Analyzing Literary Text: Cultural Context

Question 1

Every story has historical or cultural context that reflects the..

Answer 1

time period and culture in which it was originally written.

Question 2

A cultural experience reflects the..

Answer 2

the beliefs, customs, values, and social expectations of a particular people and place.

Question 3

If you are not familiar with the culture depicted in a story, then you may need to take the following steps:

Answer 3

• Notice characters, events, references, allusions, and practices in the story that are not familiar to you and ask questions about them.
• Gather information. Sometimes, an author or translator will provide the contextual information you need in the form of a sidebar or footnotes. If they do not, you may need to do some research on your own. Look online at reliable sources for information that will help you understand the story’s cultural context.
• Make connections to your own cultural experiences. Many experiences—such as birthdays, family gatherings, marriages, and deaths—are universal, but the rituals and practices around them are not, so it helps to notice even the slightest similarities. The stories you read today both describe courtship rituals and generational conflicts that you may or may not find familiar; however, with a little research you can still understand the stories and not feel alienated by experiences that do not reflect your own culture.