Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______
Allusions in Chapters 9, 10 and 11 of The Schwa Was Here
1. Define Allusion:______
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Directions: Take the allusion underlined and explain its context. What is the reference from? What does it mean? NEXT, explain what meaning the allusion adds to The Schwa Was Here.
2. Page 105 “Dad might have been the VPP of Product Development for Pisher Plastics, but Mom was the Empress of Bonano Food Productions, and I pity the fool who challenges her reign.”
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3. Page 108 “She stormed out of the house, leaving us all in nuclear winter.”
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4. Page 114 “He had always been such a powerful presence, even in his wheelchair. Kind of like Roosevelt, you know?”
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5. Page 116 “Hi, Antsy!” the Schwa said brightly, like this was the happiest place on Earth.”
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6. Page 117 “Crawley; however, threw a curveball.”
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7. Author’s Purpose: Why are allusions used by writers? What do allusions add to the writing?
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Directions: Take the allusion underlined and replace it with your OWN allusion. Make sure you are still conveying, or communicating, a similar meaning, but with a reference that you can relate to. Write the sentence out again, this time inserting your allusion for the underlined words.
8. Page 92 “’Hi, Antsy,’ he was in such good spirits I wondered if he had won the Lottery or something.”
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9. Page 96 “It actually gave me hope that maybe I had latent super intelligence that was activated by girls, like the way the Incredible Hulk was activated by anger.”
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10. Page 104 “We all knew the big one was a clear and present danger.”
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11. Page 105 “The scene was weirdly dramatic. Like something out of Shakespeare.”
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12. Page 116 “Hi, Antsy!” the Schwa said brightly, like this was the happiest place on Earth.”
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13. Page 125 “Then she said, ‘Is there anything unclear about that, or do you need a Hallmark card?’”
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Extra Credit: Find TWO additional allusions in the book and copy them below! ______
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJnKm6ftPu0
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/421885/nuclear-winter