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What Is an Allusion in Literature? (Definition)

An allusion is a reference to something outside a work of literature that the author assumes the reader will recognize. Often allusions will refer to other works of literature, history, religion, or mythology. An allusion could be named directly or it could be a connection a reader would only know to make from knowing the source material well. Allusions make the reader think of something outside the world of the story that offers another layer of meaning. It’s an elegant way for authors to connect what’s happening in the story with something the reader already knows. 

Examples of Allusions

Example 1: Lord of the Flies

Then, amid the roar of bees in the afternoon sunlight, Simon found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands. When he had satisfied them he paused and looked round. The littluns watched him inscrutably over double handfuls of ripe fruit. (Chapter 3)

Although William Golding doesn’t state the source directly, Simon handing fruit to the “littluns” is an allusion to Christ feeding the multitudes in the New Testament of the Bible. This allusion suggests that Simon should be seen as a Christ-like figure, and the reader may assume not just that Simon is kind, but that, like Christ, he is doomed to die.

Example 2: The Handmaid's Tale

Sometimes I sing to myself, in my head; something lugubrious, mournful, presbyterian: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound Could save a wretch like me, Who once was lost, but now am found, Was bound, but now am free. (Chapter 10) 

This an allusion to the popular Christian hymn “Amazing Grace,” but Offred alters the last line, which actually says, “Was blind but now I see.” When the allusion is subtly changed , it calls the reader’s attention to what was changed, and why. Here, changing “blind ... see” to “bound ... free” highlights Offred’s imprisonment, showing that it’s not her blindness, but the cruelty of society, that prevents her from attaining the grace of God.

Example 3: 1984 

And for good reason, for hardly a week passed in which the Times did not carry a paragraph describing how some eavesdropping little sneak—“child hero” was the phrase generally used—had overhead some compromising remark and denounced his parents to the Thought Police. (Book One: Chapter II) 

This is a historical allusion to The Times of London, a newspaper that began circulating in the late 1700s and is one of the UK’s most respected publications. Its real-life focus on quality journalism without government or political propaganda contrasts sharply with Orwell’s depiction of a sensationalist paper. 

Common Misunderstandings about Allusions 

Allusions differ from figurative language like similes and metaphors. Similes and metaphors directly compare one thing with another (for example, “He was as sneaky as a fox”). Allusions, on the other hand, refer to a specific thing that’s external to the text, as another way of making that connection.  

Why Do Allusions Matter? 

Understanding the allusions that an author uses can unlock deeper meaning in the text. Sometimes an allusion invites comparison to another situation or character; other times, it highlights the differences between them. When a reader decodes an allusion, it connects the author and reader in a shared making of meaning. Allusions create a conversation between readers, the text, and other works that brings literature to life.

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