Consider the changing historical,, cultural and social contexts in which particular texts are written and received.
Students are asked to understand the context of the production of a given text, and compare that context to the way the text is understood today, or at another time. Choice of texts is extremely important. Contentious works, plays and roman a clef are good for Part 3, as they demand a contextual understanding in order to appreciate the author's intentions. Students should learn to identify both differences and similarities. Surprise leads to questioning that may bear fruit.
Demonstrate how form, structure and style can not only be seen to influence meaning but can also be influenced by context.
A novel written in the second half of the twentieth century does not often resemble a novel written in the mid-nineteenth century. Developments in psychology, for example, changed the way writers depicted the human mind. Considerations such as this can provide useful inroads into reaching this learning outcome. Students need to put themselves in the writer's position and ask how context determines the range of options open to the author. Comparing texts from the same genre makes it easier to explore issues related to this learning outcome.
Understanding the attitudes and values expressed by literary texts and their impact on readers.
Recognizing difference is often a good starting point for defining our own attitudes and values in relation to those presented in a text.