Allusion- its effect it has on a reader/used for?

Question

I need an effect it has on a reader and what its used for for the term "Allusion"

Your own example would be nice too!

Thanks!

Answer 1

an Allusion is a reference in a book or poem to something else that is easily recognizable. Like Biblical allusions, pop culture allusions and what not.

An effect? Hm, well, it can help readers connect to the work, or even help them understand something better.  

Answer 2

An allusion opens up a whole new world of meaning to the reader.

If a character uses an allusion, it says a lot about what kind of person they are. Do they make allusions to Shakespeare or to s*x and the City? It's a subtler way of describing a character than saying, "Sally really enjoyed Shakespeare and read his plays often." And it tells us something about how they are, what they value.

Allusions in narration also add new shades of meaning to the story. Say the narration alludes to "The Lord of the Flies" or "Deliverance" when describing an upcoming camping trip among friends. This tells the savvy reader, instantly, that there are going to be real dangers and conflicts despite the pleasantness of the setting. Anyone who recognizes the allusion will already know something about the source, and this will influence how they think about the story they are currently reading.

Sometimes allusions serve a structural purpose. The best example of this is T.S. Eliot's very long and famous poem, "The Waste Land." It is so full of allusions that the footnotes are practically longer than the poem itself, and they include everything from the Bible to Shakespeare to Wagner to ragtime music. This reinforces the idea of the poem - that you shore up bits of knowledge and wisdom in hopes of overcoming spiritual emptiness.