Final answer:
Genre conventions include setting, characters, plot, style, and tone, and are influenced by the author's purpose, cultural context, and audience expectations. These conventions can vary and evolve, allowing genres to adapt and new subgenres to emerge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The things that define a genre, known as conventions, typically include aspects such as setting, characters, plot, style, and tone. These conventions help shape the genre by reflecting the author's purpose, cultural context, and the expectations of the audience. For example, a gothic novel often features a dark, eerie setting and a mood of suspense, while a romance might prioritize heartfelt character development and emotional narrative arcs. Across different genres, you might find that some works don't fit neatly into one category and may blend conventions from various genres, creating subgenres or cross-genre literature.
Genre conventions are not static; they can evolve with cultural changes and new artistic influences, leading to variations in how a genre is interpreted over time. Therefore, understanding a genre involves looking at both traditional conventions and the ways in which contemporary writers might be pushing the boundaries.