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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 1
Explanation and Analysis—Julius Caesar:
In Chapter 1, Helen makes a humorous allusion to Julius Caesar that reveals her personality as a young child:
The beginning of my life was simple and much like every other little life. I came, I saw, I conquered, as the first baby in the family always does.
Julius Caesar allegedly spoke this catchy Latin saying: "I came, I saw, I conquered," or "Veni, vidi, vici." The celebrated statesman conquered Gaul and expanded Roman territory to the English Channel before launching a civil war and becoming a dictator.
Two-year-old Helen in no way resembles a Roman general, but her subtle allusion serves as a humorous exaggeration of the assertive way in which she tried to "conquer" her own little world. For the first two years of her life, her family noticed how intelligent and exploratory she was. Despite losing her sight and hearing, she kept her habits of perseverance and exploration into adulthood, and these qualities led to her success as a student and professional writer. The allusion gives the introductory chapters a more lighthearted tone and establishes Helen's sense of humor, which some readers might not expect given the story's premise. It also reveals Helen's education and awareness of major historical events.
Related Themes:
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—The Promised Land:
Keller demonstrates the importance of Miss Sullivan's arrival in her life with an allusion to the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land. At the end of Chapter 3, she writes a preface to their first meeting:
Miss Sullivan did not arrive until the following March. Thus I came up out of Egypt and stood before Sinai, and a power divine touched my spirit and gave it sight, so that I beheld many wonders. And from the sacred mountain I heard a voice which said, “Knowledge is love and light and vision."
In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Mount Sinai is the principal site of divine revelation. On that mountain, God appeared to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt (on an expedition commonly called the Exodus), he brought them to Mount Sinai, which is also known as the Mountain of Moses or Mount Hareh. The Exodus represented liberation from a long period of slavery and its story is charged with hope and expectation of a brighter future.
In the context of Helen's story, this allusion implies that Miss Sullivan's arrival marked the beginning of Helen's own exodus, or escape, from her pervasive sense of isolation. Just as Moses led his people to the promised land, so too did Sullivan lead Helen toward independence, intelligence, and clarity of thought. She identifies the day of Sullivan's arrival as "the most important day" she remembers "in all [her] life." Although their stories, strengths, and personalities differ greatly, they get along well enough for Helen to learn lessons in finger-spelling, and later on, for Helen to consider her a "being[...] inseparable from [her] own." In a sense, Sullivan brings Helen to a sort of promised land in terms of education and understanding, ultimately enabling her to become a brilliant thinker and author during adulthood.
Related Themes:
