Allusions

What is an allusion?It is a reference within a work to

another work of fiction, a film, a piece of art, or even a real or historic event.

From Latin alludere, from ad- “toward” + ludere “to play”

Allusions……engage the reader and will often

help the reader remember the message or theme of the passage.

…allow the writer to give an example or get a point across without going into a lengthy discourse.

Example“The minister’s wife has a face that could launch a thousand

ships.” alludes to

Helen of Troy who was considered a great beauty

Example“The minister’s wife has a face that could launch a thousand

ships.”translates to

The minister’s wife is a woman of great beauty.

Example“Gwen and Rob are star-crossed

lovers.”alludes to

Romeo and Juliet"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,

a pair of star-cross'd lovers, take their life.” (Act I, Prologue, Romeo and Juliet)

Example“Gwen and Robbie are star-

crossed lovers.”translates to

Gwen and Robbie were destined to meet.

Kinds of AllusionsBiblical allusion: “As the cave's

roof collapsed, he was swallowed up in the dust like Jonah, and only his frantic scrabbling behind a wall of rock indicated that there was anyone still alive.”

Kinds of AllusionsLiterary allusion: “Christy didn't

like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities.”

Kinds of AllusionsHistorical allusion: “The city has

its highest unemployment rate in decades, while the mayor attends upscale parties; she’s fiddling while Rome burns.”

CaveatAudience must know that

which is alluded to.

Or else, they won’t “get” it.

What kind of allusions are these?“The last soccer match was Lily’s

waterloo.”“She turned the other cheek after

she was cheated out of a promotion.”

“I was surprised his nose was not growing like Pinocchio’s.”

Pair or Small Group Work

Work with a partner or in a group of three. Prepare a one-half crosswise sheet of paper.

Recall the Olympians and their symbols. Following

are two poems.For each poem, answer the

questions that follow.

Questions1. Which of the Greek gods or

goddesses is the poem referring to?

2. Cite three lines or phrases to support your conclusion. Provide a brief explanation for each textual evidence.

Poem #1He clasps the crag with crooked hands;Close to the sun in lonely lands;Ringed with the azure world, he

stands.The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;He watches from his mountain walls,And like a thunderbolt he falls.

Poem #2God of the golden bow, And of the golden lyre,And of the golden hair, And of the golden fire, Charioteer Of the patient year…Thy laurel, thy glory, The light of thy story…

Questions1. Which of the Greek gods or

goddesses is the poem referring to?

2. Cite three lines or phrases to support your conclusion. Provide a brief explanation for each textual evidence.

“Words are symbols for shared memories. If I use a word, then you should have some experience of what the word stands for. If not, the word means nothing to you.”

Jorge Luis Borges