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Alliteration
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis—The Cheshire Cat:
When Johnny and Ponyboy are at the drive-in, Two-Bit sneaks up on them and scares them half to death. Ponyboy compares Two-Bit's mischievous demeanor to the Cheshire Cat, alluding to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:
“Okay, greasers, you’ve had it.” I almost jumped out of my skin. It was like having someone leap out from behind a door and yell “Boo!” at you. I looked fearfully over my shoulder and there was Two-Bit, grinning like a Chessy cat. “Glory, Two-Bit, scare us to death!”
By alluding to the smiling Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the novel likens getting jumped by Socs to being haunted by strange, uncanny creatures. The animosity between the two groups is visceral and justified, which causes crippling fear in more vulnerable boys like Johnny. To the greasers, the Socs are worse than make-believe monsters because the pain and dread they incite is tangible. Consequently, Two-Bit sneaking up on Johnny and Ponyboy like a Soc is a cruel joke. Two-Bit gives the boys a mischievous smile because he momentarily forgets about Johnny's incident a few months earlier.
Nevertheless, the Cheshire Cat still remains a character from a children's novel, which emphasizes just how young and naive Ponyboy and Johnny are. This simile and allusion mixes fear with childhood innocence, highlighting the unjust violence that greasers must deal with at such a young age.
Related Themes:
Chapter 9
Explanation and Analysis—Stay Gold:
After the church fire, Johnny is hospitalized with severe burns and injuries. The last words that Johnny says to Ponyboy before he dies allude to the Robert Frost poem that Ponyboy recited earlier:
I barely heard him. I came closer and leaned over to hear what he was going to say. “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold . . .” The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.
Johnny's last words are an allusion to the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay." His words not only represent an intimate moment between the two boys before Johnny dies but also show the truth of the poem and how it reflects the plot of the novel. While the poem uses the phrase to insinuate the ephemerality of nature, the same phrase refers to the greasers' morality and sensitivity in the novel. A life as a greaser is one of hardship and violence that typically ends in imprisonment. With the phrase "stay gold," Johnny encourages Ponyboy to break this cycle of adversity and continue doing the right thing.
Being golden means acting morally, being vulnerable, and helping others. At the expense of their lives, Ponyboy and Johnny save a group of kids from the burning church. Their actions prove that neither of them are inherently bad people; yet, the violence and unjustness present in their lives threaten to make them such. The greasers must fight against this instinct in order to "stay gold."
Related Themes:
