Gender theory is a structuralist method of literary criticism that determines a literary work’s genre by its structure. Classical tragedy, science fiction, and self-help are examples of genres with specific characteristics. However, there can be overlap between genres, making classification difficult.
Gender theory is a structuralist method of literary criticism. This means that it depends on the structure, or characteristics, of a literary work to determine which genre it falls under. According to genre theory, each genre has specific characteristics, so it shouldn’t be too difficult after the analysis to tell under which genre a literary work would fit. While there are a multitude of genres in the literature, a representative sampling of genres and their characteristics makes it easier to understand genre theory.
Classical tragedy, using the principles of genre theory, is a type of fiction that is supposed to have a protagonist who is in a high position based on wealth, power, or social influence. This protagonist, at some point, will suffer a fall that will lead to death or some form of misfortune. The cause of the downfall is often that the protagonist was too proud and arrogant. By the end of the tragedy, some characters in the play will have learned a lesson; which may include the protagonist or the people closest to him.
Science fiction, as a genre of fiction, has elements such as settings in the possible future or historical past and a number of somewhat realistic but not fully developed possibilities. In science fiction, there may be highly advanced human, alien, or robot characters. Science fiction stories can test alternative possibilities, futuristic technologies, and untested political and social systems. One difference between literature that would be classified as fantasy and science fiction literature is that science fiction is more likely to test somewhat plausible ideas, while fantasy has many elements that are not actually possible.
Self-help, when viewed through gender theory, is a type of non-fiction that focuses on aspects of people’s lives that they can supposedly improve if they read, learn, and implement the strategies presented. In self-help books, there should be a central problem for which the author offers solutions and practical advice. The problems presented can range from depression to codependent behavior to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These books, unlike textbooks or research papers, are written without as much technical jargon, so average readers can understand and implement the tips into their own lives.
Gender theory can be useful in determining the genre of a piece of literature. One problem with genre theory is that there is often a great deal of overlap between the characteristics of different genres. Particular pieces of literature may also have characteristics of different genres. A fictional story, for example, might have elements of the fantasy, romance, and adventure genres while not adhering strictly to the common characteristics of any of them, thus making classification difficult.
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