Nonfiction-Semester B Unit 1 Lesson 1

Grade 8 - Elements of Literary Nonfiction

What is narrative nonfiction?

Narrative nonfiction uses literary elements such as plot, setting, and conflict to tell a story.

However, unlike fiction, narrative nonfiction is true.

Literary Elements of Narrative Nonfiction

• Quotations from real people who experienced the event. Also called primary primary sources.

• gives factual information about a topic

• includes elements of fiction; setting, plot, foreshadowing, ect.

​What is Literary Nonfiction?

Literary = story

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Non- fiction​ = NOT Fake

(R E A L)​

So...

​Literary nonfiction tells a true/real story. It gives real information in story-form. It is like a story because it has story-like elements.

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Literary Nonfiction

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Some examples of Literary Nonfiction are

biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs.

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What do you want to get out of what you read or watch?

What's the Author's Purpose?

Author's Purpose

There are 3 main reasons for an author to write a text!

• Persuade: author writes to get you to do something or believe what they are saying.

• Inform: author writes to give information about a topic.

• Entertain: author writes to tell you a story that you will enjoy.

Perspective is how the characters view and process what’s happening within the story. 

How does the narrator perceive what’s happening within the story? What is their attitude about it?

Open Ended

What do you see? What is your perspective?

Open Ended

What do you see? What is your perspective?

Literary Elements of Narrative Nonfiction

• The dialogue mostly matches what people really said.

• The setting and characters are real

• The text describes real events and people.

(Quiz Question)

Open Ended

Find 7 words that could tell you what the story is going to be about.

​ Travels with Charley: In Search of America

by John Steinbeck

​This is a journey across America with his dog.

Fill in the Blanks

Why do all Americans hunger to take a trip?

Open Ended

What does it mean that a "trip takes us?"

​Let's read the excerpt

from John Steinbeck's

novel Travels with

Charley:

In Search of America

Multiple Choice

Tone can best described as........

• The attitude of the reader toward what they are reading about

• The overall feeling in a story

• The author's attitude toward the subject they is writing about

• The reader's point of view

Match

Match the following

(Quiz Question)

• To Entertain

• To Inform

• To Persuade

An author describes a funny childhood story about how his cat was locally famous.

An author provides important updates and a graph of recent rates of illness in the state.

An author tells people about who nearly died because they ignored warnings about flooded roadways.

• An author describes a funny childhood story about how his cat was locally famous.

• An author provides important updates and a graph of recent rates of illness in the state.

• An author tells people about who nearly died because they ignored warnings about flooded roadways.

Match

Match the experience that most likely shaped an author's perspective.

(Quiz Question)

• Graduating from college

• Getting sick and spending time in the hospital

• Having young children

Perspective on the importance of education

Perspective on health care

Perspective on the cost of child care

• Perspective on the importance of education

• Perspective on health care

• Perspective on the cost of child care

Implicit and Explicit

• implicit - not plainly stated / implied

• explicit - plainly stated / clearly stated

Match

Match the following

Explicit

Quiz Questions

• Martin's watch is on eastern time. (Explicit)

• There is an empty lot behind the library.

  (Explicit)

• Sue has been raising bees for 30 years.

  (Explicit)

An announcement over the loudspeaker woke Martin. His plane departed :his watch was on eastern time.

Several residents felt the empty lot behind the library should be left alone for wildlife.

Sue has seen many changes since raising bees 30 years ago. Chemicals have hurt her bees.

• An announcement over the loudspeaker woke Martin. His plane departed :his watch was on eastern time.

• Several residents felt the empty lot behind the library should be left alone for wildlife.

• Sue has seen many changes since raising bees 30 years ago. Chemicals have hurt her bees.

Match

Match the following

Implicit

Quiz Questions

• Martin's has come from the eastern time zone.

• The lot is home to animals and plants.

• Changes to the way pestides are used could help bees survive.

An announcement over the loudspeaker woke Martin. His plane departed :his watch was on eastern time.

Several residents felt the empty lot behind the library should be left alone for wildlife.

Sue has seen many changes since raising bees 30 years ago. Chemicals have hurt her bees.

• An announcement over the loudspeaker woke Martin. His plane departed :his watch was on eastern time.

• Several residents felt the empty lot behind the library should be left alone for wildlife.

• Sue has seen many changes since raising bees 30 years ago. Chemicals have hurt her bees.