Name: ______________________________ Period: _____ Date: _________________

Of Mice and Men

Allusion

An allusion is a reference to a person (famous historical or literary figure), place, poem, book, event, work of art
or movie outside of the story that the author expects the reader will recognize. The reference can be real or
fictitious. An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion.

The purpose of an allusion is to summarize broad, complex ideas or emotions in one quick, powerful image often
through comparison.

The title Of Mice and Men is an allusion to a line in the poem To a Mouse written by Robert
Burns, a Scottish poet. The line is "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft aglay."
Translated into modern English, the verse reads: "The best laid schemes of mice and men often
go awry." This cynical statement is at the heart of the novellas action and serves to
foreshadow what is to come. As you read the novella, keep this allusion in mind and try to
apply it to the action in the story.

Link to reading: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op_KsNr_Eok).

See Burns poem on the reverse side of this sheet.

While John Steinbecks allusion to Robert Burnss poem foreshadows events to come in the work, allusions also
perform other functions. Frequently, they are used as metaphors simply to make a more dramatic or interesting
statement, while at other times they can be used as a concise way to convey information. Some allusions you may
recognize and quickly get the point. For example: More than one friend referred to him as Lincolnesque.
Immediately, you know the reference is to Abraham Lincoln and, in context, you get the image of a tall, gaunt
man.

If you do not know the object/person/place alluded to, however, you missed the point the author was making. For
example: At the last moment, Smith changed his mind, and Gridley would never know of the auto-da-f that had
been prepared for him. Additional context may or may not allow you to figure out the meaning of auto-da-f,
but if it does not, you would need to check a dictionary, which would tell you something similar to the following:

auto-da-f During the Spanish Inquisition, the term referred to the

act of pronouncing judgment upon a heretic and immediately executing
him or her. Today, it is used to refer to metaphorical executions, as
in personal or business relationships.

By knowing and understanding the allusion in the example about Smith and Gridley, you would immediately
realize that Gridleys career had been in jeopardy.

See the attached sheet for allusion exercises.

 Burns Original
Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murdering pattle.
I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
An' fellow mortal!
I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't.
Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's win's ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.
That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou's turned out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld.
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
Still thou are blest, compared wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!
Brief Summary:
Line of allusion:
Theme of the poem:
Purpose of the allusion (connection to OMAM):
Standard English Translation
Small, sleek, cowering, timorous beast,
O, what a panic is in your breast!
You need not start away so hasty
With hurrying scamper!
I would be loath to run and chase you,
With murdering plough-staff.
I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
And justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
And fellow mortal!
I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal;
What then? Poor beast, you must live!
An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves
Is a small request;
I will get a blessing with what is left,
And never miss it.
Your small house, too, in ruin!
It's feeble walls the winds are scattering!
And nothing now, to build a new one,
Of coarse grass green!
And bleak December's winds coming,
Both bitter and keen!
You saw the fields laid bare and wasted,
And weary winter coming fast,
And cozy here, beneath the blast,
You thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel plough past
Out through your cell.
That small bit heap of leaves and stubble,
Has cost you many a weary nibble!
Now you are turned out, for all your trouble,
Without house or holding,
To endure the winter's sleety dribble,
And hoar-frost cold.
But Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!
Still you are blest, compared with me!
The present only touches you:
But oh! I backward cast my eye,
On prospects dreary!
And forward, though I cannot see,
I guess and fear!
Name: ______________________________ Period: _____ Date: __________________________
Allusion Exercises

Directions: The following allusions have been identified for you. First (A), explain the object/person/place/event
being alluded to. Next, (B) explain the purpose of the allusion. If you are unsure of the reference, use the internet
to assist you.

1. As the cave's roof collapsed, he was swallowed up in the dust like Jonah, and only his frantic scrabbling
behind a wall of rock indicated that there was anyone still alive.
A.

B.

2. The National Organization of Women has been quoted as saying that the all-male religious group, The
Promise Keepers, is a Trojan horse for ultra-conservative antifeminists.
A.

B.

3. New York City reporter said that Madonna is the ultimate Frankenstein product of MTV.
A.

B.

4. When Disneyland, Paris, opened in April, 1992, a magazine reported that French sociologists complained that
it would be an intellectual Chernobyl.
A.

B.

5. Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare
necessities
A.

B.