What is an allusion? Definition and examples
What is an allusion?
An allusion is a common or well-known reference to something, such as a person, event, thing, or place. An allusion should hint at something without explicitly saying what it is. In other words, an allusion should be indirect.
A common allusion is found in pop culture is kryptonite, a fictional material which is also Superman's greatest weakness.
If I say chocolate is my kryptonite, this suggests that I struggle to resist temptation when I see a bar of chocolate. I'm not saying outright that if you give me chocolate my willpower will weaken and I will somehow defy gravity to devour the whole block in thirty seconds flat, but I am alluding to this by referencing kryptonite.
Common types of allusion
Allusions come in all shapes and forms, but most stem from the following five categories:
Pop culture: kryptonite (Superman), phone a friend (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire), light the fires of Gondor (Lord of the Rings)
Historical: Martin Luther King Jr. and "I Have a Dream", Uncle Sam
Mythological: Achilles' heel, Cupid, Pandora's box, muse
Literary: Romeo and Juliet, Catch-22, go down the rabbit hole
Religious: the Garden of Eden, the cross, Cain and Abel, the Good Samaritan
Examples of allusion
Chocolate is my kryptonite (implying chocolate is their greatest weakness).
She's the Beyonce of the acting world (implying she is as famous and respected as Beyonce is in the music world).
He considers himself the Cupid of this school (implying he is always trying to set people up in romantic relationships).
If only I could click my heels and be free of this whole mess (referencing The Wizard of Oz where the main character clicks her heels to return home).
I wouldn't open the fridge if I were you. That'd be like opening Pandora's box (implying there is something gross, probably off food, in the fridge and opening it will cause more harm than good).
Allusion in literature
Allusions are a common feature in literature and in speeches.
In Moby Dick by Herman Melville, the narrating character is called Ishmael. In fact, the first line of the novel is "Call me Ishmael". This is an allusion to Ishmael, a biblical figure who is the oldest son of Abraham. Both the biblical Ishmael and the Moby Dick Ishmael go through a similar journey: they are exiled from their homes and are miraculously rescued.
Shakespeare was also an avid user of allusions. In "Romeo and Juliet" we can find:
“Well, in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit
With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit.”
Cupid, of course, is an allusion to the Roman god of desire while Dian refers to the Roman goddess of virginity.
Finally, Haruki Murakami uses allusion in the title of his novel 1Q84. This allusion is interesting as while most readers can pick up the reference to George Orwell's novel 1984, the Q has a special meaning here which requires knowledge of the Japanese language to fully comprehend. In Japanese, the number 9 in Japanese is pronounced 'kyuu' (i.e., Q).
What's the difference between an allusion and an analogy?
An analogy compares two things, while an allusion is a reference to something.
How to use allusion in fiction writing
Consider your audience
When creating allusions for your writing, it's important you use allusions that your readers will be familiar with. Especially when you're writing for an international audience, commonly understood references don't always translate well and a misunderstood allusion can frustrate readers.
For example, an allusion to a famous American football player may not resonate with an Australian audience but an allusion to Frodo and Samwise's friendship from Lord of the Rings will be suitable for your typical fantasy reader. However, as we saw in the 1Q84 example, sometimes readers can pick up on the meaning without knowing the full story.
Be mindful of time limitations
It's also important to consider if your allusion will still be relevant the years after your book is released. Many historical allusions have gone through the test of time already but pop culture allusions are less predictable.
Who knows if Moo Deng and Pesto the penguin will be remembered five years down the track! (If you are reading this article after 2024 and have no idea who these little guys are, I recommend you Google them because they are cute).
Explore complex ideas
Despite the limitations we've explored so far, allusions are a powerful tool as they can explain complex ideas or themes in a few short words which would otherwise take sentences or paragraphs to explain.
Calling one of your characters the Shakespeare of their generation shows your readers so much about your character: they are talented, they have mastered their craft, their work will likely be considered "timeless", and they've experienced both commercial and critical success.
This description also paints a much more vivid picture than saying they are a great writer.
Make your characters relatable
Allusions also make your characters more relatable to your readers. While your readers won't know much about your characters when they've just started your novel, they will know who Shakespeare is and the gravity of his literary success.
Highlight your novel's overarching themes
Finally, allusions allow you to weave ideas across your novel and reference the overarching message you are trying to share with your readers. Allusions can foreshadow, evoke imagery, give insight into who your characters are and show how you as a writer see the world.
Consider your point of view
Depending on your chosen writing style and point of view, allusions should reflect the viewpoint of your narrator or point of view character.
If you are writing a fantasy novel set in a different universe to the one we live in, be careful that your allusions make sense to the characters in your world as well as your readers.
Saying your character is like Shakespeare when no Shakespeare exists in your world will pull your readers out of the story.
How to create your own allusions
Creating allusion can be tricky, especially when your novel exists in another world or universe. A good use of allusion in these situations is to create an internal allusion based on your worldbuilding. Let's say a city in the north of your world is home to a celebrity knight called Sir Pesto (yes, that is an allusion to Pesto the penguin).
If your main character then travels to a different city in the south and meets another celebrity knight called Sir Moo Deng, they might think to themselves that Sir Moo Deng must be the Sir Pesto of this region. This will create an "in joke" with your readers and make them feel like experts in your world.
Conclusion
As the verb form of allusion (allude) suggests, an allusion alludes to something without explicitly stating what this something is. When creating allusions, keep in mind what is understood as an allusion may change over time. However, as we saw with the 1Q84 example, if your allusion is well known, your readers may not need to comprehend the full story to understand your allusion.