Contextual Writing

What Is Context? (Back)

Context provides meaning and clarity to the intended message. Context clues in a literary work create a relationship between the writer and reader, giving a deeper understanding of the intent and direction of the writing

Why Is Context Important in Writing?

Context is important for understanding the meaning of a text. Context is information that helps the message of a literary text make sense. Whether it’s a novel, a biography or a collection of short stories, a piece of writing can be interpreted variably depending on the contextual factors you provide as the author. Some context is obviously stated and some requires a close reading of the literary work—so it’s important for every writer to know what context is and how to use it in their own writing process.

For example, when you watch a movie from the very start, you learn about the names of the characters, where the movie is set, and what the plot line is. You can follow the movie’s storyline because you’ve learned about the context.

4 Types of Context in Writing

There are multiple types of context in writing that can deepen a reader’s understanding of the material. Here are a few examples:

Authorial Context

A writer’s experiences inevitably inform their writing, from content to style. This biographical context can refer to an author’s life history, a text’s place in an author’s body of work, the author’s success, the circumstances in which a text was written, current events at the time of publication, and even an author’s motivation for writing a text.

1. Historical context: Providing the time period and its current events can inform the general mood of the era, setting the stage for the tone of your piece of writing and creating an understanding of the society at the time. Historical context can inform the atmosphere for your audience, giving them context for how people felt and behaved during that period in history, the clothing styles of the time, or even the specific word choice (like slang) that was used in that era.

Historical contexts are all about what was unique or specific about a certain time in history. This can include cultural and social contexts that are now in the past.

Examples of Historical context:

During The 1990s

When you watch a TV sitcom from the 1990s, they’re very different from today’s sitcoms. There’s a lot less racial and gender diversity in sitcoms like Friends than in newer American sitcoms, for example. We can deduce that in the 1990s there were some cultural context factors specific to that era, and they’ve changed now. All those factors are now considered historical contexts.

In The Middle Ages

Looking way back to the Middle Ages, life was very different. There wasn’t any electricity, for one thing! Societies weren’t industrialized, and many people didn’t know how to read. This means that information was mostly shared by word of mouth. Religion was much more important to life than it is in today’s Western countries. And society was ruled by kings and queens! All these factors influenced the historical context.

2. Philosophical Context

Literature addresses age-old questions of metaphysics, ethics, and morality. It ponders the purpose of life, the nature of God or the universe, right versus wrong, death, time—the list goes on. Philosophies go in and out of style, and the great literary movements were influenced by philosophies that waxed and waned over time.

3. Literary Context

Allusion is a common demonstration of literary context, in which one text indirectly references another. But literary context can include several different things, such as an author’s role models or the way one text influences another. Literary context also considers how a text fits into broad categories of literature, such as the aforementioned literary movements.

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broad categories of literature, such as the aforementioned literary movements.

Examples of Context in Literature

Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Set in a dystopian near-future, The Handmaid’s Tale follows Offred and other subjugated women who strive to reclaim their independence after a theonomic totalitarian state called Gilead usurps the US government. This quote comes from Chapter 6, as Offred and fellow handmaiden Ofglen observe the corpses of people murdered by the state:

Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary. Gripped by horror, Offred recalls these words, which suggest that “ordinary” is a matter of perspective and that, in time, Gilead’s atrocities will seem normal. Aunt Lydia’s assurance that murder, oppression, and subjugation can become commonplace, even routine, reveals the depth of Gilead’s power and depravity.

4. Physical context: The attributes of a place can also inform how a plot unfolds or how characters develop. The physical environment you establish for your writing will influence how certain characters act and how the audience understands them. A couple breaking up at a football game will be a much different scene than them breaking up during a movie. A story about characters escaping a natural disaster in New York City will have a different setup than if they were escaping one in Wisconsin. Your environment can dictate how a plot unfolds, but it’s important to provide readers with enough detail for them to understand why.

5. Cultural context: Beliefs, religion, marriage, food, and clothing, are all elements of cultural context that sometimes need to be provided in order to fully understand an author’s story. For example, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club includes social context with the writer’s experience, providing background information to those who are unfamiliar with the traditions of Chinese-American culture, which is integral in the reader's understanding of this family’s traditions and beliefs. Without expressing the fears or expectations embedded in the culture you’re writing about, a divide is created with those unfamiliar, forming a gap between the reader and writer and potentially losing your audience.

Examples of Cultural context

Cultural contexts are all about what your own culture expects of you – its beliefs and values. It’s different from social context because it’s specific to you and your family’s values, not the values of your society as a whole.

While you might live in a society, your values might differ from those of your society. You might be culturally Christian (cultural context) but your society is secular (social context), for example.

Cultural contexts often inform and underpin social contexts. The dominant culture’s values are often part of the social context, so, these two things overlap a lot. But remember, cultural contexts are about values and beliefs while social contexts are about rules and expectations that everyone in society must follow.

