UN T IT LED

W O R K IN
PR OG RESS
BY MJR
List down at least five words that you do not
understand in the selection.
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1. What does the word 'peered' mean?

a stared steadily
b blinked quickly
c. looked with difficulty
d. slow
2. What does
the word •a to narrow the eyes
'squint' •b. to close the eyes
•c. to open the eyes
mean? d. to sleep
3. What does the word 'gnawing’ refer to?

a. chilly
b. skin
c wind
4. What does the word 'wallowing' mean?

a floating
b. sinking
c. rolling
5. If this story would be made into a
movie, what would its genre be?

a. action
b. comedy
c. horror
d.romantic
Choose the items that tell about what you felt or thought as you were
reading the selection.

A. I cannot understand some of the words in the

selection.
B. I do not know what the author is trying to tell.
C. I find the story boring and confusing.
Can you describe the author's background based
on his/her style of writing?
 What do you think about the events
described in the story? Are they strange or
familiar?
L IT E R A RY
C ON T E XT S
Literary Context
background information
or circumstances you
provide to inform why
something is taking place
 LITERARY
CONTEXTS

• Biographical Context
• Linguistic Context
• Socio Cultural Context
 BIOGRAPHICAL
CONTEXT

It is the background of the author's life, including his or her

educational background, professional background, or
socioeconomic background, which directly or indirectly
influence his or her literary work.
 EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

As you read about the life of the author, you will also have a
glimpse of his or her educational attainment and academic
achievements. Some authors may have earned the highest
educational degree while others may have dropped out of school
for their own reasons.
 PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

As you continue to read the life of the author you will discover
more, like how he or she started his or her she started his or her
career in writing. You will learn his or her milestones as a writer.
 SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND

As you read about the author’s life, you will also find out about
his or her family. You will know about his or her family
background and other significant childhood and adulthood
experiences.
 Take note that in that in some cases, you cannot access a copy of the
author’s biography. This should not stop you from interpreting the
biographical contexts of a literary piece accurately. Even without
reading the author’s biography or autobiography, you can still get a
glimpse of his or her background through his or her writing style or
through the events that he or she describes in the literary piece. These
important parts can serve as your useful guide in determining the
academic, professional, or socioeconomic background of the author.
Consider the following questions in analyzing the biographical
contexts of a literary piece.
 LINGUISTIC
CONTEXT

It means you have to focus on the language used in the

literary text and how it is used to convey meaning.
THREE LEVELS OF
COMPREHENSION

• LITERAL COMPREHENSION

• INFERENTIAL COMPREHENSION

• EVALUATIVE COMPREHENSION
 LITERAL COMPREHENSION

It simply means reading the lines. As you read a text,

take note of specific details that relate to who, what,
when, where, why , and how questions. These details
are literally found or written in the text.
 INFERENTIAL COMPREHENSION

It refers to reading between the lines. This means you

have to determine the meaning of certain words and
expressions within the text and not by using the
dictionary, but by using context clues .
 EVALUATIVE COMPREHENSION

It takes your imagination outside of the text. It

enables you to make generalizations, form new
conclusions, or make judgments about certain issues
presented explicitly or implicitly in the text.
 SOCIOCULTURAL
CONTEXT

You must focus on understanding the social, economic,

political, and cultural forces affecting the literary work. It
combines social and cultural elements that are significant
in understanding and appreciating a work of literature.
Consider the following questions in analyzing
sociocultural context.
LET'S PRACTICE
Kathleen O'Meara, also known under her pen name Grace

Ramsay (1839 – 10 November 1888), was an Irish-French Catholic

writer and biographer during the late Victorian era. The majority of

her novels contained Catholic themes and social reform issues.

 having dark skin because of
too much sun exposure
What does the
phrase “meeting
b. discovering parts of
your shadow” yourself that you don't
mean? want to admit to having
c. seeing your own
reflection under the sun
Cholera has produced 7 pandemics since 1817, killing >40M people.

This poem written during the 4th cholera pandemic (1863–1875) provides hope that

something positive can be gained from sheltering.

•-Gregg W. Stone MD