How to Notice and Understand Culture in Literature

How to Notice and Understand Culture in Literature

Not all of the following are used in every story, or if they are, might not always be directly relevant to the plot/conflict. This is a good starting point, though, to help you begin to notice culture so you can then identify if it is relevant to the text.

*This Guide is a work in progress and I will continue to update it.

Dialect: Lots of texts use dialogue to help the reader understand a character or help distinguish one character from another. A notable example is Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Huck’s idea of what it means for a person to be “sivilized” in his society. How the characters speak, their syntax and diction, can tell you if a character is from a particular region, if he/she is educated, if English is not his/her first language, etc. Other examples are British English or Australian English where some of their words differ from American English.

Language: In addition to dialect, texts also integrate different languages into their work. For example, some texts, while primarily in English, can have a character who speaks Spanish, French, Vietnamese, etc. Some authors translate the foreign language while others make the reader put in the effort to look up the word/phrase.

Food: Foods can be specific to a certain culture or there are foods people in other countries eat that Americans usually do not. For example, France sells horse meat; India doesn’t eat cows; traditional Jewish faith requires kosher food; traditional Muslim faith requires Halal food. Additionally, many cultures have specific foods they eat to bring good luck for the New Year on New Year’s Eve.

Clothing: A character’s clothing can offer insight into their daily life; it can also indicate a religious upbringing. Many religions have traditional religious garb or symbols that are often on clothing or jewelry.

Economics: Knowing how much money a character has can give you insight into their way of life. Information like this is probably not outright stated, but maybe they have signs of wealth, such as expensive objects (large house, multiple televisions, the newest electronics, nice car, brand name clothing, etc.) or other luxury habits/items (personal assistant, butler/housekeeper, runs air conditioner/heater all day, etc.). Look for signs that indicate the character is living above his/her means or living in poverty, too. Pay attention to descriptions of clothing and whether it is new, old, too small, a hand-me down, etc. Physical environment can be an indicator of economics as well.

Physical Environment: What is the setting? A farm is a very different landscape than a city. For example, a reader would expect New York City to be loud and filled with industrial sounds, such as cars. The farm has less noise pollution; noises will come from farming equipment and animals, but there is usually some distance between neighbors. Different parts of the world mean different weather conditions such as lots of rain in England, tornadoes in Central U.S., hurricanes in Florida, etc. Which country the story is set in presents opportunities to show a way of living many Americans are unfamiliar with, so you might need/want to look up information about the country.

Time Period: If the story takes place in the past, it’s good to know about that time period. This is especially useful if there is a war, a world event, or even a pop culture reference you might miss otherwise.