The term literature is derived from the Latin word "littera" which means "a letter of the

alphabet". According to the website Britannica, literature is traditionally defined as body of

Literature can either be in oral or written form. The oral literature handed down from one
generation to another, then later on transformed into written form. The products of written
literature are called literary text. A text can be considered literary if it has the elements of
psychological characterization and chronology. Also, literature uses literary devices such as
metaphor and symbolism. Reading for entertainment and learning is the most common reason
why people read literature.

Simply, the best way to describe the characteristics of literary text is that (1) it narrates a story;
(2) it expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas which can either be
based from the imagination or real life experiences of the author or other people; and (3) it
delivers significant information and crosses boundaries of time, places, cultures
and languages.

Also, literature contains specific structure. Literary structure refers to the organizational
method used in literature in which the most common type is the narrative. Parts of the narrative
structure (or plot) are the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
(denouement). In a much broader context, literary structure is not only limited to content and
form but this may also refer to "the general features or characteristic of genre, style, a specific
literary trend, literature as an art form, and finally, art as a whole" (The Great Soviet
Encyclopedia). For Murphy (n.d.), literary structure may involve arrangement of various
elements according to purpose, style, and genre to effectively convey the intended meaning for
the audience.

Two Major Forms of Literature

1. Poetry. This literary type is usually written in lines and is characterized by having the element
of rhythm, sound, imagery, and form. Its main purpose is to express feelings, thoughts, and
ideas. It can be divided into three types: narrative, dramatic, and lyrical poetry.

a. Narrative Poetry. This poetry tells a story and has the elements of a narrative such as
characters, setting, conflict, etc.
b. Dramatic Poetry. This is an emotionally appealing drama written in verse that tells a story
and is intended to be recited or sung in front of
the audience by a character speaking in poetry.
c. Lyric Poetry. It is the most common type of poetry that focuses on expressing feelings rather
than telling a story.
2. Prose. In contrast to poetry, this literary piece applies a natural flow of speech and
grammatical structures which are mainly consisting of complete sentences arranged logically
and sequentially in a paragraph form.

a. Fiction. This serves as a product of the writer's wild imagination and creative thinking where
the characters react to the conflict and various issues central to the main idea of a literary work.
Its three types are: short story, novel, and novella. The main genres are crime, fantasy,
romance, science fiction, western, inspirational, historical fiction and horror.
b. Non-fiction. These are stories inspired by real events where the writers aim to present,
interpret, or describe experiences based on facts. The judgments, opinions, and commentaries
of the writers may be presented in the form of essays, journals, diaries, feature articles,
editorials, and the like.

Genre refers to the forms of literature. The general ones are oral and written. The main types
are prose and poetry. There are many other forms that have sprung through the years.
Specifically, it is defined in the curriculum guide as something that “may be determined by
literary technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The distinctions
between genres and categories are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups. The most
general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy, and
creative nonfiction. They can all be in the form of prose or poetry. Additionally, a genre such as
satire, allegory or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a sub-genre, but as a
mixture of genres. Finally, they are defined by the general cultural movement of the historical
period in which they were composed. Genre should not be confused with age categories, by
which literature may be classified as either adult, young-adult, or children's. They also must not
be confused with format, such as graphic novel or picture book.” (Glossary, Curriculum Guide)

Literary elements refer “to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole text. They are not
“used,” per se, by authors; they represent the elements ofstorytelling which are common to all
literary and narrative forms. For example, every story has a theme, a setting, a conflict, and has
a particular point-of-view, etc. In order to be discussed legitimately as part of a textual analysis,
literary elements must be specifically identified for that particular text.” (Glossary, Curriculum
Guide). The common elements of a story are setting, character, conflict, theme, point of
view, and plot. Plot also has its own elements such as exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, and resolution or denouement /ˌdeɪˈnuːmɒ/̃ . In poetry, there are four essential
elements: form, imagery, rhythm, and sound. Poetry comes in different forms such as
whether it is free verse, couplet, limerick, etc. Imagery on the other hand is the reason why we
see pictures in words and it adds color in any types of literature especially in poetry. Rhythms
and sounds are somehow similar. In fact, rhythm falls under the broad category sound. While
sound deals with the common use of rhymes and other literary devices such as repetition
(repeating of words, phrases, or lines), alliteration (repeating same consonant sounds),
assonance (repeating same vowel sounds), and onomatopoeia (the use of the actual sound to
represent someone or something), rhythm is more concerned with the flow of the beat such as
whether it is fast or slow. In general, both sounds and rhythms are the key ingredients that give
poetry a musical effect (Encyclopedia Britannica).

The term "Traditions" refers to the specific traits of literary works that define a generation or
period in history. A literary tradition “is a collection of works that have an underlying
interconnectedness and coherence that makes them more than simply a group of works sharing
geography or group. Irish poetry and drama, for example, extend over several centuries,
involving writers with a range of voices and preoccupations; and yet it is often thought that they
are distinctively "Irish." This means that you can have someone who doesn't come from Ireland,
perhaps doesn't even have Irish ancestors, but they can write in the Irish Literary Tradition
because they will draw on the same references, structure, mythology, focal points for cultural
meanings and historical moments.” (Glossary, Curriculum Guide)