Example: Stranger in a Strange Land ... - AP Literature - Home
Biblical AllusionsCAIN and ABEL(Mr. Freeburger)Summary: Cain and Abel are brothers. Cain offers part of his harvest to God while Abel offers some of his livestock. God likes the livestock more which makes Cain jealous. He murders Abel, then lies to God about it, saying he’s no “my brother’s keeper.” But Abel’s blood is crying from the soil. The tainted soil will no longer produce for Cain and he is banished, but not before God marks him to protect him from retaliation for the murder of his brother. Cain goes to Nod, “east of Eden”, where he begins a new life. Example: John Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.Purpose: On the surface, the purpose could be to reference jealousy, betrayal and murder. The blood calling from the soil and tainting the ground could be used to represent punishment of a crime. Cain’s mark and exile could represent the protection from someone in power despite a wrong or the rejection and banishment from paradise (or someplace good). In Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden, Cain and Abel are alluded to throughout, but the title itself refers to the place of rebuilding…outside of paradise. Absalom Summary: Even though David's own behavior may have influenced his son, Absalom still made his own choices and decisions. Indeed, there may have been various influences which pointed Absalom's life in a certain direction and led him to think as he did, yet he chose his own path. He chose to allow hatred and anger to simmer in his heart that led to his murdering his brother Amnon. He chose to undermine the king's authority and gather around him a band of men to seize the throne from his father. No one put a spear to his head and compelled him to do these things. He charted his own course.Example: Absalom, Absalom! By William FaulknerPurpose: Although we may have positive impacts in our lives such as parents, siblings, etc. who try their best to show the correct pathway. It's still simply up to the person to take their advice or continue to do their own thing.Abraham Summary: Abraham became the first Hebrew and was chose by family God to weave his scarlet thread through humanity. It was t Abraham's descendants through which the Jewish nation would arise. God promised to give Abraham a son through his wife Sarah who was barren. God lured Abraham to his wealth and a great reputation.Example: The odysseyPurpose: Abraham is a true action hero. Shown as the a 'cool' guy, someone of who has great achievements which were destined, even before birthAdam and Eve Summary: God created a man in his image which is Adam, who was form from the dust on the ground. And then cut open Adam and formed a woman from his rib which became Eve. They were made for god’s pleasure and were intimately connected with one another. The God then gave them a beautiful garden which had all of life’s necessities, and 1 command which is to never eat from 1 tree or else they will die. Satan then came along and temped Eve and had her question God’s word. They ate the fruit and their lives and all future humanity has changed. Then God gave them punishments, for Eve bearing children would be painful, Adam’s work would be hard, and the serpent would have the punishment of crawling on the ground. No longer had personal communication with god they must provide for themselves from now on. And die from old age.Example: Purpose: ANGELS (3 hierarchies, 9 orders) Summary: there are 3 different hierarchies(spheres) of angels, the first sphere of angels serve as the heavenly servants of god and the son incarnated. 1 order is seraphim, they serve as caretakers of gods throne. The second order being cherubim, the Cherubim have four faces, a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. They guard the way to the tree of life in the garden of eden and gods throne. The third order are thrones, who are living symbols of god's justice and authorities. The second sphere includes Dominions or lordships, who regulate the duties of lower angels. The next are Virtues and Strongholds who create signs and miracles in the world. The third are Powers or Authorities, their primary duty is to supervise the movements of the heavenly bodies in order to ensure that the cosmos remains in order. The third sphere includes principalities or rulers, who guide and protect nations, groups of people, or institutions such as a church. the next are archangels, who are chief angels, or highest in power. The last order are angels, who are normal angels that are most concerned with living beings.Example: Purpose: the purpose of angels is usually thought to be messengers of god, but they are known to protect gods throne, all living beings, what they do, and nations around the world. They help keep everything in order which is why there are hierarchies. Angels are the protectors and play an important role.Apocalypse Summary: In the bible, the Apocalypse comes with the Four Horsemen, representing conquest, war, famine, and death. It is said to occur once all the believers have been sent to heaven and the only remaining people are guilty of sin and are to be punished.Example: Elf by David BerenbaumPurpose: In the movie, the world is entering a dark time where people don't believe in Santa and because of that, his sled crashes in the middle of central park. Soon after, four horse mounted police officers, representing the four horsemen, show up and foreshadow a world of depression and gloom that will surely follow if people don't begin to believe in Santa again.Armageddon/Anti-Christ Summary: Armageddon is the last battle between good and evil. The battle will destroy evil and will take place on the day of judgement. It is supposed to take place when Christ comes back to Earth for the second time. Armageddon has not happened but it will in the future according to the bible.It is set to take place on Mount Megiddo. Example: At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners (Holy Sonnet 7)Purpose: Armageddon is used in literature to symbolize the end of the world. Armageddon is also used to allude to a destructive battle that will end all battles. It can be seen as an ultimate battle where the forces of right vs. Wrong. The battle between Christ and Satan is extreme and can create an intense mood by alluding to Armageddon.The AscensionSummary:Example: Purpose: The Beatitudes Summary: The Beatitudes are 8 blessings recounted on the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Each consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. They present a new set of Christian ideals preached by Jesus, emphasizing love, humility, charity, mercy, spirituality, and compassion, in contrast to the brutal, God fearing passages of the old Testament.Example: Similar ideals are preached in the Koran.Purpose: Jesus was so successful in creating a new religion because what he preached had never really been heard before, especially in the Old Testament. Rather than preaching of the wrath of God, Jesus talked of the love God had for his children, and how mercy, compassion, and humility, rather than obedience and wealth, were the way to get into heaven. This resonated with the poor and oppressed who lived in Jesus' time, and those radical new themes have been found in almost every new religion since then.Beelzebub Summary: Beelzebub is sometimes used as another name for the Devil. He is also considered one of the seven princes of Hell. Example: Lord of the FliesPurpose: Lord of the Flies was a nickname given to Beelzebub and symbolizes the chaos and evilness that the boys descend into in the book. Just reading the title gives away how the story will progress, and none of it means any good.The Betrayal Summary: Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples of Christ. Judas agreed to reveal Christ to the Roman guards for 30 pieces of silver. The Kiss of Judas exposed Jesus to the plethora of townspeople who had come to arrest Jesus. The kiss is given by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, directly leading to the arrest of Jesus by the police force of the Sanhedrin. "The kiss" Example: The Chronicles of NarniaPurpose: This allusion represents situational irony because a kiss is usually a good sign, but a kiss in this case results in capture.The Burning Bush Summary: The bush is burning but is not consumed by flames, hence the name. God speaks to Moses through the burning bush and appears in the form of a fire as a symbol of His holiness.Example: "His glory is like a consuming fire, a pillar of fire that radiates light, a light so brilliant that no man can approach it."(Exodus 24:17; 1 Timothy 6:16)Purpose: A reference to the Burning Bush may indicate that God is trying to get someone's attention in an effort to redirect them to the "right path".Caiaphas Summary: He was a Jewish High Preist who was said to have organized a plot to kill Jesus. They interrogate Jesus looking for false evidence to frame him, but are not able to find any. They charge him with blasphemy and order him to be beaten to death. Example: The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde.Purpose: The Poem refers to the kiss of Caiaphas. This could allude to how he was planning to kill Jesus, so it would make sense if it wanted to show how its almost a kiss of death. Canon Law Summary: Gratiani's Decretum is a compilation of almost 4,000 texts on regulations in the church. It also addressed existing canon law with questions and remarks on the contradictions made by them. It is now hailed as a classic and used by canon lawyers in practice and at universities. The book of canon law itself is divided into seven books on the application of the laws, the rights of the clergy and the congregation, ministry, worship, ownership of property, crimes and punishment, and trials.Example: Dectretum GratianiPurpose: Canon law is the set of rules by which multiple denominations of Christianity abide. While secular laws exist, Christians such as the Roman Catholics still follow these laws as well. Cloven Hoof Summary: In the book of the bible called Leviticus, it sets guidelines/rules as to what animals you are allowed to eat and not allowed to eat if you are a follower of the Jewish religion. The animals that are okay to eat according to Jewish dietary law are called "Kosher Animals". The cloven hoof animals have splits in their hooves and eat grass (i.e. Cows). If animals don’t have split hooves, then they're considered unclean animals and should not be eaten by people who follow this religion.Example: Daniel Defoe's "Tale of the Devil"Purpose: The food rules and guidelines for the followers of this religion represents how much of yourself that you have to sacrifice to be a true follower of the religion. Even what you eat has to be based on and aligned with the rules of the religion, so it also represents commitment. Covenant Summary: A covenant is an oath-bound promise where one person promises to bless or serve another person in a specific way. There are three types of covenants mentioned in the Bible, between humans, between nations, and between God and humans. Example: the novel BelovedPurpose: Can symbolize many things in literature, most of the time the focus is put on the person blessing the other person and sacrificing something of their own to do so. This person is often referred to as a covenant. Other times the situation in general provides the allusion to the covenant. Crown of Thorns Summary:After Jesus' trials and flogging but before his crucifixion, he was brought before Roman soldiers and given a staff. The soldiers all knelt and mocked him, saying "All hail the king of Jews!" Jesus was spit upon, beat, and insulted. The soldiers then proceeded to put a crown of thorns on his head. While the crown would be painful, it was mainly meant to mock Jesus. The crown is supposed to be a symbol of royalty, but here it was turned into something painful and degrading. However, the Christians see this as Jesus' willingness to suffer on their account and what he came to accomplish.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisPurpose: On the surface, the purpose could be to mock a symbol of authority, as that's what the Roman soldiers were trying to do. However, it can also represent the willingness of a leader to take pain for his people, and how the pain of one person can set an example for others. Since the Roman soldiers meant for the crown to be degrading but the Christians saw it as a symbol of what Jesus would accomplish, the purpose could also ne to demonstrate the double meaning of an item or opposing viewpoints.The Creation Summary: This story is how God created the Earth and everything in it in 6 days. On the first day, God created the Heavens and Earth and shed light on the Earth. On the second and third day, he created the sky and plants. The fourth day brought the sun and the moon, giving light to all parts of the day. The fifth day God created living creatures to roam and thrive on Earth with the plants and sunshine. On the sixth, He created humans, 1 male and 1 female, each given the gift to rule the Earth and spread their kind throughout. Finally, on the seventh day, He rested.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisPurpose: The Creation could be a symbol of birth or the origin of something or a place. In the novel, The Chronicles of Narnia, the author uses the allusion of "The Creation" with describing how the world of "Narnia" was created and the good and evil that entered it. The allusion can be used to describe something new and raw to the world, untouched by any evil or destruction.The Crucifixion Summary: The death of Jesus, which is described in the four cononical gospels. Jesus was arrested and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be killed by the Romans. He was nailed to the cross and hung for 3 days, and then his side was cut to ensure he had died. The new testament states the three accounts of Christ prior to his death. Jesus was around the sinners and tax collectors. This upset the Jewish leaders because he extended mercy beyond their strict boundaries. This is what lead them to punish Jesus by forcing him to carry his own cross throughout the town to his own crucifixion while being spit on, shamed, beaten, and brutally whipped. This death was very important in the bible because Jesus had completely died and rid him of everyone's sins as he was being used as the ultimate sacrifice. Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday.Example: Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeePurpose: The allusion to the crucifixion alludes to the death being very shameful and symbolic of a group of people rather than just an individual. An author can use this to help connect the death to other people in the story and how it affects them as well. Daniel in theLion’s Den Summary: King Darius was the ruler of Babylon and appointed men to help him lead. Daniel was the leader of advisors and also believed in God. The other leaders didn’t like Daniel so they tried to get rid of him. These men knew Daniel followed the God of Isreal and told King Darius that there was a new law that you could not worship to any God except King Darius or else they would be thrown into the lion's den. Daniel knew of the law but was committed to worshiping God, so he continued to worship every day. The king was devastated because he loved Daniel but knew he couldn’t break the law and threw him into the den anyway. The king comes back to see if God had saved Daniel, and Daniel replies that god had sent an angel to close their jaws. The king throws anyone who was against Daniel into the lion's den. Example: The autobiography The Life of Frederick DouglassPurpose: Anything alluded to Daniel in the Lion's Den is in reference to faithfulness and promise. Frederick Douglass alludes to this biblical story when he says, "one who has escaped from a den of hungry lions." Douglass was persecuted by slavery just as Daniel was by Darius' decree. The allusion implies that because Douglass stayed faithful, he escaped his persecution. David and Goliath Summary: Goliath was a Philistine warrior known for his stature and violent acts on the battlefield. David was a young shepherd who was bringing reinforcements to the Israelites in the war between the Israelites and the Philistines. Goliath demanded that the Israelites bring him a champion that will fight him in single combat. Obviously, no man wished to fight in a suicide match against the massive Goliath, even with the reward that Saul, the king of Israel, was offering to anyone who could kill him. David, while bringing food to his brothers, heard of the challenge, and accepted. He denied any royal armor, and instead, stepped out onto the battlefield with only his slingshot. Goliath taunted him, and David responded by saying, "...the battle is God's, and he will give you into our hand." David then slung a rock at Goliath with a perfect shot straight to the center of his head, killing him instantly. Example: Henry the Fifth Purpose: In literature, the story of David and Goliath is most often used to signify the triumph of a small resistance over an overpowering villain. It also represents the more specific battle between Christianity and the powers that wish to destroy it. In Henry the Fifth, Henry rallies his weaker British troops and manages to win against the much more powerful French troops. David and Bathsheba Summary: David slept with Bathsheba, despite knowing that she was married to Uriah. Bathsheba later sent word David that she was pregnant. David was nervous that his adulterous acts would now be found out, so he made a plan to have Uriah spend a night with his wife to cover up the sin that Bathsheba was pregnant with David's child. However, Uriah refused to sleep with Bathsheba while his men were out fighting. So King David sent a note to the army commander with instructions to have Uriah put at the frontline and to withdraw so that he would die. Bathsheba mourned her husbands death and was then sent to marry King David. The Prophet Nathan visited King David and told him of God's disapproval and told him that the son Bathsheba was expecting would die. Example: The Scarlett LetterPurpose: The story of David and Bathsheba reminds readers that great men, men in high positions, are still humans and struggle with sin. This story also shows that God can always forgive but there will always be consequences for sinful choices. doubting thomas Summary: 'Doubting Thomas' is a nickname for one of the twelve apostles, Thomas. After Jesus was crucified, Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was resurrected until he could feel and see the wounds caused by the nails on his hands and feet. Example: The Count of Monte CristoPurpose: The purpose of the Doubting Thomas allusion is to draw attention to people's inability to believe in something without sufficient evidence.Exodus Summary: The Israelites leave slavery in Egypt through the strength of God who has chosen Israel as his people. Led by their prophet Moses they journey to Mount Sinai, where God promises them the land of Canaan, the "Promised Land", in return for their faithfulness. Israel enters into a covenant with God who gives them their laws (the 10 commandments) and instructions to build the Tabernacle, the means by which he will come from heaven and live with them and lead them in a holy war to possess the land, and then give them peace.Example: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. HeinleinPurpose: On the surface, unwanted migration from a home to a new place could allude to the story of exodus, showing that once they get to the new place, things will be granted to the character like God granted the Israelites their land. Another reference could be to Moses' role in the story of Exodus, being driven from their homeland at a young age, being given instructions to return to their homeland later in life, and once there, attempt to liberate their people from social bonds. In Stranger in a Strange Land, the connections between Mike (main character) and Moses' lives are actually pretty numerous in the ways mentioned above. This allusion is used to infer to the reader that an exile that can seem unwanted, will have benefits in the end.the fall Summary: The fall of man, or the fall, is a term used in Christianity to describe the transition of the first man and woman from a state of innocent obedience to God to a state of guilty disobedience. Example: Adam & EvePurpose: However, a serpent deceives Eve into eating fruit from the forbidden tree, and she gives some of the fruit to Adam. God later curses the serpent and the ground. God prophetically tells the woman and the man what will be the consequences of their sin of disobeying God. This will show that if rules are not followed, there shall be consequences.fallen angel/luciferSummary: The Angel Lucifer(Satan), who was jealous of human’s happiness, fell from God’s grace and becomes an outcast angel. As a result of his sin against God, Lucifer was banished from living in heaven. He became evil, and his name changed from Lucifer (“morning star”) to Satan.Example: Star Wars - Darth Vader Purpose: Can showcase instances in which the brightest of the bright can even fall into evilness and sin. In a way making it evident that evilness is inevitable. It represents the dangers of rebellion. The Flood Summary: Earth was filled with violence and corruption. So god choose to flood the earth by opening heavens well. Their was one man Noah who god appreciated and so god told him to leave with his family and bring a male and female of all the animals until the flood ends. . Example: Purpose: to cleanse the earth that was filled with impurities god decided to destroying every with a huge flood covering the tallest mountains and destroying everything. Can be said as a cycle of destruction and then renewal. Gabriel Summary: Gabriel is an archangel. Gabriel’s name means 'God is my strength'. One of the two archangels specifically named in the Bible, she is often portrayed holding a trumpet and as the only female archangel. Archangel Gabriel is the messenger angel, acting as a messenger of God.Example: Gabriel Movie (2007)Purpose: the purpose of Gabriel is to help journalists, writers, and teachers to help convey their message. Also, she helps with communication with pregnancy, child birth, and child rearing.garden of eden Summary: The Garden of Eden was a utopian land where Adam and Eve lived. They lived peacefully and had everything they could ever want, but with one rule. They weren't to eat from the forbidden tree. Convinced by the snake with legs to eat the apple, Eve took a bite and eventually convinced Adam too as well. When it was discovered, the snake lost his legs and Adam and Eve were banished from the garden.Example: Hamlet by ShakespearePurpose: Hamlet was the king, he had everything he could ever need, but desired more and others didn't like that. Claudius in particular, who later ended his life. Poisoned by Claudius, "the serpent who now wears his crown," Hamlet speaks to how the garden of the world was tainted with weeds. This alludes to the Garden of Eden where everything was perfect but ruined by the serpent who inadvertently banned humanity from a utopian society.Genesis Summary: The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. In the book the book starts off by showing us the perfect world without sin, God created. Later in the book, God sends Adam and Eve down to Earth but they do not obey God. They turn against him and turn to the devil unleashing sin into the no longer perfect world. The book of Genesis focuses on the creation of the world and man's disobedience of God (the fall of man). Example: The Red Tent by Anita DiamantPurpose: The Book of Genesis can convey feelings of betrayal and disobedience. When Adam and Eve go against God's wishes, they unleash the devil, darkness, and sin into the world, breaking the pure world God created. Their disobedience creates a human condition every man now struggles with, sin. The Book of Genesis has themes such as the struggle internally and externally with sin, disobedience, betrayal, and brokenness. garden of gethsemaneSummary:Example: Purpose: golden rule Summary: The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others the way one wishes to be treated. It can be found in many different religious texts and cultures, including Christianity. Example: Bernstein Bears children's book seriesPurpose: The Golden Rule symbolizes a common desire of altruism and empathy. Humans are social creatures, and need to get along and be empathetic if we are to survive. Granted, that often does not happen, but the so called "altruism gene" is a real phenomenon, and can be found universally in cultures and religions who want to teach ethical behavior.Golgotha Summary: Golgotha is the name of the place of which Jesus was crucified, right outside of Old Jerusalem. The name is Aramaic and is also referred to as the Calvery or The Place of Skull due to the skull-like shape of the place.Example: MacbethPurpose: The reference to Golgotha in Macbeth is "Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, or memorize another Golgotha, I cannot tell". This reference compares getting very injured to being crucified and is being used in a sarcastic tone.The Good Samaritan Summary: This is a parable told by Jesus. A priest and a Levite see a traveler who is naked, beaten, and left half dead. Both avoid the man, but a Samaritan happens upon the traveler. The Samaritan helps the injured man. The injured man asks "who is my neighbor?". In this case, the neighbor figure is the man who showed mercy - the Samaritan. Example: Samaritan (modern movie)Purpose: The purpose is to show that humans tend to put themselves first and overlook the needs of the person right in front of us. The Good Shepherd Summary: Jesus is the Good Shepherd to His believers just as the shepherds were to their livestock.Example: Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is referenced in the book of John, chapter 10. