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Literary Analysis: Compare Genres
Academic Vocabulary

  • • purpose (pur-pus) noun A purpose is a reason for doing something.

What Are Some Different Kinds of Writing? Different forms of writing are called genres. Writers select a genre based on their purpose for writing.

Fiction

Imaginary characters

Once, the Moon and his friend the Sun chased each other in the sky. Then Sun needed to light up the day and could no longer play with the Moon. So the Sun sent little stars to be with the Moon at night.

Purpose: to entertain

Nonfiction

Fact

By measuring the ages of lunar rocks, we know that the moon is about 4.6 billion years old.

Purpose: to inform

Poetry

Line breaks

Illustration of several lines of a poem showing its line breaks

Purpose: to express

Practice Together

Analyze Genres Review “Earth and Space.” Identify the topic and analyze the genre. List the ways you can tell what kind of writing it is. What is the purpose of the selection? Give examples that show its purpose. How does the genre fit the purpose? What would change if this selection was fiction?

TitleTopicGenreWays to TellPurposeExamples That Show Purpose
“Earth and Space”
“Moonlight”

Try It!

Compare Genres Work with a partner. Make a chart like this one to analyze the poem. How does the genre fit the purpose? Share your ideas with the class.