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Seventh Grade Understanding Allusions Activity

The document discusses the concept of allusion, defined as an indirect reference to significant cultural or historical elements that require reader knowledge for full understanding. It emphasizes the role of allusions in literature as a shorthand for conveying ideas and insights, similar to figurative language. Examples of literary allusions are provided to illustrate their purpose and significance in enhancing narrative depth.

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13 views2 pages

Seventh Grade Understanding Allusions Activity

The document discusses the concept of allusion, defined as an indirect reference to significant cultural or historical elements that require reader knowledge for full understanding. It emphasizes the role of allusions in literature as a shorthand for conveying ideas and insights, similar to figurative language. Examples of literary allusions are provided to illustrate their purpose and significance in enhancing narrative depth.

Uploaded by

Nahla's Online Courses
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Understanding Allusions

“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and
put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn, and they make new and
curious combinations.”

Mark Twain

Do you agree or disagree with Twain? What might this mean for authors?

What Is an Allusion?

An allusion is a passing, often indirect, reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of


historical or cultural significance. It is a phrase or expression that makes reference to
something outside of the text being read or watched. Usually, the reader/audience has
to make the connection on their own about what the writer is alluding to. For example,
saying: “I must get home before midnight, or I’ll turn into a pumpkin,” is an allusion to
the fairy tale of “Cinderella.”Allusions rely on our general knowledge; if we don’t know this
fairy tale, we won’t realize what is being referred to here, so our understanding of the text
will be less profound.

Allusion synonyms: reference mention citation

Rewrite the definition of allusion in your own words.

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Spotting Literary Allusions
Writers allude to earlier texts as a shorthand way of sharing an idea. It is a form of
figurative language, granting readers insight through comparison, not entirely dissimilar
to similes and metaphors. Allusions are not always easy to spot because they are not
detailed, and they rely on readers possessing the knowledge to grasp their significance. To
allude to something is to subtly hint at it.
Are you able to identify the allusions in the following excerpts and the purpose that
they serve? Write responses giving as full an explanation as you can. The first excerpt is
provided for you as an example.

Excerpt Explanation/Reference
She knew the teacher had said “Please, sir, I want some more” is a famous line from
everyone could only have one Charles Dickens’s novel “Oliver Twist.” The student
piece of pizza, but she was still was using this line to emphasize how hungry she was
hungry. She walked up with the and how much she wanted more pizza because Oliver
most pleading look and said, Twist was a starving orphan when he said this line in
“Please, sir, I want some more!” the story.

As he surveyed the plans, his


mind drifted inexorably toward
how stumped everyone would be
with this escape room challenge.
It was a mystery plot that would
have made Agatha Christie proud.

Sometimes, her boyfriend was


so frustrating! He thought he
was Jay Gatsby, so smooth,
but really, he was just bad at
communicating!
She definitely enjoyed traveling,
but the length of this trip, with
all the delays, was getting
ridiculous! She imagined very
soon she would see the Sirens or
Charybdis out the window.

He flattered himself that he was


a Romeo when, in reality, he
was an Iago.

He was strong, yes, but planks


had always been his Achilles heel.

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