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."Purpose: The Good Shepherd was willing to lay down his life for his sheep so a person willing to make a similar sacrifice would be likened to being a savior or Christ-like figure.herod/Massacre of the Innocents Summary: Infanticide committed by Herod the Great. He ordered the execution of all young male jews in Bethlehem to avoid the loss of the throne. Example: MockingjayPurpose: In the end of the book a lot of innocent children get murdered. The purpose is to show how the intent of one person can go to far levels when they want something. the holy spirit Summary: The painting depicts the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she is to become the mother of Jesus, as cherubs look on. The Holy Spirit hovers above Mary in the form of a dove.Example: The Annunciation by MurilloPurpose: Many believe that Jesus was conceived by Mary and the Holy Spirit, giving him his holiness. References to the Holy Spirit connote creation, as it is believed to give life.the holy sacraments Summary: A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. Jesus Christ himself is the sacrament because he gave his life to save humanity. In the bible there are seven sacraments which are Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, and Holy Orders.Example: J.R.R. Tolkien "Tolkien's Sacramental Vision: Discerning the Holy in Middle Earth"Purpose: The sacraments are an example for Christians to follow so that they could be more like Jesus Christ. Since Jesus paid the price of giving his life to save mankind.the holy trinity Summary: The Holy Trinity is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Bible emphasizes that there is one God, and he is able to take on each of these deities. Each deity has different meaning and power but ultimately come from one God. Example: The book Flatland: A Romance of Many DimensionsPurpose: Could be used to represent anything that takes on different forms, each one with a different purpose. In literature, it commonly represents a group of three people or things that work together to reach a common goal. horsemen of the apocalypse Summary: The four horsemen represent different events that will happen during the end of time, as part of the apocalypse. There are seven seals in a scroll in God's hand, and when four are opened, four beings ride out on four different horses. Each represents a different bad event. They symbolize conquest, war, famine, and death. Anyone who is saved has nothing to fear, but anyone who is not will experience the terrible times.Example: Marvel Family, #48Purpose: Could be presented as any four life-threatening things. For example, the Marvel comic had the heroes fighting four elements of nature, such as fire. The four horsemen have also been used to show the main negative qualities in a relationship, such as being condescending. The apocalypse is the end of time, so any ending could potentially be represented by the apocalypse, but normally a more life-altering one.the immaculate conception Summary: The Immaculate Conception was the gift the Virgin Mary received from God when she was in the womb of her mother, freedom from Original Sin. God gave her freedom of sin in order for her to carry Christ in her womb. Catholics believe the Immaculate Conception is the conception of Christ(Jesus) brought by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. But it deals with the conception of Mary, not Jesus.Example: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa LahiriPurpose: The Immaculate Conception can represent the pureness of a person or thing in literature. Mary is born with the freedom from sins so she is repellent from any evil in the world, essentially making her pure. Isaac Summary: Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sara. His name means "he laughs" indicating Sara's response when told she would have a child. He was one of three patriarchs of the Isrealites and was the longest to live out of the three. He lived to be 150 years old. Example: Herman Melville's Billy MuddPurpose: Isaac would most likely be alluded to a sacrifice in literature. In Billy Mudd, Captain Vere was driven by a higher power to sacrifice his sailor friend. The sailor, Billy, is an allusion to Isaac because he was about to be sacrificed by a father like figure. Isaiah Summary: Isaiah was a Hebrew prophet who lived about 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. He is said to have found his calling as a prophet when he saw a vision in the year of King Uzziah's death. Isaiah predicted the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. Example: The Wasteland by T.S. EliotPurpose: The Book of Isaiah addresses the coming of Jesus Christ – his life on earth and his resurrection. Isaiah's stories symbolize salvation as well as a time of suffering, seeing as Isaiah predicted how much Jesus Christ would have to suffer during his sacrifice for man's sin. Ishmael Summary: Ishmael was the first son of Abraham and his slave, Hagar. Abraham and his wife Sarah wished to conceive a child because of a covenant they made with the Lord which stated that all of Abraham's children would prosper and go on to do great things. However, since it was originally thought that Sarah could not give birth, the couple decided to use Hagar, their slave, as a surrogate. Before Ishmael was born, his mother received a prophecy from the Lord that all of Ishmael's sons would go on to do great things. After Ishmael was born, he and his mother were banished from Abraham's house because he mocked and played with Isaac, Abraham and Sarah's first son together. He and his mother settled in the Desert of Paran, and in that desert he fulfilled the Lord's prophecy for him. He sired twelve sons who all went on to become tribal chiefs. Example: The Scarlet Letter Purpose: Isaac and Ishmael represent two sides of an eternal human conflict: the conflict between the part of human nature that is born of the flesh (Ishmael) and the part of the human nature that is born of the spirit (Isaac). Ishmael was born to a slave woman and was not a believer in divine promises because of the shackles of slavery that kept him from religiously prospering. Isaac, however, was born to Sarah, a free woman, thus representing the freedom that religious revival thrives under. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prine faces this battle between the nature of the flesh and the nature of the spirit as she wrestles with her morality in her Puritanical society. jacob and esau Summary: Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, and Esau, the older son of Isaac and Rebekah were very different. Isaac favored Esau, because he was a strong hunter and provided for the family, while Rebekah favored Jacob because he was quiet and kind. One day, after Esau came back from hunting, he told Jacob to give him some stew. Jacob told him that he would only give him stew if he gave him his birthright. Esau's birthright let him get double the amount that Jacob received in everything. Making a rash decision, Esau agreed to give Jacob his birthright, a god-given blessing.Example: Hard Times by Charles DickensPurpose: After the birthright incident, Jacob later deceived Isaac, his blind father, into giving him the blessing designated for the oldest child. This caused Esau to be very angry at his brother, but he later forgave and embraced him. The purpose of this allusion in literature is usually to steer people away from rash decisions and teach forgiveness. jacob’s ladder Summary: Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, was fleeing from his twin brother Esau, who had vowed to kill him because Jacob had stolen Esau's birthright, the Jewish claim to inheritance and blessing. Jacob stopped for rest on his way to his cousin's house and as he was dreaming, he had a vision of a ladder, or stairway, between heaven and earth with God's angels on it. Jacob saw God standing above the ladder repeating the promise of support he had made to Abraham and Isaac. He told Jacob his offspring would be many, blessing all the families of the earth. God then said,"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (Genesis 28:15)When Jacob awoke, he believed that God was present in that place. Example: Jacob's Ladder by F. Scott FitzgeraldPurpose: The story shows the connections between heaven and earth, but also the importance of a promise, not fearing the future, and loyalty. Several stories, movies, and songs allude to the fighting of brothers because one steals from the other, separation, and a dream. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, other than the main characters name quite literally being Jacob, he is in love with a girl who doesn't love him and he has to climb a "ladder" to get to her. The ladder for both Jacob's does not actually lead to heaven.Jericho Summary: Jericho shut itself in, no one was allowed in or out. Even though, Example: Purpose: jesus / christ / carpenter / LAMB Summary: Jesus was born in Israel 2000 years ago. He lived a traditional Jewish life and worked as a carpenter. During this time Israel was under Caesars Roman dictatorship. Jesus was so bold because he repeatedly claimed to be God, which was a direct violation of Jewish law. Because of this, the religious leaders asked the Roman government to execute him. According to Christians, Jesus was conceived by the Holy spirit, born to the virgin Mary, and founded the Church. They say he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return.Example: The OdysseyPurpose: Jezebel Summary: A Phoenician princess who married King Ahab of Israel. Worships the god Baal, she had made many enemies in hher country including her citizens and the Yahwe Prophts. A man named Jehu was promised the throne by killing Jezebel's son after King Ahab had died in a war against Syrians. Jehu made his way to her palace and threw her out her bedroom window which she ended up getting trampled by horses and eaten by dogs.Example: Purpose: The tale shows us that pushing your beliefs else and disregarding their belief will have dire consequences. Her name has been used to describe cunning, ruthless, and reprehensible women. However, there are also people who say that she is a strong woman, who stood by her belief no matter what happens.jonah and the whale Summary: Jonah was a prophet in Northern Israel who was swallowed by a big fish, or whale as some people say, because he refused to preach to the nineveh. God punished him and eventually after jonah begged god for forgiveness, he freed him on the shores of nineveh where he told them. When he was upset about god not punishing the nineveh for being enemies of god, jonah was given shade then god took it away. Jonah wanted to die, then god told jonah that you are worried about a plant while I am worried about the lives of 120,000 people in nineveh.Example: Purpose: the purpose was to show that you must care for others other than just yourself. The lord shows compassion not only for Jonah, but for the ninevities as well. God is in control. Jonah also shows this as he tells the ninevities.john the baptist / Salome Summary: John the Baptist was a dedicated man and baptized countless people, including Jesus, spreading the will of god and preaching how their life choices will influence their afterlife. As his following grew, the royalty became fearful and he was put in prison. After Salome's birthday party, she was granted one wish, and asked her mom what she should wish for. When she was told to ask for John's head, she followed through and he was killed. Despite being locked away for so long, his followers stayed true to him and gathered at the prison to buy him in an honorable way.Example: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DefoePurpose: In the novel, Robinson disobeyed his father and sailed out to sea resulting in him becoming stranded on a deserted island. One of the main themes in the John story is repentance, both from him, his followers, his message, and eventually his fate giver, Salome. Robinson is forced to think about how his actions of disobeying his father's orders led him to his predicament.Joseph Summary: Joseph is an important biblical figure in the book of Genesis and Quran. He was the first son of Rachel and Jacob but had 10 half-brothers. He would later be sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and they would tell their parents that joseph had died by painting goat's blood on his coat. Joseph would rise above that and become the second most powerful man in Egypt after the Pharaoh. His brothers later looked to Joseph for aid not recognizing him and Joseph, who did recognize them, forgave his brothers and aided them.Example: The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy TanPurpose: Joseph's story could symbolize jealousy, retaliation, and betrayal. When his brothers sold Joseph, their own blood, into slavery because they didn't receive a coat from their father. The story could also symbolize someone sinning and being forgiven because Joseph forgave his brothers for their actions, just as God would forgive us for our sins. The story of Joseph can bring up emotions such as betrayal and jealousy but also forgiveness and second chances.judas iscariotSummary:Example: Purpose: the last supper Summary: The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus ate with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. It provides the scriptural basis for the sacred Christian ritual of Holy Communion. Jesus tells his followers to eat bread, symbolizing his body, and drink wine, symbolizing his blood. Christians still do this today during Communion, as they symbolically eat the spirit of Christ.Example: Leonardo Da Vinci's iconic painting, The Last SupperPurpose: Last meals are often considered special and sacred, just as one's last words. Death row inmates are allowed to pick whatever they want for their last meal and are allowed to say last words, a final act of mercy that can likely be traced to the last actions of Jesus. The supper can symbolize farewell and remembrance, universal themes that touch on human sadness and anguish at the loss of another.Lazarus Summary: Lazarus is a very poor beggar that sat outside the gates of a rich man every day, hoping to receive table scraps. After the both Lazarus and the rich man died, Lazarus went to heaven while the rich man went to hell. