Prose in Nonfiction Here are examples of prose found in nonfiction sources, such as newspapers, magazines, history books and encyclopedias: • Some of the exports of Brazil are soybeans, sugar, orange juice and iron ore. • The cheetah is the fastest land animal. • Tomorrow we have a sixty percent chance of snow with a high temperature around 34 degrees. • Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan were married in 1988. • The population of Rome was 600,000 in 1900 and 3,500,000 in 1990. • The planets of our solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. • A family trust is formed in order to pass assets to children and other heirs. Prose in Novels Here are examples of prose that appear in novels: • Call me Ishmael. - Moby Dick by Herman Melville • Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy • It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. 1984 - George Orwell • It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens • Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens • You better not never tell nobody but God. The Color Purple - Alice Walker Prose in Plays Here are examples of prose that appears in plays: • All the worlds a stage, And all the men and women merely players. As You Like It - Shakespeare • You can be young without money, but you cant be old without it. - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Tennessee Williams • My love is like a stone tied round my neck; its dragging me down to the bottom; but I love my stone. I cant live without it. - The Cherry Orchard - Anton Chekhov • In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. - The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien • One can always be kind to people about whom one cares nothing. - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde Prose in Speeches Here are examples of prose in speeches: • As for the marriage laws, they are due for a sweeping reform, and an excellent beginning would be to wipe the existing ones off the books. - Shirley Chisholm • You can see that there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow (of death) again and again before we reach the mountain tops of our desires. - Nelson Mandela • The poor are very great people. They can teach us so many beautiful things. - Mother Teresa • I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. - Sir Winston Churchill • The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy Prose in Movies Here are examples of prose from movies: • My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what youre gonna get. - Forrest Gump • There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. - The Godfather: Part II • Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, youre my only hope. - Star Wars: Episode IV • If the good Lord had intended us to walk, he wouldnt have invented roller skates. - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) • You are a TOY! You arent the real Buzz Lightyear. Youre - youre an action figure. You are a childs plaything. - Toy Story • You know what the difference is between you and me? I make this look GOOD. - Men in Black • Hes a man from outer space and were taking him to his spaceship. - E.T. Prose in Comedy Here are examples of prose in comedy: • Never have more children than you have car windows. - Erma Bombeck • Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons. - Woody Allen • Chaos in the midst of chaos isnt funny, but chaos in the midst of order is. - Steve Martin • You see much more of your children once they leave home. - Lucille Ball • I dont make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. - Will Rogers • A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. - Mark Twain Prose examples, as you can see, are found in all different types of literature and entertainment. (examples.yourdictionary/examples/prose-examples.html Prose Definition of Prose Literary Term How do you define Prose? What is the definition of Prose? The definition of Prose is as follows: Definition of Prose Literary Term Prose is ordinary language that people use in writing such as poetry, stories, editorials, books, etc. The word prose is derived from the Latin word prosa meaning straightforward. Prose comes in two types of text - narrative and expository. Narrative text is defined as something that is narrated such as a story. Expository text is non-fiction reading material such as Description, Analysis, Classification etc. Translation of Poems When a poem, especially an epic poem such as the Iliad, is translated from one language into another, the poem is often converted into prose. What is the difference between Prose and Poetry? Prose is not confined to poetic measures and is usually grouped into paragraphs. Prose lacks a specific rhythm or the rhymes that can be found in poetry. Poetry aims to convey ideas and emotional experiences through the use of meter, rhyme, imagery in a carefully constructed metrical structure based on rhythmic patterns. What is Prose Poetry? Prose poetry combines the characteristics of poetry with the apparent appearance of prose containing traces of metrical structure or verse. Prose poetry deliberately breaks some of the normal rules of prose to create heightened imagery or emotional effect. What is Free Verse? Free verse is a form of poetry which uses fewer rules and limitations using either rhymed or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern. The early 20th-century poets were the first to write what they called free verse which allowed them to break from the formula and rigidity of traditional poetry. Example of Prose There are many examples of different types of poetry. An example of Prose Literary Term can be found in the poetic work of zzzz. Example of Prose Literary Term - Excerpt Toad, hog, assassin, mirror Prose Poem by Larry Levis Toad, hog, assassin, mirror. Some of its favorite words, which are breath. Or handwriting: the long tail of the ‘y’ disappearing into a barn like a rodent’s, and suddenly it is winter after all. After all what? After the ponds dry up in mid-August and the children drop pins down each canyon and listen for an echo. (poeticterminology.net/91-prose.htm) What Is a Prose? Answer Prose is the most common form of written or spoken language, which uses ordinary grammar and natural flow of speech as opposed to poetry for example. It is devoid of metrical structure and is considered prosaic. A prose is the ordinary form of written language and ordinary writing a distinguished from verse Definition of Prose Prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech, and ordinary grammatical structure rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional poetry. Normal every day speech is spoken in prose and most people think and write in prose form. Prose comprises of full grammatical sentences which consist of paragraphs and forgoes aesthetic appeal in favor of clear, straightforward language. It can be said to be the most reflective of conversational speech. Some works of prose do have versification and a blend of the two formats that is called prose poetry. Example of a Poetry Verse Read this from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” written by Robert Frost. “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” Prose Form “The woods look lovely against the setting darkness and as I gaze into the mysterious depths of the forest, I feel like lingering here longer. However, I have pending appointments to keep and much distance to cover before I settle in for the night or else I will be late for all of them.” The above paragraph is conveying a similar message but it is conveyed in ordinary language, without a formal metrical structure to bind it. Some Common Types of Prose 1. Nonfictional Prose: A literary work that is mainly based on fact although it may contain fictional elements in certain cases. Examples are biographies and essays. 2. Fictional Prose: A literary work that is wholly or partly imagined or theoretical. Examples are novels. 3. Heroic Prose: A literary work that may be written down or recited and employs many of the formulaic expressions found in oral tradition. Examples are legends and tales. 4. Prose Poetry: A literary work which exhibits poetic quality using emotional effects and heightened imagery but are written in prose instead of verse. Examples of Prose in Popular Literature Prose in Novels This is usually written in the form of a narrative and may be entirely a figment of the author’s imagination. “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” 1984 - George Orwell “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” David Copperfield - Charles Dickens “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy These examples of prose have been taken from novels where writers have employed their imaginations. They are examples of fictional prose. Prose in Speeches Prose used in speeches often expresses thoughts and ideas of the speaker. “You can see that there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow (of death) again and again before we reach the mountain tops of our desires.” – Nelson Mandela “The poor are very great people. They can teach us so many beautiful things.” – Mother Teresa “As for the marriage laws, they are due for a sweeping reform, and an excellent beginning would be to wipe the existing ones off the books.” – Shirley Chisholm These examples have been taken from speeches where prose is often crispy and persuasive and suits the occasion to convey a specific message. Prose in Plays Prose written in plays aims to be dramatic and eventful. “You can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.” – “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” – Tennessee Williams “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. ” – “As You Like It” – Shakespeare It is often in conversational mode and is delivered by a character. However, its style stays the same throughout the play according to the personality of the character. Functions of Prose While there have been many critical debates over the correct and valid construction of prose, the reason for its adoption can be attributed to its loosely defined structure which most writers feel comfortable using when expressing, or conveying their ideas and thoughts. It is the standard style of writing used for most spoken dialogues, fictional as well as topical and factual writing and discoursed. It is also the common language used in newspapers, magazines, literature, encyclopedias, broadcasting, philosophy, law, history, the sciences and many other forms of communication. (literarydevices.net/prose/)
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 13:59:53 +0000