As you’ve learned in this lesson, background knowledge such as the shape of flan and the feel of burlap can make it easier to visualize the scenes in Esperanza Rising and also understand their importance. Sometimes readers travel in the other direction, though—they are inspired to learn more about a culture after reading about it in a novel.
Dia de los Muertos parade.
Even if you’ve finished reading a story—or if you’re halfway through it, learning about the characters’ culture or daily lives can deepen your understanding of the story. It might even make you want to read the story again!
Suppose you read a story about Tad, a young teenager who is going on his first cattle drive along the Chisholm Trail. The story is full of wide blue skies, sudden thunderstorms, nights spent sleeping with a saddle for a pillow, and wayward cattle that keep wandering off. These days, herds of cattle are moved long distances by truck or train, so it might be hard for you to imagine what a cattle drive is like. Reading the story might inspire you, though, to learn more about cowboy life back in those days.
How could you learn more about Tad’s world? Match each detail from the story to the kind of research that would help you appreciate the story more.
