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Literary Devices
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 Born a Crime
Chapter 9
Explanation and Analysis—Planet of the Apes:
As an introduction to a more detailed account of his time in Eden Park, a suburban colored neighborhood in Johannesburg, Noah teaches the reader about the origins of South Africa's "colored" (mixed-race) population. With metaphorical language and a humorous allusion, Noah details this population's struggles:
Colored people had it rough. Imagine: You’ve been brainwashed into believing that your blood is tainted. You’ve spent all your time assimilating and aspiring to whiteness. Then, just as you think you’re closing in on the finish line, some fucking guy named Nelson Mandela comes along and flips the country on its head. Now the finish line is back where the starting line was, and the benchmark is black. Black is in charge. Black is beautiful. Black is powerful. For centuries colored people were told: Blacks are monkeys. Don’t swing from the trees like them. Learn to walk upright like the white man. Then all of a sudden it’s Planet of the Apes, and the monkeys have taken over.
Related Themes:
Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis—The Flintstones:
In the preface to Chapter 11, Noah describes his mother's unmatched efforts to conserve gas, not only out of need but also out of principle. Noah uses an allusion to articulate the frustration he sometimes feels toward his mother:
Unlock with LitCharts A+There were times when we would be in traffic and we had so little money for petrol that I would have to push the car. If we were stuck in gridlock, my mom would turn the car off and it was my job to get out and push it forward six inches at a time. […] That was some of the most embarrassing shit in my life, pushing the car to school like the fucking Flintstones. […] I’d take my blazer off so that no one could tell what school I went to, and I would bury my head and push the car, hoping no one would recognize me.
Related Themes:
Chapter 16
Explanation and Analysis—Grand Central Station:
When Noah accompanies his friend Sizwe to Alexandra after school one day, he passes through the bus station. With an allusion and paradox, Noah depicts the station's bustling nature:
Unlock with LitCharts A+At the entrance to Alex there’s the huge minibus rank and the bus station. It’s the same bustling, chaotic third-world marketplace you see in James Bond and Jason Bourne movies. It’s Grand Central Station but outdoors. Everything’s dynamic. Everything’s in motion. Nothing feels like it was there yesterday, and nothing feels like it will be there tomorrow, but every day it looks exactly the same.
Related Themes:
