Allusion
A statement that refers to something without mentioning it directly
There are three things to keep in mind when understanding allusion:
1. It is a comparison, intended to help you visualize an intended point
2. It references something that is well known (and if you don't know the object to which the allusion refers, you don't understand the allusion)
3. It is figurative
Here are some examples:
Theirs was a true Cinderella story.
Identify - The sentence is alluding to the Cinderella fairy tale.
Understand - Cinderella is a romantic story of love at first sight.
Apply - The couple's relationship was based on romance and true love.
The scary monster had pointy green fangs and Medusa hair.
Identify - The sentence is alluding to the mythic beast Medusa who had snakes for hair.
Understand - Medusa's hair was a mess of wild live snakes,
Apply - The monster's hair was a wild mass of thick curls.
There are many allusions from Greek mythology. We are going to study them and report back on what those allusions mean in today's contexts.
1. It is a comparison, intended to help you visualize an intended point
2. It references something that is well known (and if you don't know the object to which the allusion refers, you don't understand the allusion)
3. It is figurative
Here are some examples:
Theirs was a true Cinderella story.
Identify - The sentence is alluding to the Cinderella fairy tale.
Understand - Cinderella is a romantic story of love at first sight.
Apply - The couple's relationship was based on romance and true love.
The scary monster had pointy green fangs and Medusa hair.
Identify - The sentence is alluding to the mythic beast Medusa who had snakes for hair.
Understand - Medusa's hair was a mess of wild live snakes,
Apply - The monster's hair was a wild mass of thick curls.
There are many allusions from Greek mythology. We are going to study them and report back on what those allusions mean in today's contexts.