What are allusions? While reading or watching The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you meet Cinna, Katniss's stylist. If the mention of this name means nothing to you, it's probably because you've never discovered Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, which has caused you to miss a major allusion. When allusions are made, it is not Katniss's dress made of precious stones, which projects the illusion of fire. An allusion is a literary element where it briefly and indirectly refers to an idea, person, place or thing of historical or literary significance (Tran). It is used as a passing comment to spot the allusion and understand its importance in the text (“figurative language”). Above all, they are used to help the reader gain an in-depth understanding of a character or plot in a book. In the novel How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster, various examples of allusions conveyed also correlated with the autobiography, The Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel. The following elements will be covered: ironic symbolic, historical and situational references. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Referencing chapter twelve of How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster integrates the message of symbolism into literature. Generally speaking, symbols can have a range of possible meanings and interpretations. “It is a story that includes, but is not limited to, education level, gender, race, class, faith, social involvement, and philosophical inclination” (Foster, 110) . These factors inevitably influence the clear understanding of symbolism because they include a diverse set of instances that a reader might identify with based on their individual history and previous readings. This ties in with an example mentioned at the beginning of the novel, The Life of Pi, when Pi and his brother Ravi went to venture to the town of Munnar, right in Kerala. Involuntarily, Pi came across three hills which later served to represent the three religions he encountered. “...on each was a divine house. The hill on the right, across the river, had a Hindu temple on its side; the middle hill, further away, supported a mosque; while the hill on the left was crowned with a Christian church” (Martel, 51). In this case, the hills act as a symbol towards the different religions that Pi continues to practice simultaneously. Martel also makes no mistake about saying that Pi should climb the hills repeatedly, probably because his journey has meaning. This means that as Pi discovers an attachment to all of these religions, there is conflict between the external audience, representing his own beliefs. There is a sort of “competition” to determine which religion is the most “legitimate” to serve their form of idolatry. In a historical reference to Charles Darwin, Pi and Darwin share a similarity in the idea that they both struggled with their own ideas. According to Darwin, he grew up in a rather conservative family, but he was always open-minded and was not entirely satisfied with what was presented to him. Pi still does not responsibly follow his inherited religion, Hinduism. Additionally, when referring to Chapter 5: Now Where Have I Seen This Before, Foster uses figurative language to describe reading as "those grade school papers where you log in." points (Foster, 23). Literature in this example is used as a combination of.