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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 East of Eden
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Fruitful:
Steinbeck models the first chapter of East of Eden after the creation story in Genesis. Each passage describes a different group of people who've lived in California's Salinas Valley, mirroring the language in Genesis used to describe each day of God's "creation." In Chapter 1, these subtle descriptive elements compliment the frequent allusions and metaphors:
Farmholds spread over the land, first in the valleys and then up the foothill slopes, small wooden houses roofed with redwood shakes, corrals of split poles. Wherever a trickle of water came out of the ground a house sprang up and a family began to grow and multiply.
Related Themes:
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Going Low:
In the following excerpt from Chapter 3, Cyrus Trask delivers yet another of his military monologues to Adam, explaining his reasons for forcing Adam to enlist. Cyrus uses biblical language in his justification, alluding to multiple passages:
Unlock with LitCharts A+There are others who go down, submerge in the common slough, and then rise more themselves than they were . . . . If you can go down so low, you will be able to rise higher than you can conceive, and you will know a holy joy, a companionship almost like that of a heavenly company of angels.
Related Themes:
Chapter 8
Explanation and Analysis—Law and Morality:
Chapter 8 documents several of Cathy's sins as a young child, including the murder and immolation of her parents. Cathy herself disappears after the murder, leaving the police to scramble for a scapegoat to charge with her crimes. The police do indeed choose a man—one with some kind of intellectual disability, such that he confesses to anything the police ask him about. After the trial, the judge scolds the police for this, using both hyperbole and Biblical allusion to explain why the officer's actions were wrong:
Unlock with LitCharts A+"He would have admitted climbing the golden stairs and cutting Saint Peter's throat with a bowling ball," the judge said. "Be more careful, Mike. The law was designed to save, not to destroy."
Related Themes:
Chapter 15
Explanation and Analysis—Othello's Handkerchief:
In Chapter 15, Samuel accompanies Adam to the Trask farm to search for water. As he tells Samuel about his plans for the land, Adam begins to speak about Cathy, whom he nearly idolizes. For Adam, Cathy represents a break in monotony and a reason to live. Samuel criticizes this sentiment, alluding to the Shakespearean tragedy Othello:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Samuel said satirically, "It's my duty to take this thing of yours and kick it in the face, then raise it up and spread slime on it thick enough to blot out its dangerous light." His voice grew strong with vehemence. "I should hold it up to you muck-covered and show you its dirt and danger. I should ask you to think of inconstancy and give you examples. I should give you Othello's handkerchief."
Related Themes:
