Definition
Allusion: an indirect and usually brief reference to a
person, place, or event.
This reference is probably explicit, but its meaning
can be understood only if the person, place, or event
is well known by all or known by the reader.
An allusion can help the reader develop their
understanding of the text.
Purpose
We, as readers, need to know what allusions are so
we can identify them in our reading.
We need to be able to recognize allusions in the
books we read because they are usually important in
our overall understanding of the book.
For example, if the name of a character was an
allusion to a different character in another literary
work, that similarity could reveal something about
the character that we wouldn’t have known if we
hadn’t found the allusion.
For Example:
If you were trying to instill
confidence in a friend and
said, “Use the force,” that
would be an allusion to the
text Stars Wars.
How about this phrase…
It’s elementary my dear
Watson!
It is an allusion to The
Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes.
Allusions…
can be made to a book, a song, movie, or a
poem.
Even visual allusions can be made to art or film.
Movies that are parodies are filled with
allusions.
Comedians rely on allusions. They allude to
current events in a humorous matter.
Comedians rely on allusions
Writers often make allusions to
Greek Myths in a text.
Myths are ancient stories
about gods and heroes.
Many words used as
allusions come from the
names in the myths.
Herculean Strength
Hercules
Let’s read his story!
Hercules…
• was the strongest man in the world.
• The Greek half-god had to perform 12
tasks so difficult that they seemed
impossible. By the end of these
tasks, he was a hero to the people.
Allusions to Hercules…
• He had many Herculean
tasks ahead of him.
• Meaning—tasks that seem
impossible
An Allusion
Superman’s
Herculean strength
made it easy for him
hold the world in his
hands.
Allusions to Hercules…
• The weight lifter used his
Herculean strength to lift
the 200 pound weight.
• Meaning—very strong
Achilles Heel
“Perimeter
shooting has
been
Louisville’s
Achilles heel all
season.”
Achilles
Let’s read his story!
Achilles…
• was a great warrior.
• When he was a baby, his mother dipped him
in a magical river. Where ever the water
touched him, he could not be harmed. But
his mother held him by his heel, so that was
his one weakness. He was defeated when
an enemy struck his heel.
Allusions to Achilles…
• “I can’t read your answer because of your
messy handwriting!” the teacher said.
• “Neatness has always been my Achilles
heel!” replied the student.
• Meaning—someone’s Achilles heel means his
or her area of weakness
Odysseus or the Odyssey
Honda Odyssey
Odysseus or the Odyssey
Let’s read his story!
Odysseus…
• was a Greek king who went to war against the
Trojans. During the war, he hid his men inside a
large wooden horse. Then he gave the horse to
the Trojans as a gift. The Trojans brought the
horse inside the city walls. That night, the Greeks
attacked.
• The Odyssey is a very long poem about
Odysseus’s long journey home after the Trojan
war.
Allusions to
Odyssey/Odysseus…
• The family set out on their
24 hour odyssey to Florida
for vacation.
• Meaning—any long trip or
adventure
The Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse
Let’s read his story!
The Trojan Horse…
• was the large, wooden horse that
Odysseus sent as a gift to the Trojans.
The Greek warriors were hiding
inside. The Trojans brought the horse
inside the city walls. That night, the
Greeks attacked and won the war.
Allusions to a Trojan
Horse…
• “Try some of the casserole,”
Mom begged Bryan, but Bryan
was afraid it was a Trojan horse.
• Meaning—something that
wasn’t quite what it seemed
Sisyphus
Sisyphus
Let’s read his story!
Allusions to Sisyphus
For Henry, cleaning his room was a Sisyphean
chore.
Meaning—a job that never ends
Pandora’s Box
Pandora
Let’s read her story!
Pandora…
• was a woman who opened a box to
see what was inside.
• She let out all the evils of the world.
Pandora’s simple act had terrible
effects she didn’t expect.
Allusions to Pandora…
• “Don’t worry about your homework. Let’s go
see a movie,” Allison persuaded Holly. But
Holly had a feeling inside that blowing off her
homework might be like opening Pandora’s
box.
• Meaning—a tempting opportunity that could
be disastrous; something that leads to a lot
of unexpected trouble
King Midas
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=CL9dkQq-9os
Let’s read his story!
King Midas…
• had the power to turn everything he
touched into gold.
Allusions to King Midas …
• Ron got a 100% on his Spelling test at school,
had persuaded his sister to take his turn
doing the dishes, and had just beat the 7th
level of Mario Brothers on the wii. “Today I
have the Midas touch!” he proclaimed.
• Meaning—whatever he or she does turns out
well
Nemesis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9faYaGdLS4
Let’s read her story!
Allusions to Nemesis…
• The New England Patriots are hoping to go to
the Super Bowl this year, especially since
their biggest nemesis (the Colts) will not be
going.
• Meaning—an enemy; something you are not
able to overcome
Cupid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNDmeLBljME
Let’s read his story!
Allusions to Cupid
I passed a note to Sally to tell her that Brad really liked
her. When the teacher found the note, she opened it
and read it. She told me there was no need to be
playing Cupid, since we were not allowed to have
boyfriends or girlfriends in 4th grade.
Meaning—To play matchmaker
My mom looked like she had been hit by Cupid’s arrow,
when my dad walked in with a large bouquet of
flowers.
Meaning—to fall in love
Questions?