What do you think is the most important element of a piece of literature? Are they the characters? The plot? The use of images? These are very important elements and add to the overall piece to give the reader some understanding of the story. One thing many readers overlook is the underlying context of a story. Context is defined as anything beyond the specific words of a literary work that may be relevant to understanding the meaning of the story. Context may include but is not limited to: culture, economics and history. In “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich, the underlying context is a great way for the author to provide new knowledge and enrich the reader with new information and context. For example, in the historical context, there was a war going on in America at that time and there were a lot of emotions that went along with this war. This time period has such significance that it increases the sheer power of the story. Context influences a reader's understanding of a text and is essential to this story, especially this and new generations of readers, in that it provides background and a clear connection that the reader can identify with or further understand. With such context, readers of this generation can get a good idea of ​​what this story was about and what was going on in the world at the time. Without context, readers will have a harder time trying to connect and make sense of a story, as well as missing out on a whole world of deeper meaning, this leads to a more enjoyable reading experience. Story is a powerful form of context. The story is something that almost every reader can understand and have a great understanding of. Furthermore, history is something that will always remain relevant. ......middle of paper ......the story and its deeper meaning. Without context, readers would have a harder time trying to fully understand a work. Furthermore, they would miss out on a whole world of deeper meaning and entertaining works. With the example of "The Red Convertible", we get an idea of ​​how context can really make a story more interesting and at the same time give the reader a better understanding of the characters and messages. This and generations to come will only benefit from the context present in stories like this. In addition to creating a story, it educates and transports the reader to a very distant place and moment in history. This is important for readers of all audiences.Works CitedErdrich.Louise."The Red Convertible." Approaching literature: reading + thinking + writing. Ed. Jack Ridl. Schakel Peter. 3rd ed. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 126-33. Press.