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Lesson Details
Student Handbooks
Freshman Literature, Fall 2014
Date
Aug. 12, 2014
Additional Info
Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.
By and large, the use of allusions enables writers or poets to simplify complex ideas and emotions. The readers comprehend the complex ideas by comparing the emotions of the writer or poet to the references given by them. Furthermore, the references to Greek Mythology give a dreamlike and magical touch to the works of art. Similarly, biblical allusions appeal to the readers with religious backgrounds.
Being familiar with as many cultural, literary, and historical things as possible will enhance your reading experience as you catch what an author is making comparisons to.
For example, I make an allusion the moment I say, “You forgot your book again? I'm going to have to nickname you Dory." I allude to the forgetful fish in Finding Nemo, but I don't need to say anything more about her because I assume that the person I'm talking to is familiar with the character. Using allusions can say a lot about something or someone without saying much at all.
What allusions can you make?
You could also allude to someone non-literary. You could say to someone, "If you keep doing that, I'm going to start calling you Mr. Moore." As long as the listener knows enough about me to catch the allusion, then you could be saying a lot about how that person acts by comparing him or her to me.
Original Sin, according to Christian theology, is held by all people at birth and results from Adam and Eve's disobedience to God in eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Original Sin, Christians believe, can be removed by acceptance of Christ, forgiveness of sin, and baptism.
There are lots of examples of allusions to "The Fall," "Adam," "Eve," and "The Garden of Eden" in literature. If an author chooses to name a character "Eve," for example, he may be trying to tell us a lot about the character without say much.
We will spend the remainder of the class going through your style manuals created by the MVHS English Department.
This packet should be put into your binder. (It's hole-punched for a reason.)
- Honor Code agreement (2)
- Daily Grammar Practice (used in Freshman Comp.) (5-12)
- literary terms (list used in class is the correct one) (21-22)
- MLA formatting (23, 32)
- "I" and "you" (34)
- critical reading (52)
- Cornell notes (57)