Teaching Allusion in Literature in High School English

Only a few years ago, I could count on that one kid to recognize the allusions in literature that we would encounter in our shared texts. But as fewer kids go to church and even few read on their own, students are way less likely to recognize those references to the bible or to mythology.

Is it imperative that students recognize allusions in literature?

Knowledge of the allusion in literature is probably not imperative. When we discussion the allusion literary term, I often tell my students that you can make meaning without understanding or recognizing an allusion; however, when you do know and understand the allusion it enhances your understanding.

And that enhanced understanding is often the key to understanding the complexity of a text. (For more on helping student see complexity in a text, read this post: Text Complexity for AP English.)

So what’s an English teacher to do? How about an allusion of the week.

Allusions in literature for high school English.

Exploring Allusions in Literature through Allusion of the Week

Use an allusion of the week to present the story that is the basis for the allusion as well as examples of where students may see the allusion in English literature texts.

This works great as a bell ringer routine or as a weekly homework assignment. Students can read about the original text and take notes from it and then do allusion practice through analysis of the text in poems and excerpts that contain the allusion.

What does Allusion of the Week Look Like?

If you use it as a bell ringer routine, it might look like this:

Monday–Take notes from the original story

Tuesday–practice with an excerpt from a novel

Wednesday–practice the allusion with an excerpt from Shakespeare

Thursday–practice with a poem

Friday–Assess with a cold reading

This is a great place to add other ways the allusion shows up in culture like in paintings and other art.

Allusion of the Week Procedure: helping students recognize allusions in literature.

See Allusion of the Week in Action

Allusion of the Week is only available through the MTE Bell Ringer Library in the Pencils and Prologues Membership, but you can get a sneak peek through this Bell Ringer Sampler Set which is free, so be sure to grab a copy today. Help your students to recognize allusions in literature with exposure to biblical allusion, mythological allusions and Shakespearean allusions today.