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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
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Explanation and Analysis—Camus and the Stones:
Barnes uses philosophical and cultural allusions throughout The Sense of an Ending. One of the most significant is Adrian's frequent reference to the French philosopher Albert Camus. While discussing their schoolmate Robson's suicide, Adrian says:
Camus said that suicide was the only true philosophical question.
This allusion situates Adrian's thinking in the existentialist tradition, questioning the meaning and value of life. By invoking Camus, Barnes frames both Robson's and Adrian's suicides as part of a larger philosophical debate about how to live.
The novel also draws on cultural allusions that root Tony's narration in his youth. Reflecting on his student days, Tony recalls singing along to The Rolling Stones:
"Ti-yi-yi-yime is on my side, yes it is," I used to yodel, duetting with Mick Jagger as I gyrated alone in my student room.
This reference underscores the motif of time, showing how Tony, in adolescence, believed that time was on his side, that he had limitless opportunities and that life would unfold in his favor. In hindsight, the allusion is somewhat ironic. Tony comes to realize that time is not a benevolent ally but an inexorable current that leaves him with regret and unrest.
By drawing both on philosophy and pop culture, Barnes mirrors the novel's dual concerns: abstract, existential questions about life and death and the ordinary cultural fabric of a young man's coming of age.
Related Themes:
