Genre

Over time, certain kinds of stories become popular with writers and readers. We use the term genre to label these stories. 

Introduction

Expectation is a powerful part of storytelling. This expectation can relate to the way a reader hopes a narrative arc will resolve, or a desired outcome for a loved or despised character. 

Beyond this, there are also expectations that come with certain types of stories. Conventional settings, characters and conflicts can, over time, become genres which certain readers gravitate towards, or avoid. 

Genre Tropes

In life, things do not always go the way we want them to. In fiction, however, stories come with the assurance of a happy (or at least, satisfying) ending. 

In a romance story, for example, readers can expect to see the successful courtship of two lovers, while in a mystery, it is understood that a wily detective will catch a fiendish criminal and return life to normal. 

These common features within a literary genre are known as tropes, and writers know that readers will recognise and appreciate their inclusion in stories. That said, an overreliance on tropes can lead to a lack of creativity for writers, and a lack of exposure to new styles and themes for readers.

Popular Genres

Of the many genres that stories can belong to, here is a list of the ones we are most likely to encounter in the classroom, along with the tropes associated with them. 

Subverting Genres

Sometimes, writers will deliberately compose stories that satirise or subvert audience expectations of genre. 

An example of this is Miguel de Cervantes' 1605 novel Don Quixote. In this famous satire, protagonist Don Quixote reads so many books in the genre of chivalry (stories about knights in shining armour) that he begins to believe he is a famous knight himself. 

Putting on a rusty suit of armour and recruiting a local peasant, Sancho Panza, as his squire, Don Quixote roams the countryside having many hopeless misadventures as he tries to claim the love of his lady, Dulcinea del Toboso, who has no idea who he is. 

This mischievous tale draws inspiration from the chivalry genre, while also mocking and satirising its tropes for the amusement of the reader. 

Genreless

Finally, it is again worth noting that not all stories need to belong to a specific genre, and that some narratives combine two or more genres to tell stories in new and interesting ways. 

Drawing upon the conventions of a genre can be a comforting way to read or write stories, but we should never feel locked into them.

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