Context - AP® English Definition

Context in AP English refers to the background information that helps readers understand a text. This includes the time period, author’s life, historical events, cultural setting, and the situation in which the text was written or read.

Understanding context helps students analyse why a writer made certain choices and how those choices affect meaning. It also helps explain characters’ actions, themes, and the text’s overall purpose. In AP English, analysing context is key to writing strong literary and rhetorical essays.

Example of context in an AP English text

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the context of 1950s America is important.

Miller wrote the play during the Red Scare, when people were accused of being communists without proper evidence. This mirrors the Salem witch trials in the play. Knowing this context helps students see the play as a criticism of fear-driven politics and unjust accusations.