Allusion In a short story, novel, poem, etc., an allusion is a reference to something in history, literature, the Bible, mythology, etc. used to make a larger point with fewer words. “Terry was no Scrooge, but he spent his money wisely.” The underlined portion is an allusion to the novel, A Christmas Carol. The author is using this allusion to tell the reader that Terry is not a cheap man, like Scrooge. Note that ALLUSION is different from ILLUSION. An illusion is what magicians use in their magic acts. Allusion In a short story, novel, poem, etc., an allusion is a reference to something in history, literature, the Bible, mythology, etc. used to make a larger point with fewer words. “Terry was no Scrooge, but he spent his money wisely.” The underlined portion is an allusion to the novel, A Christmas Carol. The author is using this allusion to tell the reader that Terry is not a cheap man, like Scrooge. Note that ALLUSION is different from ILLUSION. An illusion is what magicians use in their magic acts.
