Final answer:
Literary analysis explores the connection between a text and its historical context, using parallel reading and primary sources to construct a comprehensive understanding of both the text's influence on culture and the culture's influence on the text.
Step-by-step explanation:
When examining the relationship between literature and the historical moment of its composition, we undertake a literary analysis that considers how a text reflects its author's circumstances and the broader cultural context. This process is identified as parallel reading, where scholars analyze literary works alongside contemporary materials such as newspaper articles, religious pamphlets, economic reports, and political documents. Such analysis aids in constructing a thick description that positions the literary text as a product and an influencer of its time, as seen in how Uncle Tom's Cabin contributed to the movement to abolish slavery in the United States. To fully comprehend a text's significance, one must engage with its historical, literary, cultural, socioeconomic, religious, and political backdrop, which often involves incorporating primary sources and multiple perspectives. Historical interpretations from these analyses help construct and defend claims in response to compelling questions, expanding our understanding of literary and historical perspectives.