17. TYPES OF NOVEL
 What are the factors by which we can classify
novels?
Subject, structure, organization, characterization,
so on.
 Who plays a role in classifying novels?
Critics determine the kind according to the way
the critic approaches it.
 Can a novel by listed under several types?
Yes, for example, Kipling’s Kim can be described
as a picaresque novel, a descriptive novel, a
satire, or a psychological study in racial
confrontations.

18. Classific
ations of
Novel
Social
Domestic
Historical
Autobiogra
phical
Picaresque
Satirical
Allegorical
Epistolary
Stream of
consciousn
ess
Humorous
Science
fiction
Terror
Detective
Spy stories

19. TYPES OF NOVELS
1. SOCIAL NOVEL
The largest group in Lit.
•Describes ordinary social relationships without illustrating any theory.
Charles Dickens novels: Hard Times, Oliver Twist.
•Dickens attracted sympathy of the readers towards the poor.
Jane Austen’s Novels: Emma
•Family relations and social ties among the society.
Thomas Hardy: Tess of d’Urbervilles, The Mayor of
Casterbridge
•Illustrate the theory that man is doomed to suffer and cannot escape
his destiny

20. TYPES OF NOVELS
2. DOMESTIC NOVELS
 Def: Novels which limit themselves to the
portrayal of domestic life without going beyond
the boundaries.
 Scope: not wide but penetrating into the
characters.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane
Austin
• A mother with 5 daughters who spend their
time on finding suitable bridegrooms.
• No larger issues of social reconstruction or
politics.

21. TYPES OF NOVELS
3. HISTORICAL NOVELS
Def.
• Novels that reconstruct in realistic detail a bygone age or epoch,
or o bring back to life a historical character against the
background of his age.
Credibility
•Some historical truth is twisted or distorted to project a particular point
of view.
•Some good novels provide convincing historical portrayal
Rules
•Careful attention to details.
•Avoid “anachronism” : careful attention to psychology as attributing 18th
C. feelings to a 15th C. character.
•Find information from different resources.
Examples
•A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens provide a horror portrayal of the French
Revolution.
•Vanity Fair is considered partly historic with its vivid description of the
confusion caused by the great battle of Waterloo in which Napoleon was
defeated.

22. TYPES OF NOVELS
4. HUMOROUS NOVELS
•Novels with the element of humor that focus on the
lighter element of life.
Def.
•Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.
•It aims to amuse and entertain.
•Dickens created a set of characters noted for the
absurdity of their behavior.Ex.1
•P. G. Wodehouse is considered as the greatest
humorist novelist in 20th C English Literature.
Ex. 2

23. TYPES OF NOVELS
5. SCIENCE FICTION
start
•Arisen in
end 20th C.
Focus
•Scientific
discoveries
&
inventions
Ex. 1
•Frankenstein’s
Monster by
Mrs. Shelly in
1817
•About a man
like animal
artificially
produces by
Frankenstein
which begins to
persecute and
terrorise its
creator.
Ex. 2
• H. G. Wells
was the 1st
20th C.
novelist.
• Dr. Moreau
• The First
Men in the
Moon.
• The War of
the Worlds.

24. TYPES OF NOVELS
6. ALLEGORICAL NOVELS
Satire of moral
& political
issues
Aim Animal
Farm
&
Nineteen
Eighty
Four
By George
Orwell
Satire of
modern
totalitarian-
ism
Ex.
1 Lord of the
Flies
by William
Golding
Criticizing
the morals
of the
society
based on
the
primitive
instincts of
existence
Ex.
2