What is a Prose? What are the Uses of Prose?

What is Prose?

• It is a verbal/written language.
• It is how we communicate (write/speak/read and listen) every day. (We do not talk in poetry!)
• So, prose has a natural flow of speech.
• There is no specific format.
• We use prose:
• To describe facts
• To discuss one’s thoughts
• It is used in fiction and non-fiction

In Non-fiction:

• Newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, television, radio, letters, history, philosophy, biography, etc.

In Fiction:

• Novels, short stories
• In this section, we are focusing on fiction prose.

Fictional Prose:

• It is a work of fiction.
• It is not real and is created by a writer using his/her imagination.
• It is used in short stories and novels.
• It will have the following components: characters, plot, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Example:

• Cinderella, Tom Sawyer, Harry Potter, The Hobbit, etc.
• Now, let us learn about different things that make prose fiction beautiful and powerful. 

The Figure of Speech:

• A word/phrase the writer uses to create a separate/special meaning from its actual definition.
• I.e., the meaning is not direct/plain.
• Figures of speech create a dramatic effect.
• There are several types of figures of speech.
• explore some of the common ones.

Imagery Using Visuals:

• was white.
• The winter made the grass, the green and brown leaves, become white.
• The roof of the cottage was also coated with snow.
• The brown trunks of the trees stood in contrast to the whole whiteness of the scene.

Imagery Using Taste:

• Ryan regretted biting into the sour, sour lemon. His face told us how sour it was. He gave you the cringiest expression you will ever see.

Other examples:

• The butterscotch cake exploded in their mouths with flavors of vanilla, creamy butter, and caramel.
• The bitter gourd is called that name for a reason. You feel like your tongue is being punished if you do not like the bitter taste.

Imagery Using Touch:

• The impact of the ball lifted Dennis from the ground.

(In this example, imagery describes the ball’s impact on the boy’s face.)

Imagery Using Sounds:

• The soccer ball crashed the window into pieces!

(Here, sound imagery may not be so pleasing to hear.)

• The Lion’s roar could be heard from miles away!

Imagery Using Scent:

• Chef Wolowitz happily took in the aroma of his unique recipe – the ‘secret tomato soup.’

Personification:

• It is a figure of speech in which we give qualities of human beings (movements, voice, etc.) to non-human things. 
• The Moon kept smiling at us.
• My car is not feeling good. He is getting heated up. He is huffing and puffing all the time!

Metaphors and Similes:

Metaphors explicitly state a comparison:

• Mark has the heart of a lion.
• My life is an open book. 

Similes use the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare things:

• Layla runs like a cheetah.
• My niece is as cute as a button.

Different Elements in Fiction Prose:

• Character
• Plot
• Setting
• Conflict
• Resolution
• understand with one example

Characters

• They are people/creatures/plants that appear in the story.
• The characters help the reader understand the story easily.
• The story could have protagonists (heroes), antagonists (villains), and supporting characters.

Setting

• It refers to the location and the time at which a tale takes place. 
• The setting enables readers to comprehend the location and time of the story.

Plot 

• A story’s ideas or events make up the plot. 
• Readers can comprehend what has transpired in a story because of the plot.

  Conflict

• It is what drives the story’s events. 
• Readers can comprehend why something happened in the story through conflict.

Resolution 

• Following the climax, the resolution is the outcome or conclusion of the narrative. 
• Readers will be able to comprehend how the ‘conflict’ led to the character development of characters.
• It is due to the circumstances of conflict; that the resolution came to happen.