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to give him some water and Abraham declined, stating that he lived a good life while Lazarus suffered, and now Lazarus is comforted while he is in agony, and a chasm has been set in place so neither can cross. The rich man then asks if Lazarus can send word to his brothers so that they don't come to this fate, and he replies that they need to listen to Moses and the Prophets, not a warning from the dead. There is another story in which Jesus brings Lazarus back from the dead.Example: Moby-Dick by Herman MelvillePurpose: There is a windy and cold night in the book told from the perspective of Lazarus, used to show the suffering of the character Ishmael throughout the night, and Ishmael feels like the poor beggar during this particular night.Leviathan Summary: Leviathan is a humongous sea monster from the Hebrew Bible in the Book of Job, Psalms, and Isaiah. The Leviathan is a monster that was defeated by the god Hadad. Many parallels are made to Leviathans in stories containing creaters such as dragons or serpents. Example: Supernatural (TV show)Purpose: Limbo Summary: It is the border place between heaven and hell where dwell those souls who, though not condemned to punishment, are deprived of the joy of eternal existence with God in Heaven. While Purgatory is temporary as its souls are destined for Heaven, Limbo is permanent.Example: In the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri depicts limbo as the first circle of Hell.Purpose: In literature, the term Limbo is often symbolic of prison. This term may be used to describe children who died before they could receive the sacrament of baptism, which the Roman Catholic Church deemed necessary to enter Heaven.the loaves and fishes Summary: Also known as the feeding of the 4000, seven loaves of bread and fish. It is a miracle by Jesus where he fed lots of people with a few loaves. Example: A Tale of Two CitiesPurpose: When referring to the french and english aristocrats, they were said to have loaves and fishes. This purpose was to show that they had an unlimited supply of food. the lord’s prayer Summary: Frodo is merciful to Gollum and does not harm him, an act of compassion for which he is repaid in the end. In his narrative, Tolkein alludes to the struggle that exists when resisting temptation that Frodo has clearly overcome.Example: The Return of the King by J.R.R. TolkeinPurpose: Tolkein begins his phrase with the Lord's Prayer, which is a plea for help to a higher power. In this case, it expresses a hope for continued security. It is used in both times of desperation and moments of gratitude for safety and prosperity. lot / lot’s wife / “pillar of salt” Summary: Lot and his family live together with Abraham in the land of Ca'naan. They agree to look for separate land because the land isn't big enough for all of their animals anymore, so Lot and his family move to a city called Sod'om. Lot was a good man, but the people of this new city were very bad people. God sent two angels to tell Lot that God would destroy the city and a nearby city because the people we so bad. Lot and his daughters obeyed the orders to flee the city so they wouldn't be killed. But, Lot's wife stopped and didn't continue fleeing and she looked back. She was then turned into a salt pillar. Example: This story could be used in allusion to teach people to obey God and to not look back on the bridges that you've already burned.Purpose: Could represent that disobedience is bad and has consequences and being obedient is always better. Lot's wife didn't continue fleeing the city, and as a result was turned to a pillar of salt. The obeying characters could represent that when God saves those who listen to him.Manna Summary: Manna is a food that God gave miraculously to the Israelites in the Exodus after the food they had brought with them out of Egypt had run out. Until they reached Canaan, the Israelites only ate manna despite the availability of milk and meat from livestock because manna was sweet tasting and could be used in the creation of other foods like breads and cakes. Example: The movie Manna from HeavenPurpose: The reference to manna in literature can be used to refer to any divine or spiritual nourishment. The phrase "manna from heaven" can be used to mean assistance or unexpected fortune in a time of need. mary magdalene Summary: Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was said to have witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection. After his death, she was the first one to discover Jesus' tomb empty, and it's said that his first resurrected appearance was to her. She was also seen as the main representative of women who followed Jesus. Her life has been much debated and parts of her role have changed depending on who is translating the Bible, but it is generally agreed that she was a close follower of Jesus and saw him when he was resurrected.Example: Dan Brown's The Da Vinci CodePurpose: Some Christians saw Mary Magdalene as a prostitute who accepted Jesus as her master, so some churches have used this as a way to justify condemning women for their sexuality. A reference to someone as "Mary Magdalene" could be a way of chastising a woman for sex. However, many interpretations see Magdalene as a respectable woman. Anybody seeing someone after they've died could be a reference to her. Mephistopheles Summary: Mephistopheles is a devil in German folklore and was first featured in the Faust legend in 1480. In the story, Mephistopheles serves for the devil and goes to Faustus because he can sense he is on the path to being damned. This character doesn't corrupt people into going to hell, but collects the souls that are already on the path to hell. Since this tale, this character has been portraying the devil in many stories and legends through history. Example: Faust by Johann GoethePurpose: Mephistopheles acts as a symbol of the devil in many of the works he is mentioned in. In the play "Faust", Mephistopheles makes a deal with a human named "Faust" that he will do whatever Faust tells him to on Earth if Faust serves the devil in hell. The allusion of Mephistopheles refers to the devil or some sort of act of the devil in literature. Messiah Summary: The Hebrew verb meaning "to apply oil to," or to anoint. In the Hebrew Bible, Israel's kings were sometimes called God's "messiah" God's anointed one. A messiah could also be an anointed high priest or prophet. Jesus was referred to as the Messiah because he was the son of God sent to earth to live amongst God's people.Example: Harry Potter series by J.K RowlingPurpose: Anytime an author wants to allude to the idea that something or someone is of higher power and more important than others. For example, Harry Potter is referred to as "the chosen one" because he was the only one to ever survive an attack from Voldemort, and has a higher power than other people.Methuselah Summary: Methuselah is only mentioned in the bible once after his death. He is known because he was the longest living human; he lived to be 969 years old. He was the grand father of Noah and died right before the Great Flood. Nobody is sure about how he died. Example: Andrew Hudgen's poem BlurPurpose: Methuslah is usually alluded to show old age and experience. In Hudgen's poem Blur, Methuselah is alluded to show the difference from being a boy and a man. Hudgen's writes about his great experiences from living for so long. Moses Summary: Moses is placed in a basket and put in the Nile River by his mother because Pharaoh Rameses decreed the death of all Hebrew male children. Moses was taken and raised by an Egyptian Princess. Moses is aware of his Hebrew roots, and, one day, he kills an Egyptian who is beating an Israelite worker. Moses flees in fear to Midian, a town near Sinai, where he meets a priest named Jethro and marries the man’s daughter, beginning a new life as a shepherd. God, however, is concerned for the suffering of the Israelites, and he appears to Moses in the form of a burning bush. Moses organizes the Israelites and confronts the Pharaoh, demanding the release of the Hebrew people. Example: The Lion King Purpose: Moses is typically alluded to show strength and determination as well as trust. Because God depended on Moses to bring the Jewish people out of slavery, an allusion to Moses would also symbolize bravery. Moses is heavily alluded to in The Lion King through Simba. Nala put all her trust in Simba, as well as animals of the Pride Lands, to take back the Pride Lands from Scar and finally free them. mount ararat Summary: Mount Ararat is a mountain in Eastern Turkey. In the book of Genesis 8:4, it is said to be the place where Noah landed his Ark after the great flood dissipated. After the great flood ended and they landed on this mountain top, Noah and the creatures he saved begin life anew. Example: The Jungle Purpose: Mount Ararat is a symbol of a new life or rebirth. When Noah and the creatures he saved stepped out onto the peak of Mount Ararat, they were beginning civilization again and finding out how to live a new life. In the beginning of The Jungle, Jurgis and his family believes that America is the place for a fresh start and an ability for them to start over from scratch. mount gilboa Summary: Mount Gilboa is mountain in Israel that was cursed by King David. King David cursed the mountain in response to King Saul, Israel’s first King, and his sons’ death in the battle against the Philistines. The mountain remained fruitless and barren until recently, when trees were planted.Example: The book of Samuel in the BiblePurpose: ???the mount of olives Summary: The mount of olives is a part of a mountain ridge that extends over two miles on the eastern side of the Old City of Jerusalem and separates it from the Judaean desert. The Mount of Olives is one of Jerusalem's holiest places with references to it found in both the Old and New Testaments. Zechariah referred to it in his vision of future warfare against Jerusalem in that the Lord will stand upon the Mount and it will split in two and the people will flee through this valley. This prophecy formed the basis for the tradition that from the Mount of Olives God would redeem the dead when the Messiah came. In addition, David ascended the Mount of Olives in order to flee Absalom's coup, it is mentioned in all four gospels, Jesus travels along the Mount and teaches on top, and It is also where he wept over Jerusalem.Example: Seven Years In Tibet by Heinrich HarrerPurpose: Olives are commonly referred to with the olive branch, meaning peace, but the climbing of a mountain is present in endless pieces of literature. In Seven Years In Tibet by Heinrich Harrer the high plateau of Tibet acts as an escape route, just as the mount of olives did for David. MOUNT SINAISummary:Example: Purpose: THE NATIVITY Summary: The story of the nativity is one of trust in something you believe in. In the story, Mary is told that as a virgin, she will have god's child, she is told to go to Bethlehem and after finding no place to stay, she gave birth in a barn but the shepherds and wise men came bearing gifts for the new born Jesus.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisPurpose: To the children in the novel, Aslan is their source of knowledge and sense of what's right and wrong. Despite the challenges they faced and hardships endured, they followed Aslan because they believed in him. By the end of the story, that trust pays off and the characters not only receive gifts, but also a new life perspective.NOAH / NOAH’S ARK / THE OLIVE BRANCH Summary: Noah was told by god to build an ark and bring a male and female of each animal race with him. God I’d planning to flood the earth and get rid of all human corruption and violence. Years past and Noah sends out a dove. When the dove came back it had an olive branch in its beak and Noah knows that the flood has passed. Example: Purpose: the olive branch signifies freedom and peace. Due to the olive branch brought back Noah now knows the flood created by god has ended and he and his family is free to go back. ORIGINAL SIN Summary: Original sin is the doctrine which says that human nature and mankind have been corrupted due to the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden. In the Bible, the first human transgression of God's command is described as the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden resulting in what theology calls the fall of mankind. The doctrine holds that every person born into the world is tainted by the Fall such that all of humanity is ethically debilitated, and people are powerless to rehabilitate themselves, unless rescued by God. Example: John Murray, the imputation of AdamsJohn Murray, the Imputation of Adam's SinPurpose: this shows that for sinning, you will be punished, and as the first human beings, everyone was punished. No one should disobey god and heed his warnings. Sins can create punishments which can affect everyone.NEBUCHADNEZZAR Summary: He was the King of Babylon and was unfavorable. In certain places in the Bible Nebuchadnezzar was depicted as the enemy of God especially in the book of Daniel. He took Jews and Daniel into captivity where they turned to God for help. Nebuchadnezzar was then forced to realize the power of God when Daniel when a few others were saved from Nebuchadnezzar's captivity. He was also known for his dreams he was unable to interpret and taking over Jerusalem and burning down the Tower of Solomon. Example: Bel and the DragonPurpose: Nebuchadnezzar was long reigning and unlikeable. By alluding to the king, it can create feelings of unlikability. Since Nebuchadnezzar had crazy dreams, in literature it could create feelings of insanity. Due to his long reign it could also create feeling of endlessness. PARABLESummary:Example: Purpose: PASSOVER Summary: Passover is an important, biblically-derived Jewish holiday, symbolizing their liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt and their freedom under the leadership of Moses. It commemorates the story of Exodus as described in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).Example: Spirituals sung by black slaves, longing for their freedomPurpose: Passover is a holiday of celebration and remembrance, and touches on the universal desire to be free and independent, to live your own destiny with your own people. Stories of struggle, oppression, and resistance can be found everywhere, and the story of Exodus speaks to the desire to find a better life somewhere else through immigration, themes that are still with us today, and formed one of the founding principles of the United States.SAINT PETER Summary: Saint Peter was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is traditionally seen as the first Bishop (or Pope) of Rome and the leader of the Apostles. He started out as a fisherman, and became the leader of the Apostles