PROSE

Prose is from a Latin word "Prosus" which

means straight on. A prosaic piece is
usually a narrative. It narrates an event in
a" straight on" method. The prose is a
literary work that employs vast use of
words, detailed and expansive description.
A piece of prose text is written in chapters
and paragraphs. It is written by a novelist.
A piece of prose can be short or long.
A prose is writing that is not in verse form.
It can be divided into short story, a
novelette or a novel depending o the
length.
A Novelist is the person writes a novel.
Types of Prose:
A prose text can be divided broadly into
two : Fiction and Non fiction
Fiction: A fiction is a prosaic work that is
based on imaginative and cooked-up
stories. Fiction is borne out of the author’s
imagination, they are not true, factual or
real while non-fictive prose includes literary
works based on real-life events and
experiences.
Types of fictive prose and non-fictive literary forms:
Fictive Prose:
Fable: A fable is a short fictional narrative that typically
features animals or inanimate objects with human-like
qualities. Often designed to convey moral lessons or
universal truths through the actions and behaviors of
these anthropomorphized characters. Famous
examples include Aesop's Fables, such as "The Tortoise
and the Hare," where the slow but steady tortoise wins
the race over the speedy yet boastful hare.
Allegory: An allegory is a narrative in which
characters, events, and settings symbolically represent
abstract ideas or moral concepts. These stories often
have a dual meaning: a surface level plot and a
One of the most famous allegorical works is
George Orwell's "Animal Farm," where farm
animals symbolize different aspects of a political
revolution and its aftermath. Other examples
are: Pilgrim Progress by John Bunyan and
Absalom and Achitophel by Dryden.
Fantasy: Fantasy fiction involves imaginative
worlds, magical elements, mythical creatures,
and often centers around quests or epic battles
between good and evil. Authors like J.R.R. Tolkien
("The Lord of the Rings") and J.K. Rowling ("Harry
Parable: A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in
prose or verse, which illustrates one or more
instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a
fable in the in that fables employ animals, plants,
inanimate objects or forces of nature as
characters, whereas parables have human
characters. A parable is a type of analogy.
Folktales: A folktale is a story or legend handed
down from generation to generation usually by
oral retelling. Folk tales often explain something
that happens in nature or convey a certain truth
about life. They often told to amuse amaze the
listeners.
Non-Fictive Literary Forms:
Memoir: A memoir is a subset of autobiography,
focusing on a specific period, theme, or event in
the author's life. It's a personal account that often
combines factual events with the author's
emotions, reflections, and insights. Examples
include "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls and
"Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt.
Essay: An essay is a short non-fiction prose piece
that explores a specific topic, idea, or argument.
Essays can be personal, analytical, persuasive, or
informative in nature.
Biography: A biography is a detailed account of a
person's life, written by someone else. It often
delves into the subject's achievements, challenges,
and impact on society.
Journal: A journal is a written record that documents
personal thoughts, experiences, feelings, and
reflections over a period of time. It can serve as a
private space to explore one's emotions and record
daily occurrences.
Autobiography: An autobiography is a written
account of a person's life, typically written by the
subject themselves. It provides insights into their
experiences, achievements, challenges, and
growth.
LITERARY TERMS ASSOCIATED TO PROSE
Narrative: The telling of a story or an account of
events using prose.
Characterization: The process of creating and
developing characters in a story, often involving
their traits, personalities, and motivations.
Setting: The time and place in which a story
takes place, providing context for the events.
Plot: The sequence of events in a story, including
the exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, and resolution.
Chapters: these are the major divisions of
a novel.
Episodic story : this is made up of
independent plots loosely linked together.
Theme: this is the central subject matter in
a novel.
Hero: this is the central male character in a
novel.
Heroine: this is the central female character
in a novel.
 Foreshadowing: A literary device in which the author
gives the hints of a future events or outcomes in the
story.
Irony: A literary technique involving a discrepancy
between appearance and reality, often creating humorous
.
Style: The author's distinctive way of writing,
encompassing word choice, sentence structure, and
overall tone.
Symbolism: The use of symbols, objects, or actions to
represent abstract ideas or concepts in a story.
Point of View: The perspective from which a story is told,
such as first-person, second-person, and third-person
PRACTICE EXERCISE
From option A-D, choose the word that best completes the questions below. 1. The
arrangement of events in a narrative is the __________ (a) setting (b) plot (c) theme (d)
character
2. A prose text can be broadly divided into ________. (a) Fraction /non-fraction (b)
oral/written (c) fiction/nonfiction (d) real/imagined
3. A narrative that starts from the beginning and continues to the end has a ______
plot. (a) Linear (b) double parallel (c) episodic (d) u-turn
4. A prose text that traces the story of the protagonist from innocence to maturity is
an example of _________ (a) bildungsroman (b) romance (c) memoir (d) fable
5. In what type of prose are animals used as characters? (a) Farce (b) sage (c)
apologue (d) journal
 6. The character who opposes the main character is the _______. (a) anti-hero (b)
protagonist (c) antagonist (d) villain
he moment when there is the realization of truth in a narrative is called ______.(a)
epiphany (b) verisimilitude (c) dramatic irony (d)cursor
7. The perspective from which a story is told is known as ______ (a) setting (b) plot (c)
characterization (d) point of view
8. The places and time of a story narrated form its _______.(a) setting (b) crew (c) plot (d)
themes 9. The use of objects, numbers , colours to mean more than they represent
literarily constitute ______.(a) coding (b) symbolism (c) pictorial (d) rhetorical