• Context: This is the environment, background, or situation surrounding an event, whether social, emotional, historical, economic, or aesthetic. It affects our understanding and interpretation of any text or event.

• Narrative Event: A "permanent" event that has undergone the process of reification, meaning it has been made into a concrete or solid object. Examples include books, websites, ads, photos, and songs.

• Focal Event: A communicative act that has not undergone reification. The context for a focal event is typically very specific to a particular time. Conversations fall into this category.

Picture this: you're at a high school party, surrounded by music, laughter, and friends.

• A narrative event would be the Instagram post you make about the party: the pictures, the caption, and the hashtags, all of which can be revisited by you or your followers at any time.
• A focal event would be the conversation you have with a friend at that party. This event is ephemeral, shaped by the atmosphere, your body language, tone, and your friend's emotional state.