What does 'historical context' mean?
Historic context refers to information about the period, the place and the events that form the background of a story.
The setting helps to provide meaning to a story, so when a novel is set during a particular time in history, the reader takes into account what life was like during this time, and how the characters in the novel may have been affected by social, political and economic events during this period.
What was life like for children during World War II?
For many children, World War II was the defining experience of their lives. For most children, the war years were a time of anxiety, and for many, this was a period of family separation and a time of profound personal loss.
War infected children’s play and their imaginations. It had a powerful effect on the rhymes they told, the games they played, and the movies they watched.
Many children had to grow up quickly during wartime, and lots of teenagers left school early to take jobs. Many younger children had to fend for themselves or were placed in orphanages. Meanwhile, families migrated in record numbers and children had to adjust to a new, unfamiliar life.
The first 2 minutes of this video is an excellent summary describing how the real-life 'Wolf Children' in East Prussia came to be during World War II.