A Western Context

A western cultural context is the cultural context that underpins western places like Europe and the United States. In a Western cultural context, you’d traditionally be expected to fit into western cultural norms within western countries. The cultural context in the West includes beliefs in individual freedom and freedom of religion. These cultural contexts inform social contexts in many Western countries, like the rules of behavior and laws of the nations. In other words, the western culture (cultural context – underlying beliefs and values) informs the western society (social context – rules and interactions between people).

6. Situational context: Situational context is why something is happening based on the event itself. For instance, someone on a first date might be more nervous than they would be when out with a friend—or a family may act more aggressively towards one another when they’re playing a board game than when they’re having a legitimate disagreement. With situational context, the audience is able to understand how the circumstances of the event occurring affect those involved.

Examples of Social Context

Social contexts are all about society and what you need to know about your society in any situation. Society has rules around behavior and interaction.

Many people in a society will have different cultures, but we all generally agree on a way to behave in society that’s usually based on the dominant culture in that society.

At School

School is a social context. It has its own rules and policies that inform how we should behave. Think about what you’d tell the alien in this situation. You might have to tell the alien that this school requires students to wear school uniforms. You could also tell them which teachers are mean and which are nice. Actually, you might even need to tell them what a teacher is and why all the students seem to be obeying what the teachers say!

In A Supermarket

A supermarket context is very different from a school context. If there are children in a supermarket, they’re probably not all playing together like at school. It might seem a little more disorganized. People are moving about in family groups and taking things off the shelves. Imagine what you’d explain to the alien here. You might have to tell them how to use a shopping cart, how to stand in a line to pay a cashier, and what currency you need in order to pay.

7. Political contexts describe what you need to know about the politics of a situation.

A Communist / Socialist Society

A communist society is the political context in Cuba and China. It’s where the government has a lot of control over the means of production and doesn’t let you start a business. It usually also involves authoritarianism and control over the media. You’ll also not be able to vote for a new leader every few years like in democratic societies, which tend to be more capitalist or social-democratic.

A Social-Democratic Society

A social-democratic society explains societies in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and some South American and Asian nations. This is a society where there is a mix between socialism and capitalism. The government will often allow people to start businesses but will also pay for healthcare, childcare, and education for everyone to try to increase access and fairness.

Different educational institutions in different places and at different times have different contexts. The setting or background details need to be explained to understand the educational context wherever you are.

8. University Contexts

A university will usually have an educational context that is far different to that of a high school. Chances are that people will be coming and going rather than staying all day like at compulsory schooling. You might have a class in the morning then no more classes until the evening. Traditionally universities were also research focused and allowed people to discuss dangerous and taboo topics that might not be allowed to be discussed in high school.

Early Childhood Contexts

Early childhood contexts are usually very focused on child safety and play-based learning to help children grow. Think about all the things that have to be done in an early childhood center that will be different to a university. For starters, the ages of the people there will be different! The context will involve everything you’d have to describe to someone who has never been into an early childhood center.

How Writers Use Context

Writers use context to engage, inform, and entertain readers. These details establish the narrative’s setting and the author’s motivation for writing, and they help propel the action. Context adds authenticity, helping a story reflect readers’ experiences and securing their investment in the text. Like most literary tools, moderation is essential when it comes to context. Too much of it can burden a story, rendering it boring or incomprehensible.

Why Is Context Important in Writing?

The role of context is to bridge the gap between authors and their audiences, strengthening readers’ comprehension and preventing miscommunication of the writer’s intent. It’s not enough to know that a particular event is occurring—readers also need context to know why. For example, the themes of William Golding's Lord of the Flies—in which a group of boys is stranded on a deserted island, becoming increasingly violent as they grow fearful of a dangerous creature—makes more sense within the context of the author's experiences in World War II.

3 Tips for Providing Context in Your Writing

All writing needs context in order to cement a reader’s understanding of the text and strengthen communication. Here are a few tips when including your own context:

1. Get creative. When you include context, you want readers to understand where you (or your characters) are coming from. This information doesn’t have to be a straight summary—context can take the form of anecdotes, memories, life experiences, or relationships. Find creative ways to weave context into your writing in order to increase comprehension of your text.

2. Remember your audience. Context is important when considering who your story is for. If your target audience is first-grade students, your contextual references should be ones that make sense and are relatable to that age group. Think about who your story is aimed towards, and consider how your language can increase the relevance of your writing and strengthen your audience’s understanding.

3. Be mindful of overloading. Exposition in the beginning part of the story is how many writers provide context, but too much can slow down the pacing, muddy the overall message, or distract from the intended meaning. Heavy exposition (both in fiction and non-fiction) can lose your readers in extraneous details, many of which will not be remembered when it comes time to the main story. Include only what is necessary to understand the setting, premise, and characters, and trust your audience to put together the rest.