ALLUSION
A literary device which
authors use as a means to
refer or to make reference
to a historical event,
famous individual,
landmark, or well‐known
work of art/literature.
Why Use Allusions?
Hypotheses
What might be an author’s
PURPOSE in choosing to
reference a historical
event, famous individual,
landmark, or well-known
work of art/literature?
It was such an obvious
lie– I was surprised his
nose didn’t start growing.
•Where did this come from?
•What is its intended purpose?
She was on a diet, but
french fries were her
Achilles’ heal.
•Where did this come from?
•What is its intended purpose?
I’m just a regular guy. I wasn’t
born on Krypton, and I can’t
leap tall buildings in a single
bound.
•Where did this come from?
•What is its intended purpose?
On his trip to Hawaii, he
was amazed by the
beauty of the island– it
was like the Garden of
Eden.
•Where did this come from?
•What is its intended purpose?
Why Use Allusions?
REFLECTION
Having seen some examples,
What might be an author’s
PURPOSE in choosing to
reference a historical event,
famous individual,
landmark, or well-known
work of art/literature?
Adapted From:
"Allusions, Slang, and Literary
Analogies."Allusions, Slang, and
Literary Analogies. N.p., n.d. Web. 8
Oct. 2014.