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Allegory
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Key Examples in A Visit from the Goon Squad
Chapter 9: Forty-Minute Lunch: Kitty Jackson Opens Up About Love, Fame, and Nixon!
Explanation and Analysis—Movie Stars:
Throughout Jules's profile of the fictional movie star Kitty Jackson in Chapter 9, he mentions real-life actors in her social and professional circle. These allusions make the fictional Jules and Kitty participate in real-world pop culture and celebrity commentary.
In the introduction to his magazine article, Jules draws upon a range of references to 21st-century celebrities, positioning himself as someone who exists and participates in the same popular culture as the reader. He begins by comparing Kitty favorably to the real-life Matt Damon and Ralph Fiennes:
It is instantly clear that Kitty belongs in the category of nice stars (Matt Damon) rather than of difficult stars (Ralph Fiennes).
Related Themes:
Chapter 11: Good-bye, My Love
Explanation and Analysis—Pompeii:
Chapter 11, told in the perspective of Ted Hollander, takes place in the Italian city of Naples, in close proximity to the historic ruins of Pompeii. This historical allusion casts a shadow over the course of Ted's journey to find his runaway niece, Sasha.
Pompeii, an ancient Roman city devastated by the volcanic eruption of the nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, remained preserved throughout history beneath layers of ash. The ruins of Pompeii provide the backdrop for Ted's search for Sasha. At the beginning of Chapter 11, Ted tours the site. Pompeii to him expresses an irreconcilable conflict between the beauty of its visual art and the human suffering surrounding it:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Today he ignored his resolve to begin looking for Sasha and visited the ruins of Pompeii, observing early Roman wall paintings and small, prone bodies scattered like Easter eggs among the columned courtyards.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Orpheus and Eurydice:
Chapter 11 features numerous allusions to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, an ancient Greek myth about a husband who, in a fatal error, loses his wife forever to the underworld. Both the story itself and the relief located in Museo Nazionale depicting the characters are significant to Ted: they allow him to find meaning during his mission to retrieve Sasha.
Partway through Chapter 11, the relief of Orpheus and Eurydice expresses for Ted the inescapable truth that their mission—and his mission—are doomed:
Unlock with LitCharts A+It was the moment before Eurydice must descend to the underworld a second time, when she and Orpheus are saying goodbye. [...] He sensed between them an understanding too deep to articulate: the unspeakable knowledge that everything is lost.
Related Themes:
