Scylla and Charybdis Of Literary Allusions

Chicago Sun-Times | February 20, 1994| | Copyright

Writers dearly love allusions, and for good reason: They permit us to show off our wit and erudition. Every writer likes to strut. Even so, allusions have their drawbacks.

All of us would agree, I suppose, that allusions should be reasonably clear to most of the audience for whom we are writing. Otherwise, allusions are pointless. Instead of clarifying, they mystify.

But the trouble with most allusions - most allusions that I see - is not that they are obscure. They are familiar, all right, but they are weary, stale, flat and unprofitable. Same old characters from Greek mythology. Same ...

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