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Questions and Answers
What is fire often associated with in terms of emotions?
What is the symbolic meaning of the color white?
What is the symbolic meaning of autumn in terms of human life?
What is the symbolic meaning of darkness?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the evergreen tree?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the raven?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the desert?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the window?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the color green?
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What is the symbolic meaning of the hawk?
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Study Notes
Allusion
- An allusion is a reference or mention of a person, event, statement, piece of art, history, myths, religion, or popular culture
- It is an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing, or to a part of another text
- Based on the assumption that there is a body of knowledge shared by the author and the reader
- The word "allusion" comes from the Latin word "allusio", meaning "a play on words" or "game"
Examples of Allusions
- In "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost, the line "So Eden sank to grief" is an allusion to the Biblical Garden of Eden
- In "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis, the story of Aslan's resurrection is an allusion to the resurrection of Jesus Christ
- In "Illicit Affairs" by Taylor Swift, the line "Take the road less traveled by" is an allusion to Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken"
Common Allusions
- Hercules (or Herculean) - strength
- Pandora's Box - big consequences or trouble
- Cupid - love or romance
- Garden of Eden - paradise, beauty, and/or downfall
- Noah/Noah's Ark - big or impossible tasks
- David and Goliath - underdog story
- Tower of Babel - tragic end or downfall
Symbolism
- Symbols are words, people, marks, locations, or abstract ideas that represent something beyond the literal meaning
- Symbols always have a literal meaning and a figurative meaning
Examples of Symbolism
- In "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost, fire symbolizes consuming emotions like jealousy and desire, while ice symbolizes destructive emotions like hate and indifference
- Colors as conventional symbols:
- Red: blood, passion, emotion, danger
- Black: passivity, death, evil
- White: innocence, purity, light
- Green: new life, fertility, hope
- Yellow: caution, decay, old age
- Blue: peace, serenity, eternity
- Nature as conventional symbols:
- Spring: birth, new beginning
- Summer: maturity, knowledge
- Autumn: decline, nearing death
- Winter: death, sleep, hibernation
- Weather as conventional symbols:
- Mist: isolation, confusion, obscurity
- Rain: sadness or despair
- Wind and Storms: violent human emotions
- Thunder: God's wrath, punishment
- Animals as conventional symbols:
- Fox: slyness, cleverness
- Raven: death, destruction, impending doom
- Hawk: sharp, keen eyesight
- Owl: Wisdom
- Settings as conventional symbols:
- Desert: isolation, alienation, loneliness
- Window: freedom or lack thereof
- Door: opportunity
- Park: place for retreat and renewal
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Description
This quiz covers the concept of allusions in literature, including their definition, characteristics, and examples. Learn about the reference to people, events, art, history, myths, and popular culture.
