Allusions

In literature

biblical

• Refer to people or stories in the Bible
• Adam and Eve
• Job's faith being tested
• Judas betraying Jesus
• Noah and the flood

Literary

• Refer to famous books or stories
• Romeo & Juliet
• Don Quijote
• The Catcher in the Rye
• fairy tales

cultural

• These can refer to cultural traditions:
• Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, etc.
• Or they can refer to popular culture:
• Harry Potter, The Hunger Games
• As excited as a One Direction fan...

mythological

• Refer to Greek or Roman myths
• The power of Zeus
• Midas and his golden touch
• The beauty of Aphrodite
• Orpheus and his lost love

historical

• Refer to famous people or events in history
• Cleopatra
• George Washington & the cherry tree
• The battle of Waterloo
• A Napoleon complex

Why are allusions used?

• They help readers make specific connections...
• between a new idea and something they already know.
• They help the author make his/her ideas more clear.
• They make writing more interesting.
• They make writers sound smart :)