Concordance of Genre

Generally, what we think of as genres are relatively square-bound – by which I mean that if you watch two dozen Westerns, you will probably find that you have watched two dozen Green square stories, and if you watch two dozen horror movies, you'll find the same Blue square tropes played out again and again. A lot of fun can be had, however, and you can create stories that appear startlingly “original” simply by transposing the aesthetics of a genre onto another square.

To do this, it is necessary to know what square most genres take place on, and why – otherwise you can easily end up with a mess, or with something that slips and slides between squares, which, unless it is done deliberately and very well, is just sloppy.

Here is the break-down for some of the largest, and best-known, genres:

Romantic Comedy: This is your straight-forward Romance story, and it almost always takes place on the Red Square. The Shrew and the Rogue are usually the heroic couple in the best works of the genre, but it is also possible to do a comic treatment of the Princess and the Prince. A notable exception to the Red-square rule is Life is Beautiful.

Science Fiction: Almost always takes place on the Yellow Square (hence the Mother ships, and perenially popular Parasitic aliens.) The search for knowledge is fundamentally a Yellow Square concern, and this is generally an underlying theme in Sci-Fi. Dune, and other works of what might be more accurately termed “futuristic fantasy,” take place on other squares.

Westerns: The classic Western is a story either of revenge, or of a leader trying to protect his people from Indians and Outlaws – which lands the Western firmly on the Green Square. The good sherrif plays the Priest, defending his flock or leading them through hostile territory to the promised land; the man-with-no-name, but with a grudge to settle, is the classic Avenger.

Epic Fantasy: Strictly speaking, this genre splits into two sub-genres: Quest Fantasy and Rightful Heir Fantasy, both of which are to be found in the seminal Lord of the Rings series. Stories where the Hero must go forth into the lair of the evil one in order to destroy the Ring of Power, rescue the baby, or free the unicorns are Blue Square. Stories where the true King must claim the throne and deliver the land from the evil Usurper, are Red.

Mystery: These stories are almost always on the White Square. Someone has been murdered, the Judge gets called in to investigate, he may or may not have a Foolish sidekick, and eventually he discovers the guilty party. Exceptions are often situated on the Yellow Square, particularly mystery stories for children (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.)

Horror: Blue Square. Beasts, Virgins, Warriors, gore, blood, rape, torture – all Blue Square concerns. Some fine work in the field of psychological horror has been done on the White square, usually centering around the Witch and the Cripple.

Comedy: This devides up in various sub-genres, and differs from culture to culture, period to period. For example, the standard 1980's American sit-com was situated on the Yellow Square, and centred on the concerns of a family peopled with various often Disgraceful children. The typical Brit-com, on the other hand, is White Square; the Mule's desire to keep up appearances, the Fool's total social ineptitude, and the comic Cripple's pathetic Napoleonic ambitions are the standard fair.

Fairy-Tales: Western European Fairy Tales are generally Red Square, concerning Princes, Princesses, and jealous Queens (Sirens). German Fairy Tales often stray onto the Yellow Square, with stories of Orphans overcoming the cruel malice of Stepmothers. White Square tales of the Fool who goes out to seek his fortune are also popular. Blue Square Fairy Tales also exist, but they are usually excised from modern collections – Bluebeard, The Maid with No Hands, and The Robber Bride are generally considered too frightening for children.

Action: Typically, Blue Square; the Warrior goes out and defeats numerous Beasts, either to save the Virgin or with the help of the Valkyrie. Spy thrillers, on the other hand, are Red Square Rogue stories (James Bond can be either – it varies from story to story). Kung-Fu movies are a Yellow Square variant, though it is not uncommon for them to fall into a sloppy Yellow-Blue mish-mash. Interestingly enough, the most famous movie in the genre, Rambo, is a Green Square Avenger tale– which perhaps explains why it stands out from the crowd.

Children's Literature: Is almost always Yellow Square. In the case of kid-lit for girls, it is generally the story of an Orphan (Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, Little Women) finding her place in the world, while for boys it is usually the story of Disciple (Arthur and Merlin, Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wind in the Willows).

[Back to Main]  [Back to Aereopagus]  [Back to University]  [Back to NP201]