MID: Criteria for Realistic Fiction

[Dorian Garbin <dgarbin@PTDPROLOG.NET>]

I will be doing my last  lesson in my genre unit on realistic fiction, and I
seem to have misplaced my lesson plan.  I haven't taught this one for many
years, and my memory is faulty!  The only criteria I remember is

1,   The protaganist must have a problem that needs to be overcome.
2.   The character is fully developed: we know his/her family background,
likes and dislikes, friends, etc.
3.   The story frequently does not have a happy ending.
4.   The time of the setting is contemporary (within the last 20 years).


Am I describing only a problem novel?  Can realistic fiction include light
school stories, humorous family stories, etc.  Must it be contemporary?
Thanks for your input! I'll be happy to post a hit if there is interest.

Dorian



Dorian Garbin
Library Media Specialist
Salisbury Middle School
Allentown, PA
dgarbin@ptdprolog.net

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