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ELA 5: All in the Allusion 1162 Views
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Description:
Today we're learning all about allusions. We're pretty much the David Blaines of allusions. Oh you didn't know? Along with illusions, he's actually pretty great at using cultural references. That guy can do anything.
Transcript
- 00:04
[Coop and Dino singing]
- 00:13
Good writers always have a few tricks up their sleeves. [Man pulls ace of clubs card under his sleeve]
- 00:16
When crafting a story, there’s nothing wrong with being... straightforward.
- 00:19
But every once in a while it’s nice to throw something unexpected in there…
- 00:23
…to spice things up, or to make a reader look at a situation in a slightly different way. [Woman outside a house in a mist of red smoke]
Full Transcript
- 00:27
Enter: allusions.
- 00:29
An allusion is a reference to some commonly known story or event…
- 00:33
…that can be compared to the situation at hand to drive a point home for the reader. [Dino explaining meaning of allusion]
- 00:37
Like…say you’re reading a story about a woman who the author describes as incredibly beautiful.
- 00:42
This character might be described as “an Aphrodite among mortals.”
- 00:46
Well, you may need to brush up on your Greek mythology… [Hand picks up greek mythology book]
- 00:49
…or learn it for the first time…
- 00:50
…but Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
- 00:54
By comparing the character in the story to this recognizable figure…
- 00:57
…the author prompts us to instantly draw connections in our head. [Person draws on a boys brain]
- 01:01
In fact, he doesn’t even need to tell us she’s beautiful…
- 01:04
…just by saying she’s an “Aphrodite” tells us everything we need to know.
- 01:08
Although…it would be nice if he clarified whether or not she’s hanging out on a giant seashell...[Girl stood in a giant seashell]
- 01:12
A writer can draw an allusion to….well, pretty much anyone or anything that’s part
- 01:17
of the public consciousness. By that we mean…any person, place or thing,
- 01:22
animal or mineral, that 9 out of 10 people would probably be able to pick out of a lineup. [The joker and police officer picking a suspect out of a line up]
- 01:27
An allusion to something from the Bible, for example, would totally work.
- 01:31
If you’re trying to describe a place that’s lush and beautiful, you might call it a “Garden of Eden.” [Rabbit hops towards the stream in a meadow]
- 01:36
It works, because nearly everyone – even
- 01:39
those who don’t consider the Bible a holy book – are at least familiar with Eden. [Man with Ghandi's head thinking of the garden of eden]
- 01:43
On the other hand, making an allusion to London’s Richmond Park…
- 01:46
…is probably not a smart move. Everyone who lives within three blocks of
- 01:49
the place will definitely pick up what you’re laying down… [Man reading A Walk in the Park book and scratches head]
- 01:52
…but everyone else on Earth will be left scratching their heads.
- 01:55
So don’t forget to include allusions in your bag of tricks.
- 01:58
Just…be sure you don’t hide them in the same compartment as the doves. [Man with a bag of tricks and doves fly out]
- 02:02
They do not get along.
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