This is my new project. I’ve wanted to create educational content for a wider audience than my students for a while, and this is the manifestation of that desire. I hope you enjoy it and/or find it to be useful. The plan is to update this series on Wednesdays as videos are complete. If you have allusions you’d like to see in the near(er) future, leave a comment on this page, or through the Contact Me page (you don’t have to have a login for this one) and I’ll move those up in the queue.

THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: So what do the Bible, mythology, literature and history have in common?
TYPEWRITER: They’re old require me to do a lot of reading and thinking?
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: Wha? Um, no. They’re all used in allusions.
TYPEWRITER: When I see things that aren’t there they have NOTHING to do with literature.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: Not Illusion. Allusion. And you’re a typewriter. You can’t see, anyway.
TYPEWRITER: Touche
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: An allusion is a passing reference to historical or mythological figures, places and events, literature or even popular culture.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: What an allusion does is provide readers with this much information with this many words. Sometimes, in addition to providing information, they’re used to make readers feel all the feels, or help with characterization.
TYPEWRITER: Think “Track 19” from Wicked and One for the Murphys.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: You know that made me cry. You didn’t have to bring that up.
TYPEWRITER: Softy.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: Shut it. So the purpose of the series is to explain some of the allusions you might find when you read. I like to think of them as inside jokes. If you get them, you understand better than someone who doesn’t.
[animation]
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: What was that?
TYPEWRITER: An inside joke. I was illustrating a point.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: Right. And poorly. Don’t do that.
TYPEWRITER: Whatever. I do what I want.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: I have a list allusions from history, the bible, literature and mythology that I’ll provide you with background information for
TYPEWRITER: so you don’t have to do all the reading.
THE (BOOK) SUPPLIER: Exactly. And there will be annotated show notes for each video. Everything I said with links to more information in case you’re curious. Oh, and if you caught the pop culture allusions written into this episode, leave me a comment here on YouTube, on the show notes, or on my Facebook page. Thanks for watching An Allusion in a Minute. I am the (book) supplier wishing you happy reading. Don’t forget to be awesome.