FIRST LECTURE

Literary terms and their meanings

1. SETTINGS

This is the place and time in which the events in a short story, novel, play and narrative poem occur. The
settings of every literature piece affect the story in many ways. A setting may serve simply as the physical
background of a story or it may be used to establish a particular ATMOSPHERE, which in turn contributes
to the plot and theme of the story.

2. POINT OF VIEW

This is the angle or position from which the story is told. It refers to how a story is narrated. If a character
within a story describes the action, the story is told from the FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW. If the writer
or a character outside the story narrates, the story is told from the THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW.

3. STYLE

This refers to the way a writer writes, that is, the way he expresses himself in the story. An author's
characteristic way of writing is determined by the choice of words(diction), the arrangement of words in
sentences and the relationship of the sentences to one another. Style refers to the particular way in
which an author uses imagery, figurative language and rhythm.

4. SATIRE

SATIRE is a social commentary and it is borne on the wings of ridicule, parody, humour or mimicking
some body's style for comic purposes and effect. It is a form of literature that exposes the failings of
individuals, institutions or societies in order to ridicule and scorn. SATIRE is a moral art.

5. IRONY

This is the use of language to express the opposite of what you are saying or what it really mean. It is a
contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens.

6. SARCASM

This is a way of speaking or writing that involves saying the opposite of what one really means in order to
make an unkind joke or to show that one is annoyed.
This is a verbal irony which seems to praises but expresses disapproval, content, disgust etc. The use of
this literary device is used to HURT one's emotions. So the main goal of SARCASM is to HURT one's
emotions.

7. SYMBOL

This refers to an object, person, place or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for
something larger than itself such as quality, an attitude, a belief or value. A ROSE is often a SYMBOL of
love and beauty; a DOVE and an OLIVE branch are symbols of peace.

8. METAPHOR

This refers to making a direct reference to something as another. METAPHOR makes a comparison
between two things that are basically dissimilar. Unlike SIMILE, a METAPHOR does not use 'like' or 'as', it
makes comparison directly. E.g:

life is a dream

Life is a vale of tears

Life is a hard road

9. MOTIFS

This is a distinctive feature or dominant idea in artistic or literary comparison. It is an idea, subject or
pattern that is regularly repeated and developed in a book, film, work of art etc.

10. PUN

A pun is a play on words. Pun involves words that sound alike but have different meanings. The words
need to be spelled the same way. Often pun are a source of humour. E.g sun and son, lies and lied.

11. THEME

as a literary term, theme refers to the general idea about life that a writer wishes to express in a literary
work.

These are the questions the lecturer asked

1. What are the various contrast images that are used in the text(Africa kills her sun)

2. At which extent has the various evils committed in the story harm the continent(Africa)
3. Do you think there's still any hope for this continent(Africa)

Next week reading will be on a minute of victory

CONTINUATION OF FIRST LECTURE

*Reasons why it is important to learn literature*

It is very vital for students to learn literature because:

1. Literature helps students improve upon their language

2. Literature informs and educate students

3. Literature displays a variety of the world's culture

4. Literature helps students to upgrade their critical and analytical thinking capacity.

5. Literature helps students select good role models

6. Literature helps students explore the world's vastness

ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

1. Factual

Every piece of literature work contain a certain of degree of facts

2. Fictional

Most literature works such as prose or novels contain a lot of untrue things i.e they are fictitious e.g
things fall apart, Scarlet ibis etc.

3. Aesthetical

Most literature works are designed for amusement and pleasure. Some of these piece of writings tries to
acknowledge the beauty of nature.

4. Literature works are full of the writer's expression, feelings and mood.

SECOND LECTURE

Novel
This is the extended piece of narrative work of fiction in prose.

Forms of Novel

1. Novels allows for numerous characters of wide variety.

2. Novels allows for expanded and complicated plots

3. Novels has varied and created development of settings.

4. Novels has a richer and expanded exploration of characters

5. Novels have larger motives or goals

TYPES OF NOVELS

1. THE HISTORICAL NOVEL

This is a novel set in particular time and place in the past. writers of this novel, may write about pre-
colonialism or post - colonialism.

Features of Historical novel

a. Historical novels captures historical events about what happened to a people.

b. Historical novels have part that are factual and fictional.

c. Historical novels make use of satire to make mockery of society on how people did things and still do
things in their present world.

d. Historical novels tends to paint a clearer picture of the history of a people.

2. SOCIAL NOVEL

This type of novel deals with social and economic conditions of the land, period of the characters and
events.
it deals with issues of social reforms.

3. BILDUNGROMAN (meaning novel of education)

This is a type of novel in which the protagonist in the story develops from childhood to adulthood, that
is, they develop from younger stage to maturity stage.

THE TWO MAJOR COMPONENT OF NOVEL

1. The story itself is a component of a novel.

There should be a story describing a type of novel e. g historical novel, social novel and Bildungroman.

