Allusion

Base XP: 30

Allusion is closely related to symbolism. Like conventional symbols, allusion relies on a commonly held knowledge of something.

If a poet starts off quoting a line from a popular nursery rhyme, for example, chances are good the readers will know it and be able to fill in what happens after that line. With that in their minds, they'll read the poem and consider how the whole nursery rhyme comments on the content of the poem.

If a poet starts off quoting a line from a popular nursery rhyme, for example, chances are good the readers will know it and be able to fill in what happens after that line. With that in their minds, they'll read the poem and consider how the whole nursery rhyme comments on the content of the poem.


Listen to El Jones read her poem

"Ever After."

  1. What is she alluding to in this poem?

  2. How is she making the allusion?

  3. What's the effect of listening to a poem written this way?

  • Record your answers to the three questions posed above.

  • Compare/contrast them with the answers provided here, and reflect on the differences.

      • What surprised you?

      • How challenging was this activity?

      • Is it getting any easier as you complete more quests of this nature?

      • What allowed or prevented you from connecting to this poem?

      • Are any of your responses more interesting/different than those provided?

  • Be sure to add Allusion to your Exam Study section in Class Notebook!

Submit your response(s) to the Allusion Response dropbox.