because he was given the keys to heaven by Jesus. He was also crucified, but upside down as his request because he felt unworthy of being crucified in the same way as Jesus. However, he also denied that Jesus existed after Jesus's crucifixion. Example:Purpose: Saint Peter could be referred to because of how he betrayed Jesus or how he started as a fisherman and became a great religious figure.PHARISEES Summary: The Pharisees were once a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought in the Holy Land. The New Testament presents the Pharisees as obsessed with man-made rules, especially where purity is concerned. Pharisee now describes a hypocritical person who places the letter of the law above the spirit of the law.Example: The BiblePurpose: PHILISTINES Summary: The Philistines were a non-Semitic, war-mongering group of people who arrived in the Levant (an area that includes modern-day Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria) during the 12th century B.C.E. Their highly-developed weapons brought a great threat to the Israelites, who they often fought against. Later, a shepherd by the name of David, who would later become the second King of Israel, defeated them after his battle with a Philistine by the name of Goliath. Example: In The Book of Kings the Philistines get defeated by the Assyrians.Purpose: Today, the word philistine is used as an epithet to refer to an unrefined, dull person. In truth, the Philistines of history were not unsophisticated or uncultured. PONTIUS PILATE Summary: He was the fith prefect of the roman providence of Judea. He lobbied for Jesus to be spared in his execution, but when the crown does not agree he washes his hands of the responsibility of Jesuses death and reluctantly sends him to his death. Example: The CruciblePurpose: Hale had the power to save elizebeth from being arrested, but is simply giving the blame to the courts. It symbolizis him passing the blame elsewhere, when in reality he could of done something. THE PRODIGAL SON Summary: Emily runs away with Steerforth (her love interest), who, after touring Europe, abandons her. She is left with no other option than to return to her uncle in England. She is embarrassed and afraid of being rejected, but she is welcomed home with open arms.Example: David Copperfield by Charles DickensPurpose: The prodigal son (or in this example, daughter) archetype describes a son or daughter who, after squandering their money and living recklessly, returns home in shame. Their guardian, after seeing their newfound humility, celebrates their arrival as a rebirth.THE PROMISED LAND Summary: Joshua was a commanding officer who was put in charge by Moses who had recently died. Joshua was a very courageous man. He instructed the people to take up their tents and journey to the Jordan river. He also commanded that the people bring the Ark of covenant to lead the way. When they hit the Jordan river, the water split and they entered the promised land on dry ground. God was faithful with his promises and the Israelites received their inheritance. Example: Martin Luther King Jr. Speech where he says "And He's allowed me to go up the mountaintop, and I've looked over, and I've seen the promise land". The promised land that MLK is referring to is where all races are equal, and the promised land in this story is what the Israelites were promised by God. Purpose: This story could represent courageousness being a positive thing because Joshua was full of courage and got what he wanted. Also, it represents that the higher power always comes through with their promises because God gave them their promised inheritance.PURGATORY Summary: Purgatory is a state that one enters after death if you are destined to go to heaven. During purgatory a person receives the cleansing they need to be holy enough to enter the gates of heaven. Happens to people when they have been forgiven of sin before or have not received punishment for their sins in their previous life.Example: Tv series Supernatural-purgatory is a place all monsters go after they die Purpose: An allusion to purgatory would be used to represent a cleanse or rebirth of something in order for them to progress in some way. For example, in Supernatural monsters enter purgatory when they die because they are monsters, not ready to enter the afterlife because of actions in their previous life. REBECCA Summary: After Abraham's wife died, he went on a journey to find a new wife. When he reached the top of a mountain, he sat down and prayed to God that his new wife would appear. A young woman then appeared and offered Abraham and his camels water, demonstrating her generous nature. Abraham gave her two gold bracelets, which she then brought to her mother, and the mother agreed that Rebecca could return with Abraham. Rebecca went to find him and saw him praying. They then returned home and got married. When she was pregnant, she received a prophecy that "One people will be stronger than the other," meaning that two things cannot be equally strong.Example: Harry Potter seriesPurpose: When two people cannot be equally strong, this could be a reference to the prophecy Rebecca received. For example, Harry Potter and Voldemort could not be free from one another until one of them died. They could not both be the most powerful wizards, and they fought until one died, like Rebecca's twin sons did. References to Rebecca could also be shown through generosity, since she shared her water with Abraham and his camels. RUTH Summary: Ruth married one of the sons of a woman named Naomi. Sadly, Naomi's husband and two sons died, leaving Naomi with her daughter in law, Ruth. There was a famine in Israel at that time but Naomi heard that the Lord helped the people and provided food there so she headed back to Bethlehem with Ruth. Ruth harvested in barley fields to make extra for herself and Naomi. The man that owned the field was named Boaz and he soon grown a liking to Ruth. He purchased Naomi's land so he could acquire Naomi and Ruth with it. Ruth and Boaz were married and had a child named Jesse, who would be the father of David, the savior of Jesus Christ. Example: Ode to Nightingale by John KeatsPurpose: Ruth represents hard work and determination in any piece of literature that alludes to her story. In a time of despair with her husband dying, she decides to leave her land behind and stay with Naomi out of love. Ruth devoted herself to her mother-in-law, showing virtues that all people should follow, such as loyalty and selflessness. THE RESURRECTION Summary: The belief that after Jesus was crucified, he rose from the dead three days later. He appeared to many people over 40 days before ascending to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Easter is the Christian holiday marking the resurrection of Jesus. "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" .(1 Corinthians 15:3–4) Example: The Chronicles of NarniaPurpose: It's used in The Chronicles of Narnia when Aslan is executed and resurrected the next day looking more beautiful. It can be used in literature to show how a death and resurrection show a change in the character whether it be in them or others around them. It can also represent rebirth.SACRIFICE OF ISAAC Summary: Isaac was almost killed by his father when his father Abraham's faith was tested by god. Abraham wanted a son very bad and when his wife gave birth to Isaac he was very happy. God tested his faith by asking him to sacrifice his one and only son. Isaac was spared since Abraham was willing to sacrifice him for God.Example: Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler's Fail SafePurpose: Allusions to Isaac will most likely be about a sacrifice and a decision. In Fail Safe, a pilot is about to carry out an attack that will definitely kill his son. He makes the decision to carry out the attack because he knows it will save more people. The son is an allusion to Isaac being sacrificed. SAMSON and DELILAH Summary: When Samson fell for Delilah, a woman from the Valley of Sorek, it marked the beginning of his downfall and eventual demise. It didn't take long for the rich and powerful Philistine rulers to learn of the affair and pay Delilah a visit. Hoping to capture him, the Philistine leaders each offered Delilah a sum of money to collaborate with them in a scheme to uncover the secret of Samson's strength. Using her powers of seduction and deception, Delilah wore down Samson until he finally told her that his hair was the source of his great strength. While Samson slept on her lap, Delilah called in a co-conspirator to shave off the seven braids of his hair, which left Samson subdued and weak and left to capture. Example: MacbethPurpose: The story of Samson and Delilah centers around the idea that love is blinding and can cause someone to make bad decisions. In Macbeth, Macbeth's strong love for his wife clouds his judgement. Despite his close relationship with the king, Macbeth allows his power-hungry wife persuade him into killing the king so that they could have the throne. In the end, both suffer as a result of their bad choices made for love.Sarah Summary: Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. When she met Abraham, she was so beautiful that Abraham called her his sister so that no other man could have her. After many years together, Abraham made a covenant with God that promised to make Abraham's descendants the leaders of Israel. However, Sarah was barren and thus couldn’t give Abraham the children that he wanted. Sarah decided that in order to fulfill the promise with the Lord, she would allow Abraham and their slave Hagar to have a child together, who would be named Ishmael. During Hagar's pregnancy and after Ishmael's birth, Sarah become jealous and banished Hagar twice, the second time for good. Sarah, even though she had been proven barren, gave birth to a son named Isaac at the age of 90. Example: The Iliad Purpose: In the bible, Sarah's pregnancy and birth at the ripe age of 90 represents the power of divine intervention. Throughout literature, divine intervention is used often to show the lack of free will that humans have. In The Iliad, divine intervention is used to seal the fate of the heroes of the story time and time again. In many of the battles, Zeus, Athena, and several other gods and goddesses decide the outcome, showing that humans have no power over their own destiny. satan(5 additional aliases)Summary: Satan is known as the deceiver, who leads men astray. In the book of Genesis, Satan is represented by a serpent who convinces Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Satan often tempts people into sin, turning them away from God. He is also said to be an angel, named Lucifer, who was too prideful and thus 'fell' from heaven. Example: Inferno by Dante AlighieriPurpose: When Satan is alluded to in literature, it is often to draw attention to people who possess evil qualities. It can also serve as a contrast to a particularly good person or even a temptor/temptress.Saul Summary: Paul was a Jew, born in the Roman city of Tarsus. He was proud of his Jewish heritage so he chose to use his Hebrew name, Saul, until sometime after he began to believe in and preach Christ. After that time, as “the apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13), he used his Roman name, Paul. It would make sense for Paul to use his Roman name as he travelled farther and farther into the Gentile world.Example: Invisible Man by Ralph EllisonPurpose: The allusion to Saul in any work will likely have the purpose of showing a change in personality, bad to good, of a character. For example, in Invisible Man the narrator shares some words of wisdom from his grandfather: "'You start Saul, and end up Paul,' my grandfather had often said. 'When you're a youngun, you Saul, but let life whup your head a bit and you starts to trying to be Paul—though you still Sauls around on the side." Which refers to the fact that as you grow older and wiser your "name changes" because you have chosen a better way of life, just as Saul did.the sermon on the mount Summary: a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7).[1][2] It is the first of the Five Discourses of Matthew and takes place relatively early in the Ministry of Jesus after he has been baptized by John the Baptist and preached in Galilee.The Sermon is the longest continuous section of Jesus speaking found in the New Testament, and has been one of the most widely quoted elements of the Canonical Gospels.[3] It includes some of the best known teachings of Jesus, such as the Beatitudes, and the widely recited Lord's Prayer. The Sermon on the Mount is generally considered to contain the central tenets of Christian discipleship.[3]Example: Purpose: seven deadly sins Summary: The Bible actually does not have a list called 'the seven deadly sins.' A Catholic Church monk in the 4th century A.D. most likely started the list of seven deadly sins that we know commonly today. Those being rath, greed, lust, pride, envy, sloth and gluttony. These sins as we know them today are more a collection of the worst offenses someone can commit, according to Roman Catholics. These sins are derived from the bible, Proverbs 6:16-19, "There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers."Example: Lord of the FliesPurpose: These sins show up repeatedly in ligature and everywhere. They represent all paths we should not choose to go down and which are not godly. These sins are supposed to lead to our entire downfall. seven sacraments Summary: Latin word sacramentum means “a sign of scared”. They are cere monies that point to what is sacred and important for Christians. These sacraments were established by Jesus Crist for the church to follow.The Seven Sacraments:?Baptism forgives all personal sin, infuses grace necessary for salvation?? ? ?Confession?