About This Lesson
When reading old or modern texts, readers often come across familiar references. For example, a greedy person might
be called a “Scrooge.” Someone who is good at solving mysteries may be referred to as a “regular Sherlock Holmes.” If a
mistake is made that leads to not just one problem but a chain of negative events, someone may say, “Pandora’s box has
been opened!” Readers may know that Scrooge, Sherlock Holmes, and Pandora are characters from works of literature
and mythology. Knowledge of the references’ sources adds meaning to the text. However, even without recognizing the
reference, readers could interpret the expressions’ meaning by examining the context.
In this playlist, students will learn how to:
- Interpret literary allusions in context.
