University:
Concordia University Wisconsin
Course:
ENG 1300 | Literature
Academic year:

2022
Views:

384

Pages:

2
Author:

esfredint7qo

Literary Studies and Writing 30 April 2023 Allusions and Apostrophes in Literature: What They Are, and Their Power Allusions are references made in literature or speech to other people, events, or works of literature that the audience is expected to be familiar with. An allusion is not an explicit reference, but a subtle mention that draws from pop culture or common knowledge. Allusions can be historical, mythological, biblical, literary, or pop cultural in nature and are often used to enrich the meaning of a literary work or to invoke deeper emotions from the audience. By using allusions, writers and speakers can tap into the mutual knowledge of their audience to create powerful works of art and communication. An example of an allusion is the term “Achilles’ heel.” This is a commonly used term in literature used to describe one’s weakness. For example, “the man’s endurance was his Achilles’ heel.” In this this sentence, the use of “Achilles’ heel” alludes to the story of Achilles from ancient Greek mythology, and compares the man’s weakness, being his endurance, to Achilles’ weakness, being his ankle. Another example of an allusion is “we’ve got an Einstein in our class.” This alludes to the intelligence of the student referenced in class, comparing the student to Einstein, a very intelligent prominent historical figure. In literature, an apostrophe is a literary technique in which a writer addresses a person, object, or abstract idea that is not present or capable of responding. Apostrophes are often used to convey strong emotions, such as love, anger, or despair, and to create a sense of intimacy or urgency between the speaker and the object of their address. This technique is commonly used in poetry and songwriting, where it can create a powerful and emotional effect, but it can also be used in other forms of literature such as prose and drama. By using apostrophes, writers can give voice to their thoughts and feelings, and imbue their writing with a sense of immediacy and passion. An example of an apostrophe can be found in The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” In the first two lines of the song, the character of Jude is urged to not “make it bad,” and to “take a sad song and make it better,” even though this character is absent and has no capability of responding (The Beatles 2). “Come on, phone! Please give me a ring!” is a second example of an apostrophe. The phone, which is the subject, is being spoken to even though it cannot respond, creating a sense of urgency.

Allusions and Apostrophes in Literature

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