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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 Fahrenheit 451
Part 1
Explanation and Analysis—Benjamin Franklin:
In Part 1, the firefighter's handbook contains an ironically incorrect allusion to early American history.
Stoneman and Black drew forth their rule books, which also contained brief histories of the Firemen of America, and laid them out where Montag, though long familiar with them, might read: Established, 1790, to burn English-influenced books in the Colonies. First Fireman: Benjamin Franklin.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Heretics:
In Part 1, the oddly well-read Beatty explains a historical allusion to his baffled coworkers:
Unlock with LitCharts A+“Master Ridley,” said Montag at last. “What?” said Beatty. “She said, ‘Master Ridley.’ She said some crazy thing when we came in the door. ‘Play the man,’ she said, ‘Master Ridley.’ Something, something, something.” “‘We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out,’” said Beatty. Stoneman glanced over at the Captain, as did Montag, startled. Beatty rubbed his chin. “A man named Latimer said that to a man named Nicholas Ridley, as they were being burnt alive at Oxford, for heresy, on October 16, 1555.”
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Radicals:
Fahrenheit 451 is full of allusions to literature. Bradbury doesn't just want readers to imagine books being burned; he wants them to understand exactly which geniuses humanity is losing access to by giving in to censorship. In Part 1, as Guy worries about the nature of his job to Mildred, he alludes to several canonical authors.
Unlock with LitCharts A+“We burned copies of Dante and Swift and Marcus Aurelius.” “Wasn’t he a European?” “Something like that.” “Wasn’t he a radical?” “I never read him.” “He was a radical."
Related Themes:
Part 3
Explanation and Analysis—The Phoenix:
In Part 3, Granger alludes to the ancient, cross-cultural myth of the Phoenix.
Unlock with LitCharts A+There was a silly damn bird called a Phoenix back before Christ, every few hundred years he built a pyre and burned himself up. He must have been first cousin to Man. But every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like we’re doing the same thing, over and over, but we’ve got one damn thing the Phoenix never had. We know the damn silly thing we just did. We know all the damn silly things we’ve done for a thousand years and as long as we know that and always have it around where we can see it, some day we’ll stop making the goddam funeral pyres and jumping in the middle of them.
