Don’t assume your reader knows everything about the story! CQE Tips - Context Don’t assume your reader knows everything about the story! You don’t just want to summarize the whole story, but you should give a little background information that will orient your reader.

Common mistakes: vague pronouns (“she,” “she” for multiple girls) - use character names random quotes without introduction (e.g., “The first quote is”) - when did this take place in the story?

Which one of these has helpful context? In the first quote, he runs away from her. Roger tried to steal the purse of a woman, Mrs. Jones, and lost her trust. She thought she was her friend but she wasn’t. For example, the quote “‘What you know about friends!’” shows you can’t trust people.

Setting the scene with context Here are some examples of how to use background information: In “The Stolen Party” by Lilliana Heker, Heker uses situational irony and the symbol of the monkey to reveal that you should choose your friends carefully.  For example, the protagonist, Rosaura, goes to a party for a girl who she thinks is her friend because they do homework together (Heker).

“Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes shows the theme of “you can earn trust back” with the symbol of the pocketbook and a dynamic character.  In the story a boy named Roger attempts to steal the pocketbook of Mrs. Jones.  She catches him in the act, telling him he “got another thought coming” if he thinks she will let him go (Hughes).