(reconciliation) forgives sin committed after baptism?? ? ?Eucharist?received only by baptized Catholics in a state of grace?? ? ?Confirmation?profession of faith and receiving of gifts of the Holy Spirit?? ? ?Holy Matrimony?signifies the union of Christ and Church?? ? ?Holy Orders??ordination to the diaconate, priesthood or episcopate?? ? ?Anointing of the Sick?forgiveness from sin, abundant grace and healing Example: Purpose: “The sacraments provide grace, from the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross, to the faithful throughout their lives, from birth to death." Basically means helping us be more “holy”.shadrach, meshach, and abednego Summary: three Hebrew men thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, when they refuse to bow down to the king's image; the three are preserved from harm and the king sees four men walking in the flames. The three were of high office in Babylon and refused to bow down to a statue of the king. When thrown into the flames, he witnessed four people unharmed walking in the flames, the fourth appearing to be the son of god. After witnessing this, the king decided to appoint the three to high office.Example: Shadrach -Beastie Boys (song) Purpose: those who ask for gods help will receive it. The king appointed these three and stated anyone who disobeyed them and god would be torn limb from limb. This also showsthat god can give, protect, and provide.sodom and gomorrah Summary: Sodom and Gomorrah were cities filled with sinful inhabitants aside from one. God sent two angels to figure out who the good person was and upon entering Gomorrah were greeted by Lot, who proceeded to offer them a place to stay, foot baths, and food. When a mob of every citizen from both Sodom and Gomorrah formed outside his home to rape the angels, he attempted to protect them by offering up his virgin daughters. After the angels and god saw this, they knew they had found the good man and warned him of the destruction that would come to those cities.Example: War of the Worlds by H.G. WellsPurpose: The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is alluded to when referencing utter destruction and annihilation because of abundant sin by a group or society. In War of the Worlds, it tells the tale of American society and how their materialistic and greedy tendencies brought on invasion and destruction by alien invaders.solomon / wisdom of the tower of babel Summary: In the bible there was a story where people came together in unison all speaking the same language to build one city and a tower that could reach heaven. God watched closely and put a stop to the building of tower. God made it so the people could no longer understand each other and scattered the people around the world. Solomon was the 3rd king of Israel and is known to be very wise because God granted him with wisdom.Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (chapter 14)Purpose: The purpose of using this story as an allusion could be to show the defiance of humans. Since the people wanted to reach heaven, they were disrespecting God. They wanted to reach heaven so badly that they ignored the power God has over all man. 3 wise men / magiSummary:Example: Purpose: yahwehSummary:Example: Purpose: Biblical AllusionsCAIN and ABEL(Mr. Freeburger)Summary: Cain and Abel are brothers. Cain offers part of his harvest to God while Abel offers some of his livestock. God likes the livestock more which makes Cain jealous. He murders Abel, then lies to God about it, saying he’s no “my brother’s keeper.” But Abel’s blood is crying from the soil. The tainted soil will no longer produce for Cain and he is banished, but not before God marks him to protect him from retaliation for the murder of his brother. Cain goes to Nod, “east of Eden”, where he begins a new life. Example: John Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.Purpose: On the surface, the purpose could be to reference jealousy, betrayal and murder. The blood calling from the soil and tainting the ground could be used to represent punishment of a crime. Cain’s mark and exile could represent the protection from someone in power despite a wrong or the rejection and banishment from paradise (or someplace good). In Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden, Cain and Abel are alluded to throughout, but the title itself refers to the place of rebuilding…outside of paradise. Absalom Summary: Absalom was the second son of David. The first son of David, Amnon the half-brother Absalom, raped Absalom's sister Tamar. Absalom enacts his revenge by having a servant murder Amnon whilst Amnon is enjoying drunken festivities thrown by Absalom. David is shocked by this act of fratricide and banish Absalom for Jerusalem for 2 years. When Absalom is allowed to return to Jerusalem he plans a revolt against King David; one that ultimately fails and he is killed by Joab.Example: Absalom, Absalom! By William FaulknerPurpose: The purpose of the allusion to Absalom is to demonstrate how dysfunctional the main character's family is. The allusion also foreshadows the fratricide committed by Henry and against Charles Bon.Abraham Summary: God promised Abram he would make nations from him, make his name great, and bless those that bless him. With his wife Sarai and nephew Lot he traveled to Canaan as God instructed. There he built an alter to the Lord. During that time, there was a famine so they traveled to Egypt to survive. Once there, Abram told Sarai to pretend to be hid sister in front of the Pharaoh. Pharaoh took Sarai back to his palace but then God brought illness on everyone in the palace. Pharaoh questioned why Abram would lie and then sent them on their way. Abram and Lot parted ways sometime later because the land could not support all of them together. After a while Abram pointed out that he has had no children to “make the nations” as God had promised. Abram decided he would have a child with his servant Hagar. God told him that Ishmael would not be the heir to the nations he had promised but a son from his wife Sarai. To show that he would keep his promise he made a covenant with Abram. God told him he would now go by Abraham and his wife Sarah. Furthermore, all boys must be circumcised, as well as Abraham. Later, despite Sarah’s old age God blessed her with a child, who was named Isaac. In later years God asks Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son and as Abraham is about to go through with it, God stops him and Abrahams faith is proven. And because of his faith and obedience, God multiplied Abrahams offspring. Example: Fail Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey WheelerA chapter is titled “The Choice of Abraham” In this chapter, a pilot is sent on a mission that he knows will kill his son but he goes through with it to save even more lives.Purpose: Allusions to Abraham can be used to show fear of God, obedience, and sacrifice. Despite the fact that God ordered him to kill his one and only son, Abraham feared God so much and was willing to sacrifice his most precious being to obey God. In Fail Safe the pilot was also willing to make a sacrifice for a greater cause by going through with the mission he knew his son will die from.Adam and EveSummary:Example: Purpose: ANGELS (3 hierarchies, 9 orders) Summary: In the 5th Century A.D., Dionysius, a Middle Eastern scholar, classified angels into nine classes or choirs, which were divided into three spheres. The first sphere with the angels closest to God, included Seraphim, Cheribum, and Thrones. In the second were Dominions, Virtues, and Powers. Lastly, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels made up the third sphere. Example: William Shakespeare's HamletPurpose: Referencing the angels, especially ones closest to God, could be implying one’s higher powers and relation to God to show how they are a higher being. They are often called upon for guidance and protection regardless of their rank. Hamlet questions his ghost’s integrity when he wonders if it is an evil or good spirit, and he begs clarity from angels. The Cherubim would give him the most help since they symbolize God’s knowledge and protection.Apocalypse Summary: In the Hebrew Old Testament, the Apocalypse is referenced as the end of "the age." After the Apocalypse, "the wicked" face judgement and those that are given righteousness before God receive glorification. In the Book of Job, the dead awaiting final judgement are referred to as the "Sheol." The wicked are sent to eternal suffering in a lake of fire, Gehinnom, as mentioned in the Book of Revelation.Also in the Book of Revelation, John receives a revelation of the ultimate victory of good over evil, which would lead to the end of the "present age."The "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," also in the Book of Revelation, refers to the "Four Horsemen," which represent conquest (on a white horse), war (on a red horse), famine (on a black horse), and death (on a pale horse), who are sent to Earth to facilitate a divine Apocalypse as precursor to the Final Judgement of all men.Example: The Colbert ReportPurpose: In Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report, there is a recurring segment that calls out books, television, movies, and radio for summoning the apocalypse and being the Four Horsemen. This implies that the four media outlets are the reason for the downfall of the world as we know it.Armageddon/Anti-Christ Summary: Armageddon is the location where the Judgement Day battle will occur between Christ and Anti-Christ. It is located at the middle of two trade routes in Jezreel. 7 seals will be broken on a scroll and then God will remove all faithful followers of Christ off the Earth and release 7 wrath judgements upon the Earth and Anti-Christ. God wins the final battle against Satan. Example: The Hunger Games Purpose: It represents the last battle/ the last trialThe Ascension Summary: About 40 Days after Jesus's resurrection Jesus talked to his disciples and told him he had a gift for they. They gathered in Jerusalem, and Jesus told them to teach and baptize anyone that believe in hm. After the statement Jesus then rose above the clouds back into heaven, right before the disciples' eyes.Example: Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! John 6:62Purpose: If the ascension is alluded too or referenced, it means whatever object the text was referring to is a holy deity.The Beatitudes Sumary: The Beatitudes are 8 blessings recounted in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin noun beatitudo meaning "happiness". Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition (cause) and Result (effect). Each is a proverb without narrative.Example: Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew.Purpose: The beatitudes present a new set of Christian ideals focusing on love and humility. They reinforce the teaching of Jesus regarding mercy and compassion. Beelzebub Summary: Beelzebub is a name given to Satan that is only found in the New Testament. It is believed that the name Beelzebub was derived from "Baalzebub," a Philistine god whose name translates to "Lord of the Flies." Beelzebub is referred to as one of the Seven Princes of Hell, and the demon of gluttony. Jesus was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub because he had the power to cast away demons. In the Testament of Solomon, Beelzebub is described as one of the three fallen angels Example: William Golding's Lord of the Flies Purpose: Baazlebub's Philisine name translates directly to Lord of the Flies. This alludes to a theme of loss of innocence, as Beelzebub is referred to as one of the fallen angels. The title also alludes to gluttony, as Beelzebub is the demon of gluttony. The Betrayal Summary: Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the typical price one paid for a slave in that day. We read of Judas’ plan to betray JesusExample: Aldrich Ames and the USAPurpose: Betraying someone is showed as somewhat of a sin and in the bible this represented by Judas. The Burning Bush Summary: While tending to his sheep Moses sees a startling sight. He sees a bush that is on fire but is not burning up. When Moses goes over to look at the bush he hears the voice of god. God tells Moses that his chosen people, the Hebrews, are enslaved in Egypt and Moses must be the one to lead them to freedom. Moses does not believe that he is the one to carry out this task. God told Moses that he would perform miracles to help Moses. To prove his power, he turned Moses's staff into a snake and then back into a staff. Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt then returns to the holy mountain where God gives him the ten commandments.Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsPurpose: The continuous burning bush could represent faith as it is self-sustaining and cannot vanish. Another interpretation of the bush is that it was just used by God to show his glory to Moses in order to get his attention. In The Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss wears a dress that is on fire but does not change to ash. It symbolizes her unweathering faith which in turn alludes to the burning bush. Caiaphas Summary: Caiaphas was said to be the Jewish priest who plotted to kill Jesus. He was originally appointed high priest in 18 C.E. by the Romans and served until 37 C.E. He was also involved in the trial of Jesus. Example: Inferno by Dante AlighieriPurpose: Caiaphas represents all hypocrites who are damned to hell. His punishment is to be stepped on by everyone crossing into hell.Canon Law Summary: Canon is the same thing as the laws that we have for our individual states and our country as a whole. These laws just have to do with the Roman Catholic church. These laws are made up and enforced by the leaders of the church in order to fulfill the churches mission. Example: Seven Sacraments Purpose: Canon law is used throughout all of the Roman Catholic churches into make sure that the Catholics are following all of the rules of the church. They do this in order to make fulfil their goal of bringing people closer to the lord. These laws can be associated with the seven sacraments, you must fulfill the seven sacraments. Almost like a canon law. Cloven Hoof Summary: The cloven hoof is used to distinguish what animals are "clean" and "unclean", which are further shows what animals can be eaten. If an animal eats grass, but does not have a cloven hoof, or doesn’t eat grass, but has a cloven hoof, that animal is unclean. This is because the devil is said to have cloven hooves, which represents evil. Example: " She was unable to hide her stench of death and cloven hooves for feet" The Heart of Fire by Joseph a TodaroPurpose: No matter how hard someone tries to cover their evilness, they are never successful in hiding their cloven hooves. The devil would change forms, but keep his hooves, to show that he is still bad and evil.CovenantSummary:Example: Purpose: Crown of Thorns Summary: The crown of thorns was a crown believed to have been worn by Jesus leading up to his crucifixion. It was used to cause him pain and mock him.Example: The cone of shame from "Up"Purpose: In the movie "Up" bad dogs are threatened with wearing the "cone of shame" (just a medical dog cone). Dug is humiliated with this cone but then overcomes it.The Creation Summary: In Genesis 1, God created everything in six days; light on the first day, the sky and air on the second day, land and plants on the third day, the sun and moon on the four day, birds and aquatic animals on the fifth day and mammals, including humans, on the sixth day. God takes the seventh day to rest. This is done in parallel opposites to create balance for the world and tame its many chaotic aspects. A prominent aspect of chaos is the sea because it represents unknown and untraveled places. God wanted to control the sea with order by having the sea be in one place under the sky and allow the land to appear. A main point that is made is that order needs to contain chaos and chaos helps instill order. Example: The Odyssey by HomerPurpose: Odysseus constantly struggles throughout the story with trying to contain chaos. He tries to end the Trojan War and his absence causes chaos back home. And he faces this struggle as he makes his journey back home. He is forced to encounter monsters and find his way around gods and goddesses. The Crucifixion Summary: In Christian Religions it is believed that in order to be worthy to enter Heaven you must be sinless and clean. But because of the fall of Adam humans can't be expected to remain sinless. Jesus Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to human kind by allowing the Jews to murder him on the cross, because of this sacrifice people can overcome their sin and be worthy to enter heaven. Jesus Christ paid for the price of sins through his blood which only he could do due to the fact that he himself was free of sin. Example: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeePurpose: The night before he was crucified Jesus Christ prayed to his father in heaven asking him to "take this cup" from him meaning that Jesus was praying to God hoping he didn’t have to die the next day. In To Kill a Mockingbird Uncle Jack said the same thing to Atticus the night before Tom Robinsons trial to show how hard the upcoming events were about to be. Daniel in theLion’s Den Summary: Daniel has spent his entire life praying faithfully to God, and thus has moved up in the ranks of the government. Jealous government workers trick the king into passing a decree which declares that anyone who prays to someone other than the king will be thrown into the lion's den. Daniel is aware of this, but continues to pray to God. He is then discovered and put into the den. However, Daniel survives thanks to God, who sent down an angel to close the lions' mouths to prevent Daniel from being eaten.Example: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass; he felt like "one who had escaped from a den of hungry lions."Purpose: Douglass uses this allusion as a way to prove his credibility and character. Since Daniel was faithful and honest, Douglass is implying that these same character traits were what allowed him to escape slavery. He is trying to portray his faith and determination as heroic.David and Goliath Summary: There was a war between the Israelites and the Philistines at Sohkoh in Judah. The champion of the Philistines, Goliath the giant, demanded each day, once in the morning and once in the evening, that one of the Israelites must fight him. The losing side of this fight would become the winning sides subjects. Goliath's demands went unanswered for 40 days due to the cowardice of the Israelites. After the fortieth day David, the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem, had come to the battle area delivering supplies and volunteered to fight goliath. He had no fear because he knew that God would help him win. David entered the fight with a sling shot and five rocks and he exited the fight with Goliath's severed head.Example: Kite Runner by Khaled HosseiniPurpose: The allusion calls attention to the fact that that Assef is much larger than both Amir and Sohrab, making Amir and Sohrab the underdogs. The allusion becomes more obvious when Sohrab defeats Assef with a sling shot just as David did to Goliath. The allusion could show that Sohrab and Amir have a divine force on their side that has helped them to defeat what is evil.David and BathshebaJordan Salahuddin Summary: David is walking on the roof of his palace when he notices a woman bating on her roof in the distance, he sends for the woman and learns that her name is Bathsheba. Even though he knows that she is married, he has sex with Bathsheba anyway and as a result she becomes pregnant. To hide his sin, he sends for Bathsheba’s husband Uriah to come home and sleep with his wife, but Uriah refuses because his fellow soldiers are still at battle. When Uriah goes back to battle, David tells the generals to place him on the front line then retreat, resulting in his death. David is then visited by Nathan who says that God is not happy with him, and as a result the child he is having with Bathsheba will die. Example: The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Purpose: In the story Dimmesdale is held in high regard within his community, just like David. In both stories these men that people view as virtuous are shown to be capable of sin, specifically adultery, and both work extremely hard to cover up their transgressions. exodusSummary:Example: Purpose: the fall Summary: The Fall refers to the first sin made by Adam and Eve, or the Fall of humanity. The initial fall occurred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” when tempted by a serpent. Before the Fall, humanity was seen as perfect, but then after there was a loss of innocence and righteousness as they became aware of shame for the first time.Example: William Shakespeare's HamletPurpose: In the play, the ghost Old Hamlet proclaims that he was stung by a serpent, suggesting that he was the victim of an act of evil. The appearance of the ghost brings on the fall of innocence of Hamlet as he starts to feel conflict. He also debates committing several different sins throughout the play such as contemplating suicide, bringing him shame and discontentment. fallen angel/lucifer Summary: In the Bible, Lucifer was once a magnificent being who let pride overtake his heart and sin overrun his life. When he was created by God as an angel, his role was unique. He was assigned by God to be the angel of worship, whose ministry surrounded the heart of heaven. In order to be in the presence of God, Lucifer had to be perfect, which he was (Ezekiel 28:14).However, Lucifer became to see himself in a prominent position while ministering. He believed he deserved more than he already had (which was everything he needed to be- he was perfect), and wanted to be "the Most High." He wanted to be worshiped like God. But God does not share His glory, and thus Lucifer was dismissed from the presence of God. Ever since, Lucifer has been known as Satan. Satan's mission has been to oppose the mighty plan of God. He even attempted to lure the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to sin and worship him.God's son, Jesus, was given Satan's old name. Both Jesus and Lucifer mean "son of the morning." Jesus was given this name because he was much more deserving of it and serves at the right hand of God. In Matthew 23:12, Jesus states that "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" on account of Satan.Example: William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Malcom: "Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell."Purpose: Lucifer was considered to be the most magnificent angel until he became conceded and fell. In context, this line is to be understood as "all other Angels are still magnificent, even if Lucifer fell from heaven," in a conversation between Malcom (Macbeth's father) and Macduff. Malcom is concerned that even those that are good, like Macbeth, are vulnerable to the promise of power. Like Lucifer, Macbeth is power-hungry and can obtain power by defeating his Creator, his father.The Flood Summary: God was upset, because his people were being unorderly and decided to flood the Earth for 40 days and 40 nights so that he could start over, which led to Noah having to save his family and the male and female of every animal, but the flood was so horrific that God vowed to never destroy the Earth by flood again. Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnPurpose: The main purpose of The Flood in literature is so symbolize a new beginning or a fresh start to a situation. Gabriel Summary: Gabriel was the archangel that is said to "stand in the presence of God" He was sent to speak to the virgin Mary, in Galilee, to inform her that she was going to be carrying Jesus. He said to her "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."Example Fences By August Wilson"One morning St. Was looing at his book... marking it for judgment day... and he ket me see your name." Purpose: May be used to describe or represent someone or something who is able to speak for a higher being or deity.garden of eden Summary: The Garden of Eden was made by God for Adam. The lord grew every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. This included the tree of life and the tree of knowledge. Example: Milton's Paradise LostHamlet by ShakespearePurpose: In literature The Garden of Eden is often used to describe a haven or a place of peace. The Garden of Eden can also refer to the tree of knowledge (which contained both good and evil knowledge).Genesis Summary: Genesis is the first book of the bible, in which God creates Earth and everything in it. Famous stories such as Adam and Eve, Jonah's ark, and Cain and Abel are found in Genesis. Genisis' essential themes include covenants, or promises that are made by God. If a covenant is honored, it brings blessings. However, if it is broken, it brings curses. Genesis as a whole is largely a precursor to the rest of the Bible, and its themes are present throughout. Other themes include Gods authority, man's rebellion, and God's preservation of life. Genesis promotes obedience to God's will through promises of blessings if it is complied with, and promises of curses if it is rebelled against.Example: The band Genesis Purpose: The reason Jonathin King decided to name his band Genesis was to create the impression that they were a precursor to a new style of music that would be built upon over time, an allusion to Genesis being a precursor to the rest of the Bible, as its themes are present throughout the rest. garden of gethsemane Summary: is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, most famous as the place where Jesus prayed and his disciples slept the night before his crucifixion, the site recorded as where the agony in the garden took place. Example: To Kill a mockingbird Purpose: The Garden of Gethsemane served as a ritualistic location to pray before a very important event, in this case it was his crucifixion golden rule Summary: The Golden Rule refers to the words of Jesus in Mathew 7:12. Simply put the rule states that one should treat other the way they wish to be treated.Example: Django Unchained (film) by Quentin Tarantino Purpose: The rule is meant to encourage positive behavior towards each other. It is also meant to keep one's actions in check when acting out in violence towards someone. By acting out in violence one is accepting that kind of behavior towards one self. In Django Unchained, the hero Django is abused and treated horribly by the slave masters who have no regard for their actions. When Django is freed, he enacts those same acts of violence upon them. Golgotha Summary: Golgatha was said to be the spot just outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. The site was previously a temple to honor Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love. The spot is heavily debated and is also referred to as Cavalry, Skill Hill, and Gagulta. Example: Macbeth by William ShakespearePurpose: Shakespeare compares Macbeths winning battle after being metaphorically crucifiedThe Good Samaritan Summary: a biblical story which is found in the bible Luke 10:27-37. A man is struggling on the side of the road with wounds and is homeless. Multiple people walk upon him and pass him, including a priest. Then a Samaritan walks upon the man, tends to all of his wounds and brings him to shelter. Which shows he had love in his heart. Example: "The Blind Side"Purpose: The purpose of this biblical story is to teach everybody to love one another. