6) The Modern Literature rence B. James Joyce C. Virginia Woolf I. What is Literature? In English we use the word in at least two different ways 1) In its broad sense, literature means anything that is written: timetable catalogues, textbooks, travel brochures and so on. In this broad sense an account of yesterday's football match or an advertisement for soap powder is as much literature as the Dialogues of Plato or the novels of Graham Greene 2) In its narrow sense, literature means something more serious Literature, we may now agree, is writing which expresses and communicates thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards life. It interests, entertains, stimulates broadens or ennobles the reader 2. Types of Literature In practice, works of literature fall into four categories or genres 1)narrative fiction 2)drama d 4)non-fiction prose All these four forms have many common characteristics. While the major purpose of non-fiction prose, for example, is to inform, the other genres also provide information(although informing is incidental to the others). All the genres(category of artistic works) are art forms, each with its own internal requirements of structure and style. In varying degrees, all the forms are dramatic and imaginative. Even a work of non-fiction prose designed to instruct will be unsuccessful unless it makes at least some appeal to the imagination Narrative Fiction A narrative is an account of a series of events, usually fictional, although sometimes fictional events may be tied to events that are genuinely historical. The two kinds of narrative fiction you will read most often are short stories and novels. Myths parables(EE), romances, and epics are also part of the genre 1)A short story is usually about one or two characters undergoing some sort of difficulty or facing some sort of problem. The characters may go uphill or downhill, but they almost never remain the same, for even stay ing the same way usually be interpreted as either downhill or uphill. Although the characters will interact with other characters and with the circumstances2 6) The Modern Literature A. D. H. Lawrence B. James Joyce C. Virginia Woolf D. E. M. Forester 1. What is Literature? In English we use the word in at least two different ways: 1) In its broad sense, literature means anything that is written: timetable, catalogues, textbooks, travel brochures and so on. In this broad sense an account of yesterday’s football match or an advertisement for soap powder is as much literature as the Dialogues of Plato or the novels of Graham Greene. 2) In its narrow sense, literature means something more serious. Literature, we may now agree, is writing which expresses and communicates thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards life. It interests, entertains, stimulates, broadens, or ennobles the reader. 2. Types of Literature In practice, works of literature fall into four categories or genres: 1) narrative fiction 2) drama 3) poetry and 4) non-fiction prose All these four forms have many common characteristics. While the major purpose of non-fiction prose, for example, is to inform, the other genres also provide information (although informing is incidental to the others). All the genres (category of artistic works) are art forms, each with its own internal requirements of structure and style. In varying degrees, all the forms are dramatic and imaginative. Even a work of non-fiction prose designed to instruct will be unsuccessful unless it makes at least some appeal to the imagination. Narrative Fiction A narrative is an account of a series of events, usually fictional, although sometimes fictional events may be tied to events that are genuinely historical. The two kinds of narrative fiction you will read most often are short stories and novels. Myths, parables (寓言), romances, and epics are also part of the genre. 1) A short story is usually about one or two characters undergoing some sort of difficulty or facing some sort of problem. The characters may go uphill or downhill, but they almost never remain the same, for even staying the same way usually be interpreted as either downhill or uphill. Although the characters will interact with other characters and with the circumstances