Elements of Fictional Genres

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Across
  1. 2. spectacular physical action; narrative emphasis on fights, chases, and explosions; high-stakes; high-energy; fast-paced events
  2. 8. serious and sometimes melancholy tone; dramatic performance that isn’t over the top; intense; character- & plot-focused
  3. 12. love is the central theme; emotional; usually has a happy ending where the two main characters get together (but not always); love triangles; betrayals
  4. 14. “what if?” elements; unfamiliar setting; innovative technology; relatable characters in an unrelatable setting; themes about humanity and its fragility; hypothetical questions are asked and may or may not be answered
  5. 16. Suspenseful full of highs and lows; building tension gradually until hitting the peak; high stakes; big questions; jump scares; realistic pacing; not necessarily intending to scare the audience, but totally could when mixed with horror
  6. 17. dream sequences; irrational elements of fantasy; juxtapositional contrasts; unconscious mind; subconscious thoughts; focus on character’s discovery of self in their unconsciousness
  7. 18. same as fantasy, but the elements of magic are taken to the extreme in all aspects to the point where the world is entirely different from our own
  8. 20. suspense that is meant to be instill fear; violent; gorey; supernatural; slasher/killer; terrifying evils; suspense builds tension and keeps the reader on edge of their seat at all times
  9. 21. main character is the similar age to the target audience (10-16); coming-of-age issues; finding one’s identity; friendships; first loves; relationships (not just romantic ones); puberty; jealousy; betrayals; overcoming difficulties
  10. 22. light/humorous tone; overdramatic performance; characters usually triumph over adversity (because we want the good-feeling ending)
  11. 23. imaginary characters and situations that depict our world and society; no magical themes; no big bad evils to fight off; realistic characters involved with/overcoming realistic problems
Down
  1. 1. elements of the real world with just a hint of magic in it; the magical element is not grand like fantasy or high fantasy genres, but the world is not exactly the same as realistic fiction stories
  2. 3. simple & straightforward; characters of the same age as the reader (elementary age); child’s point of view; fantastical concepts without major concern to reality
  3. 4. close to historical fiction except the elements are rooted in or inspired by myths, folklore, and fairy tales that are well known in our real world; can easily have elements of other common genres (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Native American, Christian, Islamic, or any mythological stories rooted in religious/spiritual ideas can fall in this category)
  4. 5. characters & premise are based off of real people or events but are still fictional (elements of truth in a fictional plot); set in a real place, during a culturally recognizable time, but usually with fake characters
  5. 6. can contain elements of many genres but is identified by having elements of magic in a world that either is our own or extremely similar (except for the magical elements)
  6. 7. athletics; usually has a main character who either is already athletic or is trying to join athletic teams; has themes of comradery, teamwork, family, perseverance, struggle, training, practice, championships, winning & losing, life lessons, coaching
  7. 9. societies engaged in forever wars; characterized by extreme social & economic class divides; mass poverty; environmental devastation; anarchy; loss of individuality
  8. 10. Hero vs Villain; epic journey plots; race against time; multiple plot twists; high-stakes; high-energy; fast-paced events
  9. 11. harsh; hostile; wide-open landscape/earthly scenery; hero, victim, villain; damsel in distress; hero operates outside of the law; cowboys and Native Americans; prairie and the open road; set in wild west in America
  10. 13. realistic, yet suspenseful plot with a lot of twists; shocking realistic crime; foreshadowing evidence; false leads; solving problems; reader/viewer might know information that characters do not; detective work; leads and connections
  11. 15. targeted audience are people between 18-25 (new adults); focuses on themes of leaving home; developing sexuality; negotiating education and career choices; main character is the same age as the targeted audience
  12. 19. People with powers or are really smart that they can create things that give them some type of power; literally heroes vs villains; ton of action; fast-pace; usually has concepts of how superhuman beings can still relate to normal people with emotions and internal struggles