- Introduction
Learn- Try It
- Task
Learn
Thus far, you've read mostly fictional stories. Today, you will read a nonfiction excerpt. Nonfiction writing deals with real people, places, and events; therefore, it contains factual information. A person's opinions can be found in the writing as well. There are several forms of nonfiction that you will read this year: autobiography, biography, essay, informational article, and interview.
An autobiography is a story of a person's life written by that person in first person point of view. This includes journals, diaries, letters, and memoirs.
A biography is a story of a person's life told by someone else in third person point of view.
An essay is a short piece of writing, usually on one subject, found in newspapers, textbooks, and magazines.
An informational article is an article in a newspaper, magazine, textbook, pamphlet, history books, or how-to books providing factual information about a certain topic.
An interview is a conversation where one person asks questions of another person trying to obtain specific information about him/her.
There are several other types that
can fit in these categories. If you
like to read sport's magazines,
then you read nonfiction. If you
like to listen to the news, then
you are listening to nonfiction.
Nonfiction can have elements and characteristics just like fiction. A few of those elements include characters, plot, and setting. There is one major difference, however. Do you know what it is? Yes, nonfiction is real!
Nonfiction writing also has different purposes. They may explain, describe, narrate, persuade, or entertain.
The tone of a nonfiction piece is the same with fiction: the writer's attitude toward his subject.
When you are reading nonfiction, try to separate the facts from the opinions. Think about the writer's purpose and tone of the piece; be a critical reader. Use your SQ3R skills if needed.
The Great Fire of London began on September 2, 1666, and it burned around four days. The fire was said to have started by a baker who forgot to turn off his oven.
Read the nonfiction piece "The Diary of Samuel Pepys." You will read from September 2, 1666 through September 8, 1666.
You just read one man's diary. Do any of you keep detailed journals or diaries? If so, are they as descriptive as his? Pepys's diary helped keep historical records from 1660 to 1669. Imagine writing something like that!
The fire made it all the way to the bottom of Pepys's street, but, luckily, it stopped there. There were no buildings left along the edge of the river. Even after the fire stopped burning the houses, the ground was still hot enough to burn people's feet.
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