Can someone give me an example of an allusion and a pun?

Question

What would be the definition and an example of both?

Answer 1

An allusion is usually an indirect reference. For Example if your younger brother stole the last cookie from the jar, but you saw him, then at the dinner table you say "SOMEONE ate the last cookie!"

You are alluding him, or indirectly referring or pointing at him.

A pun is humorous substitution of words that are alike in sound but different in meaning, for example:

in this passage from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll:

“And how many hours a day did you do lessons?” said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject.

“Ten hours the first day,” said the Mock Turtle, “nine the next, and so on.”

“What a curious plan!” exclaimed Alice.

“That's the reason they're called LESSONS,” the Gryphon remarked: “because they LESSEN from day to day.”

Answer 2

An allusion is a reference to a term'phrase used in a previous situation that is applicable to a current situation. For example:

In medival times, buyers would sometimes buy pigs in poke without opening the bag. Sometimes the seller would substitute a cat. This gives to allusions:

"Buy a Pig in a Poke" => Buy something without looking first.
"Let the cat out of the bag." => Reveal the truth about a situation.

Catch-22, a novel by Joseph Heller written in the 1960's defined a famous allusion: "catch-22"

"There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

A “catch-22” is an allusion for an absurd, no-win situation. An example of a "catch-22" is: "I must be a student to apply for a student loan, but I need the loan before I can apply."


You have lots of examples of puns at the following site:

http://www.punoftheday.com/cgi-bin/disppuns.pl?ord=F&cat=0&sub=0&page=1

"To write with a broken pencil is pointless."

"A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was a nurse said 'No change yet'."

Answer 3

That's a good question!