Haas 1

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 183
Allusion Paragraph 1
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman who betrayed the God they were created by,
serve as an allusion to punishment. In accordance with the Book of Genesis, God, after creating
the world, formed the first man from dust on the ground and breathed the breath of life into him,
then he created the first woman from one of Adams ribs, and allowed them to stay in the Garden
of Eden. Within the garden, grew the the tree of the knowledge, of good and evil. God forbade
Adam and Eve to eat from the fruit of this tree. Eating the forbidden fruits resulted in God
punishing them by banishing them from the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve serve as a literary
allusion to punishment which is exemplified when God tells Eve, I will greatly multiply thy
sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children(qtd. in Delahunty, Dignen,
and Stock 316). Since Eve took the first bite of the apple then tempted Adam to eat, God
punished all women by creating the suffering of childbirth along with their banishment.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084

Haas 2
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 150
Allusion Paragraph 2
Icarus, a man who fell to his death because he flew too close to the sun, serves as an
allusion to those that fail due to excessive ambition. According to Greek Mythology, Daedalus
constructed wings for himself and his son Icarus to use in an attempt to escape Crete. During the
attempt, Icarus flew too close to the sun causing the wax which held the wings in place to melt.
Once the wax melted, Icarus fell to his death in the sea. An example of how Icarus can be used as
a literary allusion is in Jenny Diskis Happily Ever After(1991), He was Icarus now, and on the
very verge of challenging gravity, or Cod, depending how one looked at it(qtd. in Delahunty,
Dignen, and Stock 11). She is essentially implying that her characters failure is imminent due to
opposing a force as powerful as gravity or God.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015

Haas 3
Word Count: 154
Allusion Paragraph 3
Achilles, a Greek Trojan War hero whose only weak spot was his heel, serves as an
allusion to weakness. Achilles was born the son of Peleus and Thetis. During his infancy, his
mother dipped him into the River Styx, except the heel that she held him by. The effect that this
had on him was to make his body invulnerable save for his heel . Unfortunately, that weakness
was exploited by Paris who wounded him in battle by shooting a poisoned arrow into his
vulnerable heel. Achilles later died from his wound. An example of how Achilles can serve as an
allusion is written in The Observer(1997), It reveals a curious Achilles heel in the master
spindoctor: brilliant as he is at selling Labour, he is strangely bad at selling himself(qtd. in
Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 407). The Observer tells readers that the spin doctor's Achilles
heel is his inability to sell himself.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 198
Allusion Paragraph 4

Haas 4
Midas, the king of Phrygia who wished that everything he touched turned to gold, serves
as allusion to someone who is very rich or has a gift for making money. As stated in Greek
Mythology, Midas was the king of a country, now a part of Turkey, who was granted a wish by
Dionysus. He wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Once he realized the
downside of this wish was having his food turn to gold, he bathed in the River Pactolus to rid
himself of the gift. An illustration of how Midas can be an allusion is found in Garrison Keillors
Lake Wobegon Days(1985), Custom dictates that carolers be asked in and offered a cookie .. .
and so must any person who comes to your door, otherwise the spirit of Christmas will leave
your house, and even if you be as rich as Midas, your holiday will be sad and mean(qtd. in
Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 411). Keillors allusion to Midas is used to say that even if you are
rich in financial means like Midas, youll have a bad holiday if you dont show kindness to those
who come to your door.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.
Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 144
Allusion Paragraph 5

Haas 5
The Montagues and Capulets, the feuding families from Romeo and Juliet, serve as an
allusion to an enemy. In the story of the young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, a family feud that
started over an ancient grudge progressed to bloodshed. Romeo and Juliet belong to the opposing
families, Romeo, a Montague and Juliet, a Capulet. Its only when their feud caused the needless
death of their children that the families start to resolve their feud. One way that the Montagues
and Capulets serve as an allusion for an enemy is in Radio 4(1997), There were soon two
factions facing off like Montagues and Capulets(qtd. in Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 133).
Radio 4 is trying to tell people that the two factions, in their story, were engaging in a conflict
that could spawn potentially devastating consequences like those suffered by Montagues and
Capulets.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 153
Allusion Paragraph 6
Cruella De Vil, a rich villainess who wanted to make a fur coat out of puppies, serves as
an allusion to evil. In Dodie Smiths 101 Dalmations, Cruella is the main antagonist a villain

