ShmoopTube

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[Coop and Dino singing]

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Good writers always have a few tricks up their sleeves. [Man pulls ace of clubs card under his sleeve]

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When crafting a story, there’s nothing wrong with being... straightforward.

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But every once in a while it’s nice to throw something unexpected in there…

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…to spice things up, or to make a reader look at a situation in a slightly different way. [Woman outside a house in a mist of red smoke]

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Enter: allusions.

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An allusion is a reference to some commonly known story or event…

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…that can be compared to the situation at hand to drive a point home for the reader. [Dino explaining meaning of allusion]

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Like…say you’re reading a story about a woman who the author describes as incredibly beautiful.

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This character might be described as “an Aphrodite among mortals.”

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Well, you may need to brush up on your Greek mythology… [Hand picks up greek mythology book]

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…or learn it for the first time…

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…but Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

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By comparing the character in the story to this recognizable figure…

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…the author prompts us to instantly draw connections in our head. [Person draws on a boys brain]

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In fact, he doesn’t even need to tell us she’s beautiful…

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…just by saying she’s an “Aphrodite” tells us everything we need to know.

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Although…it would be nice if he clarified whether or not she’s hanging out on a giant seashell...[Girl stood in a giant seashell]

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A writer can draw an allusion to….well, pretty much anyone or anything that’s part

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of the public consciousness. By that we mean…any person, place or thing,

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animal or mineral, that 9 out of 10 people would probably be able to pick out of a lineup. [The joker and police officer picking a suspect out of a line up]

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An allusion to something from the Bible, for example, would totally work.

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If you’re trying to describe a place that’s lush and beautiful, you might call it a “Garden of Eden.” [Rabbit hops towards the stream in a meadow]

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It works, because nearly everyone – even

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those who don’t consider the Bible a holy book – are at least familiar with Eden. [Man with Ghandi's head thinking of the garden of eden]

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On the other hand, making an allusion to London’s Richmond Park…

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…is probably not a smart move. Everyone who lives within three blocks of

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the place will definitely pick up what you’re laying down… [Man reading A Walk in the Park book and scratches head]

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…but everyone else on Earth will be left scratching their heads.

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So don’t forget to include allusions in your bag of tricks.

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Just…be sure you don’t hide them in the same compartment as the doves. [Man with a bag of tricks and doves fly out]

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They do not get along.

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