2. Techniques or distinctive style of the novel.

This component of a novel has the following features:

1. A story

2. A language

2. A point of view

3. how characters are presented

4. Themes highlighted in the novel

5. how the plot of the story is structured.

6. settings in the novel

7. Morals presented in the novel

SECOND LECTURE CONTINUATION

THEME

A theme refers to the controlling or central idea that runs through a piece of literature work. A piece of
literature work can sometimes contain more than one theme which are said to be the sub-themes of the
main or general theme of the piece of literary work.
HOW TO IDENTIFY THEMES IN A LITERARY WORK

1. The theme of a literary work can be identified through the subject matter of the work i.e the general
thing being talked about in the literary work.

2. A theme can also be identified by looking at the major or specific things in the Story.

3. Another way a theme can be identified is by carrying out an investigation on how the theme is used in
the Story. And this can sometimes be revealed to the reader directly or indirectly depending on the
CHARACTERS, ACTIONS and IMAGERY in the Story.

4. Also, a theme can be identified by finding the MORAL issues raised in the literary work.

5. In addition, a theme can be identified by asking yourself what issues of human conditions are raised in
the Story.

6. Furthermore, a theme can be identified by looking for grounds or reasons to blame CHARACTERS on
what they do or don't do in the Story.

7. Finally, a theme can be identified by trying to find out the intentions of the author (i.e the expressive
and effective style of the author).

Next week's reading shall be on THINGS FALL APART by CHINUA ACHEBE

POETRY LECTURE

*POETRY*

poetry is the expression of the inner emotions of a poet about something personal or general in the
form of stanzas or group of lines.

FEATURES OF POETRY

1. Poetry contains the figurative language and imagery

2. The language of poetry is usually DENSE, COMPRESSED and CONCENTRATED.

3. The language of poetry is connected with spoken words, that is, it has a SOUND and SENSE.

4. Poetry is expressed in LINES whilst prose is expressed in SENTENCES.

5. Poetry has the ability to disobey grammatical conventions which is known as POETIC LICENCE

6. Poetry comes to the reader in the voice of the PERSONA or THE SPEAKER which is usually known as
the NARRATOR in prose work.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMAGE AND IMAGERY

Imagery are words or phrase that creates pictures, or images in the readers' mind.

BUT

Images are primarily visual, they appeals to the SENSES which are TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL and HEARING.

HOW DO THE IMAGES AFFECT OUR SENSES

EYE ----> Sight----> Visual

EAR ----> Hearing ----> Aural

NOSE ----> Smell ----> Olfactory

TONGUE ----> Taste ----> Gustatory

SKIN ----> Touch ----> Tactile

STEPS TO READING A POEM (DI YANNI, 2007)

1. OBSERVE

The reader of a poem must pay attention to the details in the poem, the actions, the figure of speech
and sound

2. CONNECT TO THE POEM

The reader must think about how the details he or she observed affect the whole poem and give it a
meaning
3. INFER FROM THE POEM

The reader must make suggestions about the meaning(s) of the poem after thinking about it or
connecting to the poem

4. CONCLUDE FROM THE POEM

The reader must therefore give a provisional response to the poem base on his or her understanding of
the poem.

The reading was on PHENOMENAL WOMAN and the following are some of the questions that we were
asked to respond to:

1. Identify all the SENSES that the poem reach you.

2. Identify all the SENSE organs and their interpretation in relation to the poem

3. How is a woman presented in the poem

4. connect the introduction of the poem to its conclusion.

POETRY CONTINUATION LECTURE (TODAY)

*DICTION*

This refers to the poet's choice of words used to achieve a particular effect. It has to do with the style of
word choice or arrangements of words or phrases.

TYPES OF POEMS

1. Free verse poems

A Free Verse Poem does not follow any rules. Their creation is completely in them hands of the author.
Rhyming, syllable count, punctuation, number of lines, number of stanzas, and line formation can be
done however the author wants in order to convey the idea. There is no right or wrong way to create a
Free Verse poem.

2. VILLANELLE (VILLANESQUE) OR FIXED POEM

This is a 19 - line poetic form comprising five TERCETS and followed by a QUATRAIN.
A villanelle is also a fixed poem which is to say it works with a formula, rules, on templates as well as
with restrictions.

*TERCET

A tercet is a three line stanza of a poem

*QUATRAIN

This is a stanza of a poem comprising four lines.

3. SONNET

a short rhyming poem with 14 lines. The original sonnet form was invented in the 13/14th century by
Dante and an Italian philosopher named Francisco Petrarch. The form remained largely unknown until it
was found and developed by writers such as Shakespeare. Sonnets use iambic meter in each line and use
line-ending rhymes.

4. LIMERICK

a five-line witty poem with a distinctive rhythm. The first, second and fifth lines, the longer lines, rhyme.
The third and fourth shorter lines rhyme. (A-A-B-B-A).