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who wishes to make puppies into fur coats. She intends to make a spotted fur coat by stealing
and skinning 99 dalmatian puppies.. Cruella is an allusion that is frequently used by writers. For
example, in Val McDermid's Star Struck (1988), Something terrible had happened to the
toughest office manager in Manchester. Imagine Cruella De Vil transformed into one of those
cuddly Dalmatian puppies, only more so. It was like watching Ben Nevis grovel. And could you
sign one, "for Ted"?' she begged(qtd. in Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 138). McDermids
allusion to Cruella is meant to showcase how the toughest office manager in Manchester,
someone who could be compared to Cruella, turned essentially into a meek helpless pup.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 163
Allusion Paragraph 7
Jesus, worshipped by Christians as the Son of God and Savior of Mankind, serves as
possibly the greatest allusion to forgiveness. Jesus, born to Mary and Joseph, was Gods only
begotten son. Throughout his life, he preached love, forgiveness and the coming of the kingdom
of God but, due to a betrayal by one of his disciples, was crucified, then died and was buried. He

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rose again on the third day and is now in the kingdom of God with his father. Christ alludes to
forgiveness in The Bible. While on the cross, Jesus says to God, Father, forgive them; for they
know not what they do(qtd. in Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 154). The quote reveals that Jesus,
while dying, asked God to mercy on his torturers. In Spite of Jesus teaching mankind love and
forgiveness leads to the kingdom of God, it was only thru the death of Jesus that mankind was
redeemed permitting him passage into the kingdom following death.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 210
Allusion Paragraph 8
The Prodigal Son, is a parable about a man who returned home after squandering the
fortune his father gave him. The story serves as an allusion to an repentant sinner. There was a
wealthy man who divided his fortune between his two sons. One of the sons left home and
wasted his share on lavish living. Subsequently, the son encountered famine and was required to
struggle at hard labor. Impoverished, he begged his father to allow him to return home even as a
servant. Upon returning home, his father welcomed him with open arms and held a feast in his

Haas 8
honor. The story offers an allusion that has been used by multiple writers, for example, Stephen
Crane wrote in his book Maggie: A Girl of the Streets(1893), Aye, she'll git tired of deh life atter
a while an' den she'll wanna be a-comin' home, won' she, deh beast! I'll let 'er in den, won' I?'
'Well, I didn't mean none of dis prod'gal bus'ness anyway,' explained Jimmie. 'It wa'n't no
prod'gal dauter, yeh fool,' said the mother. 'It was prod'gal son, anyhow(qtd. in Delahunty,
Dignen, and Stock 331). Crane is implying that Maggie is like the prodigal son and implies that
her parents will always welcome her home.
Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.
Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 149
Allusion Paragraph 9
Adolf Hitler, the anti semitic leader of the Nazi Party, serves as an allusion to tyrants or
despots. Adolf, born in Austria, eventually gained enough political power to become Chancellor
of Germany in 1933 and established the Third Reich. Under his command, the Second World
War commenced and his views concerning Jews led to the Holocaust. Due to his views and
control of the populace, thousands lost their lives and eventually Germany lost the war. One
instance where Hitler serves as an effective allusion is in Peter Loveseys The Summons(1995),
Little Hitlers, every one, Diamond thought. How does anything ever get decided these days?

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Maybe on the orders of a bigger Hitler, like me(qtd. in Delahunty, Dignen, and Stock 112). In
The Summons, Lovesey implies that Diamond is like Hitler, a despot, and the Little Hitlers could
be compared to those decision makers under his supervision and control.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

Jenna Haas
English 101H CRN 14084
Professor McKeever
12 October 2015
Word Count: 205
Allusion Paragraph 10
Merlin, the wizard who served as mentor and counsellor to King Arthur in the Arthurian
Legends, serves as an allusion to a wise counsellor. Merlin was a prophet who helped Uther
conceive Arthur with Igraine through the use of his powers and became Arthurs tutor. He
directed the Lady of the Lake to present Arthur with the sword, excalibur, and created the round
table. Merlin aided and directed events in the kingdom and Arthur. When Arthur was dying he
accompanied him to Avalon in the hopes of healing his wounds. One representation of how
Merlin can be used as an allusion is in The Observer(1997), The Blair government is well aware
of this, which is why it has embarked on a wholesale overhaul of our constitutional
arrangements. In this light, the plan for a London mayor is distinct from the soccer and drugs

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appointments. We need a new democratic framework that can engage an active citizenry who can
then dispense, for the most part, with the ministrations of modern Merlins(qtd. in Delahunty,
Dignen, and Stock 417). The Observer is noting that the Blair government wants to become an
enhanced democracy assisted by a citizenry with the wisdom of the wise and loyal Merlin.

Works Cited
Delahunty, Andrew, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock. The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions. New
York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.