Topic 4: Reading Literary Works - English Notes Form 3
READING LITERARY WORKS
Literature is the work of arts which use words / creative language to express human realities in social, political, economic, and cultural and love
OR
Literature is the work of art which use language and transmitted in spoken and written form.
TYPES OF LITERATURE
There are two types of literature, namely
a) Spoken or Oral literature
b) Written literature
a) SPOKEN OR ORAL LITERATURE
Is the literature which represented/expressed through oral or spoken form.
b) WRITTEN LITERATURE
Is the literature presented / expressed in written form.
There are two element of literature include;
i) Form
ii) Content
- FORM
Is the outer shell of the work of arts. This means that author (artist) organized his / her work of arts.
The form in literature comprises /consist of the following things;
i) Style
ii) Plot
iii) Setting
iv) Characterization
- LANGUAGE USE (DICTION)
Is the work of arts we use simple language, difficult language by employing figures of speech, proverbs, idioms, saying etc
- STYLE
Is the technique or method which artist used in constructing/performing a work of arts such as Narrating, Monologue, dialogue, straight forward, oral traditional style etc. E.g. Once upon the time
- SETTING
Is the environment where the work of arts events taken.
E.g. ("This time tomorrow" it’s setting in Kenya)
- PLOT
Is the way which an art organized or arrange event in his / her work of arts e.g. flash back, straight forward.
- CHARACTERIZATION
a) A character –Is a person in a story. Character donate the beliefs habits of mind moral choice and motivation
b) Characterization –Is the creation of imaginary a real person who exists for the leader as real.
In work of arts there so many characters including
- Expository character
- Dramatic character
- Flat character
- Round character
- Per eloping character
- Stock character
But all those character can be grouped into two
a) Main (Central ) character
b) Minor (Assistance) character
A: MAIN CHARACTER
Main character: Is the person or people who appear the work of art from the beginning of story the end of the story.
Main character conveys carry the message of the story.
B: MINOR (ASSISTANCE) CHARACTER
Minor character is the person who appears and disappears as a story continues.
CONTENT
Content refers to what is being said or conveyed or content is what is described in the work of art (literature).
Content involves the following
i) Themes
ii) Conflict
iii) Message
iv) Philosophy and climax, crisis and prologue
i) THEMES
A central or dominating idea in a literary work, Themes of most African work of arts are love, Betrayal corruption, oppression women position, culture, Alienation etc.
In any work of arts which written or Spoken there must be a theme. Also they are center of any literature question.
ii) MESSAGE
This is the use learn from a literary work. Normally message is occurred after read a novel titled, a wreath for father Mayer you can get a message that you to have to fight against injustice to build Justice Society.
iii) CONFLICTS
Conflicts is misunderstanding, collision of ideas Antagonistic
Or Opposition between one side and another side.
OR
Conflicts arise between characters and their environments, or
Circumstances, or Character himself (internally) conflicts Made a work of arts to precede events.
IMPORTANCE OF LITERATURE
1. Educates the society
2. Criticize the society
3. National and culture identity
4. Entertain the society
5. Develop and improve the language use
