AP Literature & Composition:Literary Allusions

Allusion:

A brief, symbolic reference to a well-known or familiar:-person-place-event-literary work-author-work of art-historical event-musical work-film or movie

Allusions make us ask the question:

What does this remind me of?

Types of Allusions:

Biblical: referring to the Bible or a religious work

Classical: referring to Classical Literature (i.e. Greek/Roman myths)

Literary: referring to another literary work

Historical: referring to an event/person in history

Allusions are Everywhere:

But you must know the reference in order to understand the allusion!

The Simpsons…

Allusions are most common today in hip-hop music:

Lauryn Hill – “Everything is Everything”

I philosophyPossibly speak tonguesBeat drum, Abyssinian, street BaptistRap this in fine linenFrom the beginningMy practice extending across the atlasI begat thisFlippin' in the ghetto on a dirty mattressYou can't match this rapper / actressMore powerful than two CleopatrasBomb graffiti on the tomb of NefertitiMCs ain't ready to take it to the SerengetiMy rhymes is heavy like the mind of Sister BettyL. Boogie spars with stars and constellationsThen came down for a little conversationAdjacent to the king, fear no human beingRoll with cherubims to Nassau ColiseumNow hear this mixtureWhere hip hop meets scriptureDevelop a negative into a positive picture

First, you must identify the allusions:

Abyssinia: historical name for Ethiopia, in AfricaBaptist: a Christian religion Atlas: comes from Greek mythology!Cleopatra: queen of ancient EgyptNefertiti: the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (later Akhenaten), and mother-in-law of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Serengeti: the African grasslandsSister Betty: (Betty Shabazz), Malcom X’s wifeNassau Coliseum: a musical venue in NY!

Why do writers and musicians use allusions?

A quick allusion can create a mood in just a few words, rather than using a long explanation.Allusions help writers and musicians relate to their audiences.Combinations of allusions can contribute to a certain THEME or MOTIF. For example, a musician may use a number of Biblical allusions to make a statement about his own religious beliefs.

Why did Lauryn Hill use those allusions in her song, ‘Everything is Everything’?

The chorus of Lauryn Hill’s song states, “What is meant to be will be…changes come eventually”.The allusions she used in her song remind us of ancient Africa, and important events in black history.The statement she makes is about roots and about important changes for her people, which all of the allusions gives us clues to.

HOMEWORK This Weekend

Look for allusions in your everyday life: TV, movies, music, advertising, conversations, etc.

Make a list of them along with the type (Biblical, Classical, Literary, Historical).

Be prepared to share one of them with the class on Monday ( :

AP Literature Group Allusions Project

Put a check mark next to all the stories you know well enough to explain to someone else. Put an X next to stories you do not know.

ARTHURIAN

BIBLICAL

CLASSICAL/

MYTHOLOGICAL

FAIRY TALES

AP Literature Group Allusions Project

Your group will be assigned a set of allusions that you will learn and know well. You may read whatever sources you wish: children’s tales, the Bible, encyclopedias, or reference books. I highly recommend Edith Hamilton’s Mythology as a good overview of Greek and Roman myths. There are also hundreds of books on the Bible, and if you are up for the originals check out Ovid’s Metamorphoses and the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For Arthurian information only use credible websites (not personal pages). Britannia.com is a good site to start at for Arthurian character and story information. A good place to start for fairy tale research is at the Internet Public Library Pathfinder on the topic: http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48473.

AP Literature Group Allusions Project

Next, you are going to create a teaching document that includes, in your own words, an explanation of the story with an MLA citation. You may use a PowerPoint, Prezi, Word Document, Video Presentation, or other creative means of teaching these stories to the class. Your presentation should also include a handout with summaries of your stories for studying purposes. If you already know the story by heart (and you will probably know a few) double-check with an outside source for accuracy and cite the source. You will need to send me an electronic copy of your handout document and provide me with a hardcopy in advance of your teaching day so that photocopies can be made. A good MLA reference website to help you create your MLA works cited page is Perdue University’s OWL website.

Each story you explain does not need to be long; written, most should be a paragraph or so. The purpose of the assignment is to give you and your classmates a working knowledge of allusion structures.

AP Literature Group Allusions Project

You will be teaching this information to your classmates in an informative and creative presentation. A final test on all of the allusions will be given at the end of this unit.

CLASS HANDOUT DUE DATE:_________________________

PRESENTATION DUE DATE:__________________________

You will have lab research time to work as a group on Fridays (roughly 4-5 class periods) but you may also need to work on this project outside of class.

Example Entry

Allusions Group Presentation Scoring Guide

Selecting Groups

For this project I will allow you to choose your own groups.

Keep in mind that your group will be graded as a whole so one person’s poor work will affect everyone else.

Groups should be no less than 4 people and no more than 6 people.

You will not be allowed to change groups once group assignments have been given and research has begun.

Communication about what each group member is responsible for is strictly the group’s responsibility, not Ms. Smith’s.

REMEMBER: It is not always the most productive environment to work with friends. Your goal is to work together effectively as a group to create the best possible presentation that you can.