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or how much money you have. That’s the message this biblical story is trying to teach. which related to when the family in the Blind Side takes in Michael Oher, because they are a loving family and know that it is the right thing to do. The Good Shephard Summary: Jesus compares himself to a good shepherd and all of his followers to sheep. Sheep are not super bright, so the shepherd has to take care of them by providing safe water and green grass. The shepherd would risk his own life to protect the sheep.Example: "we're all sheep who've strayed at times" Fahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyPurpose: Bradbury is alluding to the Good Shepherd, because the shepherd is the one who watches over the sheep. The shepherd is not afraid of death, if it is to protect the sheep.herod/Massacre of the InnocentsSummary:Example: A Separate Peace by John Knowles"I reached over, grasped the back of his sweatshirt, wrenched, and it came away in my hand. I tried to throw him off, he lunged at the same time and we catapulted into the water. The dousing extinguished Quackenbush's rage and he let go of me. Purpose: the holy spirit Summary: The Holy Spirit is one of three manifestations of the holy trinity, the other two being the Father and the Son. All three mentioned a lot by Jesus after his resurrection.Example: The main characters in "The Matrix"Purpose: The three main characters in The Matrix represent the holy trinity. The purpose of this is to make the events of the movie seem godly and more high-stakes.the holy sacraments Summary: The sacraments were instituted by Christ and were part of the Liturgical Tradition of the early Christian Church. Catholic churches recognize the seven sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. Each sacrament consists of a visible external rite, which Is made up of matter and form; matter being an action and form being words spoken by the minister. Each rite confers a special ecclesial effect and sacramental grace appropriate for each sacrament. Example: A Separate Peace by John Knowles"I reached over, grasped the back of his sweat shirt, wrenched, and it came away in my hand. I tried to throw him off, he lunged at the same time, and we catapulted into the water. The dousing extinguished Quackenbush's rage, and he let go of me.""I had never pictured myself in the role of Finny's protector... But it didn't feel like I had done it for myself"Purpose: When Gene jumped into the Devon, it was a baptism that initiated him into a fun, careless summer. But when he falls into the Naguamsett, it was a baptism that initiated him into adulthood and responsibility to protect Phineas. the holy trinity Summary: The Holy Trinity refers to the Christian belief that God, the Holy spirit and Jesus Christ are one and they are the basis of the religion. It is said that the members of the trinity are one god manifested in three personages. Though they are never referred to as the Trinity in a book of scripture it came from the book of john chapter 5 versus 7 where he says "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one."Example: Beloved by Toni Morrison Purpose: Morrison uses the Trinity to develop her three main characters and their relationships to each other. Morrison’s tells of the experience of a slave. She uses her character to represents the trinity and uses her allusion to the Trinity to comment on the renewal of horrendous civil rights during the Reagon administration. horsemen of the apocalypse Summary: In the Book of Revelation, the final book of the Bible's New Testament, four riders on horses appear out of the first four of seven seals. The horses are white, red, black and pale, and they are thought to symbolize conquest, war, famine and death, respectively. The meanings of these horsemen are still debated today, but many think that they foreshadow the end of human life or suggest that these problems have already occurred. Example: "The 4 Horsemen of Notre Dame", University of Notre Dame football team, 1924Purpose: In a student publication at the University of Notre Dame, Grantland Rice coined the nickname "The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame" to the quarterback, halfbacks, and fullback of the football team. The purpose of the allusion was to showcase the dominance of the players and imply that their success was bound to come. By making this allusion, he makes these players seem like unstoppable beasts. The nickname contributed largely to their fame and as Rice predicted, they won most of their games that season. the immaculate conception Summary: The Immaculate Conception is the conception of Mary which was free of original sin due to the grace of godExample: The Power Puff Girls Purpose: The Power Puff Girls who were created from “sugar and spice and everything nice” were born pure just like Mary. Also like Mary their purity of birth served a greater purpose, for Mary it was to be the mother of Jesus, and for the Power Puff Girls it was to be the savior of TownsvilleIsaac Summary: Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. He was born after it was prophesied that Abraham and Sarah, who were past child barring age, would have a son named Isaac. When Isaac was young God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a demonstration of faith. Abraham would have gone thru with the sacrifice if the God sent angel had not stopped him at the last second. At age 40 Isaac got married to Rebecca and at age 60 they had twins named Esau and Jacob. Isaac liked Esau better and Rebecca liked Jacob better. Like Abraham, Isaac also did some well making. As Isaac aged him lost his sight and depended upon his son Esau to lead him around. Isaac intended to give Esau his blessing and make him his heir, but under instruction from his mother Jacob pretended to be Esau and was given the blessing. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs and was the was the only one to be monogamous.Example: Fail Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey WheelerPurpose: There is a chapter in the book that is titled "The Choice of Abraham "In this chapter a pilot must carry out an attack that he knows will harm his son, but it would save more people. The purpose allusion is to demonstrate that the choice was one of the most difficult choice to be made, yet one must act or the greater good.Isaiah Summary: Isaiah is a prophet of the Lord; whose name translates to “God is salvation.” One day he was praying at the temple and he had a vision. An angel touched a piece of coal to Isaiah’s lips and said his sins would be washed away. God sent Isaiah to proclaim his prophecies to the people even if they don’t listen. The most important aspect of Isaiah’s prophesies is that about one third of them were about the life of Jesus Christ.Example: Leaves of Grass by Walt WhitmanPurpose: Alluding to Isaiah can be used to great wisdom or knowledge and hope for change in the future. As a prophet of the Lord, Isaiah has a lot of knowledge that other people just don’t know. Because they often didn’t listen to what the prophet had to say they remained ignorant. Also, since Isaiah prophesized the most important event in history an allusion to him can show hope for a future change in events. “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman directly relates to the destiny of mankind and the title of the poem references the line from Isaiah: “All flesh is grass.”ishmaelSummary:Example: Purpose: jacob and esau Summary: Jacob and Esau were the twins of Isaac and Rebekah. Even before they were born, they struggled with each other foreshadowing later conflict. Jacob took after his mother while Esau took after his father. Esau had birthright, an honor the older son gets, which is a double portion of their father's inheritance. One day, Jacob offered him stew in exchange for his birthright, and Esau accepted, putting his temporary needs over his "God-given blessing". When it came time for Isaac to give his blessing, Jacob and Rebekah deceived Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of Esau. When Esau found out he threatened to kill Jacob, causing Jacob to flee. Later they met and were reconciled and they were both fathers of nations. Example: John Steinbeck's East of EdenPurpose: The reference to Jacob and Esau can show favoritism within a family. In East of Eden, there are two sets of brothers: Adam and Charles and Aron and Cal. Adam and Aron are good men, taking after their fathers while Charles and Cal tend to flirt with evil, taking after their mothers. There is favoritism towards Adam and Aron by their fathers. jacob’s ladder Summary: Describes the connection between Earth and Heaven; in the Book of Genesis, Jacob dreams of the ladder during a flight from his brother Esau.Example: Gravediggaz, "Diary of a Madman"Frukwan: "Stab you with a dagger up Jacob's Ladder"Purpose: In this line from "Diary of a Madman," Frukwan describes stabbing his victim while on Jacob's Ladder, causing them to fall down the ladder, subsequently sending them straight to Hell. This allusion makes the point that Jacob's Ladder sends souls both up to Heaven and down to Hell.Jericho Summary: Jericho was the most important city in the of Jordan and was known as the Key of the Western Palestine. When Joshua commands the Israelites to march around the city's walls once for 7 days and blew their horns and the walls fell down. Example: Jericho Moon by Regina Lynn PreciadoPurpose: This symbolizes overcoming a tough obstacle or your goal being right on the other side of something hard. jesus / christ / carpenter / LAMB Summary: During that era a son assumed whatever job his father had being as though there was no form of higher education. For that reason, Jesus would be referred to as the carpenter's son because Joseph was a carpenter. It was also practiced for the priest to give a lamb as sacrificed at passover. Eventually God was no longer pleased with the sacrifice so he gave his only begotten son to the world as sacrifice. Example: "the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon" (Mark 6:3)Purpose: It's used as different ways to refer to Jesus Christ.JezebelIsabel ThoamsSummary: Jezebel, Queen of Israel, wife of Ahab, King of Israel. In the biblical story, Jezebel was associated with false prophets. Jezebel is the Anglicized transliteration of the Hebrew name Izevel/Izavel. Jezebel was a Phoenician Princess during the 9th century. Jezebel continued to worship a god which many despised thus when she was about to be killed she put on makeup and dressed herself in finery before she was thrown over her balcony and eaten by dogs. Example: The Caves of Steel.Purpose: Jezebel's story represented the fall of a nation thus when used in literature it can represent downfall of a person or a group of people. Also Jezebel can represent that each selfish act has consequences. jonah and the whale Summary: God spoke to Jonah and requested him to preach repentance to the lowly city of Nineveh. Jonah refused, sabotaged the city, and attempted to sail away from God in fear of the consequences. God sent a massive storm that threatened to destroy the entire ship and crew, so Janah requested he be thrown into the water. Once he was thrown in, the sea immediately calmed, and God sent a whale to eat Jonah. Jonah remained inside the whale for three days, where he eventually repented for his disobedience to Gods will. God took pity on Jonah and had the whale spit him up on shore. This time Jonah listened and delivered the message to Nineveh, and God spared the city. Common themes throughout this story include God's overarching power and control of all things to do his will. Example: Pinocchio Purpose: Pinocchio creator sends him off to school, but he disobeys him and ends up in the belly of a whale, where he rediscovers his creator and escapes. Pinocchio's creator represents God, and Pinocchio represents Jonah. Only when Pinocchio "repents" does he escape the belly of the whale.john the baptist / Salome Summary: A hermit and preacher among the Jews of the time of Jesus and a relative of Jesus. Baptizer of Jesus as well, he preached that Jesus was the son of god.Example: Hamlet By: William Shakespeare Purpose: Not only did John baptize Jesus but he spearheaded the movement to have gentiles become Jews, as well as spreading Judaism Joseph Summary: Joseph is an important figure in the Bible's book of genesis. He is the son of Jacob and Rachel, he is favored by his father over his brothers. As a result of his father's favoritism his brothers become jealous of him and sell him into slavery. Joseph eventually meets his brothers later in life and he forgives them for them for their sins. Example: Gladiator ( film) by Ridley ScottPurpose: The story of Joseph and his brothers represent jealousy but also teach the lesson of forgiveness as Joseph forgives them for their wrongdoing. In the film Gladiator, Commodus becomes jealous of Maximus because his father, Marcus Aurelius, favors Maximus over Commodus. As a result, Commodus sells Maximus into slavery. Maximus's journey is emulative of Joseph's. judas iscariot Summary: Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 original disciples. He is known for the betrayal of Jesus Christ. He was also a thief and even though he was in charge of the money for the group of disciples, he would steal from them. When Jesus went to Jerusalem at the end of his ministry, Judas went to the chief priests and notified them for 30 pieces of silver. Judas eventually regrets his betrayal, throws away the silver and hangs himself. Example: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisPurpose: In The chronicles of Narnia, Edmund betrays his brother and sisters for his favorite sweet, Turkish Delight. This is very much alike the story of Judas in which he betrays Jesus for money. