Unlocking Texts: Techniques for Close Reading – Page 2

Unlocking Texts: Understanding the Context

Tip for Close Reading: Context is Key to Understanding
Before diving into any text, it’s crucial to analyze the context — the “when,” “where,” “why,” and “who” of a work. Context affects how a text is written, how it’s interpreted, and how it resonates with its audience.

What Is Context?

Historical Context: When was the text written? What events were happening at the time?
Cultural Context: What cultural norms, values, and practices influenced the writer’s perspective?
Political Context: Was there any political upheaval, movements, or systems that shaped the work?
Biographical Context: Who is the author, and how does their life experience influence the writing?

Why is Context Important in Close Reading?

Influences Meaning: Context directly impacts the meaning of words, phrases, and themes. Without context, you may misinterpret the text.
Adds Depth: Understanding the context allows for a deeper, more layered analysis of characters, themes, and ideas.
Guides Interpretation: Context helps you understand why a character or event is significant and how to view it.

Strategies for Identifying Context in Texts

Research the Author
- Why: The author’s background, including their education, beliefs, and personal experiences, will shape how they write and what they write about.
- Tip: For example, when reading The Great Gatsby (often included in A-Level), knowing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s own experiences with wealth and social class helps explain Gatsby’s obsession with status and the American Dream.
- Example: William Shakespeare’s works reflect the political and social climate of Elizabethan England. Macbeth, for instance, is shaped by fears of political instability and the divine right of kings.
Investigate the Historical Setting
- Why: Knowing the time and place in which the text was written helps you understand its relevance to the period.
- Tip: In IGCSE and Edexcel English Literature, you’ll encounter texts like Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Understanding the Great Depression provides insight into the struggles of characters like George and Lennie, whose dreams are impacted by social and economic forces.
- Example: 1984 by George Orwell was written post-World War II during the rise of totalitarian regimes, which explains the novel’s exploration of surveillance, government control, and truth manipulation.
Understand the Cultural Landscape
- Why: Social norms, traditions, and cultural shifts will affect how characters behave and how themes are explored.
- Tip: When analyzing Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen in A-Level, understanding the rigid class system and societal expectations of women in the Regency era will help you explore how Elizabeth Bennet’s character challenges those norms.
- Example: In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (IB or IGCSE), understanding the cultural context of the Igbo people and the impact of British colonialism is essential to interpreting the story’s central conflict.
Identify the Political Context
- Why: Political climate influences the themes and characters of a text, particularly in works that critique society or reflect on power dynamics.
- Tip: In Animal Farm (a common IGCSE text), knowing the political climate of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalin is essential for interpreting how Orwell uses animals as symbols of Soviet leaders and their manipulation of the working class.
- Example: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood explores political themes related to gender oppression. Understanding the feminist movements and historical contexts of women’s rights issues enhances comprehension of its dystopian society.

Contextual Analysis in Different Educational Levels

IGCSE/Edexcel:

Focus: You’ll need to demonstrate an understanding of how historical, cultural, and political context influences character actions, themes, and the author’s message.
Strategy: Identify at least two contexts for each text. For example, with Lord of the Flies by William Golding, you could consider the post-war era (context of fear of nuclear war) and Golding’s experiences in World War II, which shaped his portrayal of human nature.
Example: “In Lord of the Flies, the context of World War II and Golding’s own wartime experiences influences the novel’s portrayal of the inherent savagery in humans when societal structures collapse.”

A-Level:

Focus: Expect to focus more on literary criticism and theory. You’ll need to explain how different contexts (historical, cultural, and biographical) shape the text’s themes, character motivations, and tone.
Strategy: Incorporate a comparative approach. For example, compare two texts from different periods or cultural contexts to see how similar themes (like power or corruption) are treated in different times.
Example: In Macbeth (Edexcel), analyze how the political context of 11th-century Scotland and the Jacobean era shaped the play’s depiction of kingship and political power. Compare with Richard III by Shakespeare, where the theme of usurpation plays a significant role in a different historical context.

IB MYP/DP:

Focus: At the MYP and DP levels, you’ll analyze both the author’s context and the text’s place within the broader historical, political, and cultural frameworks.
Strategy: Engage with the text from multiple perspectives. For instance, in DP, you could explore a novel through feminist, Marxist, or postcolonial lenses. Always tie back to the historical context to justify your interpretations.
Example: In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the post-World War II American context, including the fear of the ‘American Dream’ and youth rebellion, plays a significant role in Holden’s alienation and criticism of societal norms.

Examples to Analyze Context in Close Reading:

Example 1: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (A-Level)

Historical Context: Written during the Jazz Age, post-World War I, and during the Great Depression.
Cultural Context: The novel critiques the idea of the American Dream, reflecting the growing divide between the wealthy elite and the working class in 1920s America.
Example Analysis: Gatsby’s desire for wealth and status is a direct response to the cultural belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work. This context helps explain the tragedy of his life — no matter how much wealth he accumulates, he cannot escape the societal barriers that define his worth.

Example 2: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (IB)

Historical Context: Written during the 1980s, during a time of heightened feminist activism and the rise of political conservatism in the West.
Political Context: The novel is a reaction against the growing religious and political conservatism, especially in relation to women’s rights and reproductive freedoms.
Example Analysis: Offred’s experiences in the dystopian world of Gilead are directly influenced by political contexts concerning women’s bodies and their roles in society, thus enhancing the novel’s critique of patriarchal control.

How to Apply Context to Exam Responses

Tip: In any exam, always start by referring to the context when analyzing a passage. Whether it’s a character’s decision or a symbolic element, context will help you explain why things happen the way they do in the text.
Trick: In your responses, always link your analysis back to the broader historical, political, or cultural context. For example, if analyzing a Shakespearean play, begin by noting the Elizabethan views on monarchy and divine right of kings.
Clue: Contextual analysis can be tied to themes. For instance, in Pride and Prejudice, the theme of marriage is deeply connected to the historical context of women’s social and economic dependence on marriage.