5. HAIKU

This ancient form of poem writing is renowned for its small size as well as the precise punctuation and
syllables needed on its three lines. It is of ancient Asian origin.

Haiku's are composed of 3 lines, each a phrase. The first line typically has 5 syllables, second line has 7
and the 3rd and last line repeats another 5. In addition there is a seasonal reference included.

6. COUPLET

two lines of verse which rhyme and form a unit alone or as part of a poem

7. NARRATIVE

- A narrative poem tells the story of an event in the form of a poem. There is a strong sense of narration,
characters, and plot.

8. EPIC
a lengthy narrative poem in grand language celebrating the adventures and accomplishments of a
legendary or conventional hero.

COMPONENTS OF DICTION OR WORD CHOICE

1. A word choice reflects the mood or the tone of the poet

2. A word choice also tells us about the background of the poet

3. A word choice can also show the settings of the poem

4. The diction of a poet can either be simple or complex

5.The diction of a poet can also be formal or informal

6. The words could also be denotative or connotative

WORD ORDER

AS a reader you should observe the way the poet organises his or her words, that is, syntax, inversion,
run - on sentences, punctuation, or packs of adjectives, adverbs etc.

Literature provides pleasure to listeners and readers. It is a relaxing escape from daily problems, and it
fills leisure moments. Making time for recreational reading and using high-quality literature help to
develop enthusiastic readers and improve achievement (Block & Mangieri, 2002). According to
Rosenblatt (1995, p. 175), "The power of literature to offer entertainment and recreation is . . . still its
prime reason for survival." Developing a love of literature as a recreational activity is possibly the most
important outcome of a literature program.

Literature builds experience. Children expand their horizons through vicarious experiences. They visit
new places, gain new experiences, and meet new people. They learn about the past as well as the
present and learn about a variety of cultures, including their own. They discover the common goals and
similar emotions found in people of all times and places. Two examples of books that provide such
experiences are Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff, a harsh survival story set in Ireland during the
potato famine of 1845, and Patricia Polacco's The Butterfly, dealing with Nazis, resistance, and Jewish
persecution during World War II.

Literature provides a language model for those who hear and read it. Good literature exposes children to
correct sentence patterns, standard story structures, and varied word usage. Children for whom English
is a second language can improve their English with the interesting context, and all children benefit from
new vocabulary that is woven into the stories.
Literature develops thinking skills. Discussions of literature bring out reasoning related to sequence;
cause and effect; character motivation; predictions; visualization of actions, characters, and settings;
critical analysis of the story; and creative responses.

Literature supports all areas of the language arts curriculum. The chapter-opening classroom vignette
shows how literature brings together all of the language arts. Listening to stories provides opportunities
for honing listening skills, and discussion allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and
reactions. When students read literature, they are practicing their comprehension strategies in
meaningful situations. Young writers may use various genres of literature as models for their own
writing, and literature can be the basis for creative dramatics. Children can find stories to read and
puzzles to solve on the Internet, and the computer can serve as a word processor for creating stories of
their own.

Literature helps children deal with their problems. By finding out about the problems of others through
books, children receive insights into dealing with their own problems, a process called bibliotherapy.
Children might identify with Gilly, living resentfully in a foster home in Katherine Paterson's The Great
Gilly Hopkins, or with Mary Alice, a city girl forced to live with her grandma in a "hick town" in Richard
Peck's A Year Down Yonder.

Picture books develop visual literacy. The carefully crafted, creative illustrations in picture books develop
children's awareness of line, color, space, shape, and design. Some illustrations complement or reinforce
the story, whereas others enhance or extend the text. Pictures convey meaning and open new
opportunities for interpretation (Giorgis et al., 1999).

Multicultural literature helps readers value people from different races, ethnic groups, and cultures.
Excellent, well-illustrated books are available for many cultural groups. Children from such populations
gain self-esteem by seeing themselves represented in books, and mainstream children begin to
appreciate others from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Literature helps establish career concepts. For children who have limited knowledge of occupations,
literature expands their ideas for potential careers (Harkins, 2001). Peggy Rathman's Officer Buckle and
Gloria, about a police officer who shares information, and Alexandra Day's Frank and Ernest on the Road,
about truck driving, give insights into two career choices.

Literature integrates the curriculum. Trade books (books of the trade, or library books) supplement and
enrich any part of the curriculum. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, look for recent, brightly
illustrated books on specific topics related to your theme or subject area. Remember that textbooks are
assigned, but trade books are often chosen.

Literature improves reading ability and attitudes. A study of thirty second-, third-, fourth-, and sixth-
grade classrooms by Block, Reed, and deTuncq (2003) indicated that students benefited more from
twenty minutes of daily trade book or short story reading instruction. The researchers claim that reading
from trade books resulted in increased reading ability, improved attitudes toward reading, and increased
reading rate.