What is context?

One of the things that we must consider when reading something is context, because it helps us understand what we read in a better way. Context may be defined as the circumstances that surround a text and help to specify its meaning. Therefore, from this definition we can deduce that there are two contexts: The context of production and the one of reception.

-Context of Production: This context makes references to the circumstances that surrounded the writer of the text when he wrote it. 

-Context of Reception: This type of contexts refers to the conditions that surround the reader when he reads a text. 

Sometimes, Contexts may be very strong conditions. Wars, for example are a very common topic that affects the way people writes. Others that we can point out are crisis, familiar problems, technological development, and many others.


Finally, I must point out that in the IB course we will call them "Contexts" (note the final "s"), because there are many factors than influence someone's life, not just one.