ADPA 2-2: Genre · 11:31pm Feb 15th, 2014
Genre is one of two major ways in which an author can use shared cultural experience to connect with their audience, with the other being style. Simply put, a genre is a 'type' of a given art form, which has formed certain expectations and conventions from the accumulation of past works in that genre.
Genre can be a useful tool for an artist, as the audience's familiarity with the genre can help them in knowing how to interpret the art they are exposed to. It can help set tone, or reduce distractions (For instance, audiences are unlikely to desire an explanation for funny elements in a screwball comedy, but could be very distracted by them in a more serious work).
Despite the potential usefulness of clearly defined genre, however, many works do not fit cleanly in existing genre frameworks. A given piece will often draw on many genres, in an attempt to convey different aspects of a complex piece. This can lead to poor cohesion if done improperly, as the audience may be unsure of the emotion or tone of a given element; in cases where a work simply can't draw on genres effectively, it may be better for an artist to dispense with genre conformity.
Pidgeonholing can occur when an artist, audience, or critic attempt to fit a piece of art into preconceived genre frameworks that can't accurately convey the value - the content, message, or concept - of the piece. This can especially be a problem in a piece that uses a given genre for most of its technique and style, but has an underlying concept that isn't associated with that genre (For instance, an adventure series that is actually an allegory for spiritual enlightenment).
Artist and audience alike should remember that genre is a communication and descriptive tool, rather than a prescriptive one; it helps deliver the message of a piece by tying it into pieces and concepts that have come before, but it should not impose limitations on the new piece, unless the artist feels that such conformity is critical to their delivery.
Genres evolve significantly over time, and a work which doesn't fit into existing frameworks may help establish a new one. In such a case, an artist should give thought to how to introduce their audience to the new framework inside of the work itself. This will be discussed in more detail in an upcoming ADPA post on artistic innovation.
