With the intention of generating interest in the reader, the writers are in charge of carefully studying the use of language and its expressive means with the intention of getting their message across in an artistic way, and this is only achieved when they know and handle the Characteristics of the Literary Text, which we invite you to know through this article.
Characteristics of the literary text
Before beginning to know in depth and in detail the characteristics of the literary text, it is important to have a notion of what a literary text is, so this will be the first thing to detail.
What is a Literary Text?
This is a text that fulfills an artistic and expressive function (unlike those that are not literary that serve to provide information or to present a conception to the reader). The purpose of these texts is artistic and, therefore, it is agreed to deliver a refined, neat and expressive language that not only communicates but also creates beautiful messages, sound phrases or forceful images.
The writer is in charge of giving poetic strength to his text, so these are works of a subjective nature and subject to the creation of their own author.
Likewise, literary texts offer the reader subjective, free, reflective, experiential or contemplative approaches to life, with no other stimulus than to awaken this set of emotions and sensations in their mind. To do this, these artistic texts use a whole range of expressive resources, called tropes, rhetorical figures or literary devices through which they can use language in a more powerful, moving or even more rhythmic way.
Characteristics of the Literary Text
Next, the main characteristics that make up, share or must comply with the various literary texts will be presented, these are:
poetic intent
Literary works provide an aesthetic experience to the reader. It is not about obtaining specific knowledge as can happen in the manual of a piece of equipment, but about capturing a unique and different experience.
Subjectivity
It is not an objective text that adheres to a reality, but generally addresses a topic from an original and striking point of view.
The spirit of the age
Literary texts in a certain way capture all the particularities associated with the feeling of a civilization or society as a whole, during a specific period of time.
Language
During the execution of a literary text, he can allow himself to break grammatical rules (something very common in poetry), so we can assume that the style of every writer defines him as a literary artist.
Gratuity
What makes a person read a literary work like a novel is simply because they want to read it. Most likely there is nothing that he can apply in his real life, he is doing it for entertainment. Oscar Wilde said some time ago that:
"Art is 'profoundly useless' in the sense that it does not fulfill a pragmatic mission in the lives of readers, such as spiritual enrichment or entertainment."
fictionality
Unlike non-literary texts that are based on a real context, these do the opposite, fiction is the starting point; so in these fictional stories are told that originated in the author's mind and thus go beyond his special way of seeing the world.
Verisimilitude
Even if the story being told is not true, it is believable. Suppose that when a person is reading a fictional book, a pact is established between the reader and the author, whereby the former agrees to read the work as if it were true; in exchange, the author guarantees to build a story where the work of art is maintained until the end.
imitative character
A literary text imitates the reality in which you are supposed to be. In other words, it is located in a specific environment, at a specific time or place; this places the reader in a recognizable context for him.
Eternity
Literary texts do not have an expiration time like news. On the contrary, they subsist over time and are shared between generations, seeing them as highly appreciable and significant pieces for future generations.
Free style
Freedom of creation is one of the principles that govern this type of text, both the form and the style or tone are chosen at the will of the author, so he can choose to express himself in a happy, sad, ironic, bitter way, all the options. they are possible.
Use of literary devices
In this type of text it is very common to apply various literary resources such as metaphors, metonymy, onomatopoeia, among others, which are used to enrich them and make them more attractive to the reader. Other types of resources are also used, such as dialogue, narration, plot, description, among others, with the aim of giving life to the plot.
Generate Emotions
Reading a literary text such as a novel, a story or a poem generates different emotions. For example, when we read a poem we feel moved and excited, or when we read a children's story, we can laugh; Literature awakens our emotions.
Types of literary texts
Literary texts are divided into four different genres, which are called literary genres that are cataloged according to the methodologies through which they can generate an aesthetic or playful effect on the reader; these are:
Narrative
When referring to a narrative, we speak of: a story, a novel, a short story, a chronicle and other forms of history, real or imaginary, fantastic or realistic. Where the characters, the plot and especially the narrator character stand out, who tells the story and generates similar expectations, tensions and feelings in the reader.
Poetry
It is the freest and most complex literary art, it practically does not have a specific format that defines it, beyond the idea of describing a subjective state: emotions, life perspectives, reflections or even a certain degree of narrative, but without defined characters, narrator or plot It is a matter of creating their own language, which previously had to rely on rhymes and verses told in syllables, but this practice is now considered archaic.
Dramaturgy
The drama is intended to be performed on stage, film, or television; this usually includes characters and settings, in situations that unfold in front of the viewer himself, without being mediated by the figure of a narrator.
Test
This genre consists of the reflective and explanatory approach (explanatory and argumentative), of any subject that interests the author, through an expository exercise that seeks to offer subjective points of view and new perspectives, instead of scientifically proving hypotheses or demonstrating a theory.
Difference between literary and non-literary text
We can distinguish the nature of a text by contrasting literary and non-literary texts. In this sense, literary texts are those that adapt to the textual nature of genres such as narrative, poetry, theater or essays, in which the aesthetic function of language predominates.
Non-literary texts understand an enormous diversity of scripts that are controlled by other functions more of an informative, referential or conative nature and that are driven by other purposes such as the transmission of information, the dissemination of knowledge, the establishment of regulations, announce, among others.
Difference Between Literary Text and Informational Text
Informative text is known as one whose predominant function is informative, that is, to communicate, transfer or explain information. As such, the main function of active language in an informative text is the referential or representative function, that is, where the sender develops messages concerned with their environment or with objects external to the act of communication; this is the typical type of text in the media, such as newspapers or magazines.
In this sense, it differs from the literary text, which is not motivated by the need to inform, but rather focuses on the message itself, and is beautifully constructed to convey sensations, feelings and emotions.
Importance of a literary text
When mentioning literary texts, reference is made to scientific texts, opinion articles, among others, we refer to the ability of a writer to create a story and share it with readers. Literary texts arise in all cases, from a main argument, whether real or fictional, and from there they develop on the pages to create a plot whatever it may be; the theme can be varied and the only limit is the author's imagination.
One of the most significant features of a literary text is consistency; It is necessary to analyze first what is going to be captured when writing that appears throughout the narration, versification, among others; continuity must have focus and the main argument must not vanish. Every literary text has a beginning that places the text in its background, be it a past, present or future tense; It introduces us to the characters and at the same time, it also poses a story.
It has always been said that there must be a structure that is divided into a beginning, an evolution and an end or a dissolution. However, this is not entirely true, since many authors have long emerged who have broken with this scheme to create other ways of presenting a literary text; No matter how important the story, the theme or the structure, it is important to be able to convey to the readers what you want to tell, whether through a narrative, political text, among others.
This is the greatest difficulty and what distinguishes a writer and achieves greater popularity or popularity in the eyes of the readers. When creating a literary text, it is important not to have a single idea, but also the cultural background, the literary, linguistic and formal resources of the author, and the ability of the creator to combine all this in a single text; if he can use it for his own creative benefit, it is more likely that some literary text can be executed.
The meaning of literary texts is that they arise from the author's imagination, from the writer's own creativity and the writer captures his inner world, all that imagination in a work in which he shows his particular universe. The value of literary texts is that they reflect the essence of the author and the intellectual culture that surrounds him.
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