Literary Reading through a Biographical Context

Question 1

What are the Reasons to Read Literature through a Biographical Context? (2)

Answer 1

1.) Understanding the author’s life can help you
understand his or her work thoroughly.

2.) Reading the author’s biography or autobiography
helps you see how much his experiences shape his or
her work directly and indirectly

Question 2

What are the biographical strategies that can be used? (3)

Answer 2

1.) Research about what the author believes in.
2.) Analyze how the author’s belief system is reflected in his or her work.
3.) Look at the author’s other works and analyze if there is a pattern with regards to the theme indicative of his or her beliefs.

Question 3

What are the guide questions that can help in using the biographical context in reading literature? (5)

Answer 3

In what year was the text written and published?

Is there anything significant that happened in the author’s life during this time? What
were the circumstances that happened to the author before the writing of the text?

Were there several drafts of the text? What can you say about the changes that the
author made? What aspects do you think the author struggled with during the revision?
What is the effect of the revisions to the published text?

Are there characters and situations in the text that could be representative of or are
similar to the ones in the author’s life?

How will knowing about the author amplify your appreciation of the work?

Question 4

Bio means life.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What is a biography?

Answer 5

A detailed account or narrative of a person written by ANOTHER person (NOT YOURSELF)

Question 6

What is an autobiography?

Answer 6

A detailed narrative of a person written by the SAME person. (YOURSELF)