DevicesIntermediate
Allusion
A reference to another work, figure, or event that imports its meaning.
Principle
An allusion succeeds only if the reader can hear the second voice.
Takeaways
- The reference must land for at least the implied reader.
- Lazy allusion borrows weight without earning context.
- Misjudged allusion patronises or excludes.
Overview
Allusion brings outside material — myth, scripture, prior art, history — into the text without retelling it. The economy of allusion is that the reader supplies the missing context themselves.
Examples
- A character carries a single apple in their bag through a chapter about temptation.
- A funeral procession echoes a famous painting.
- A line of dialogue quotes a song without naming it.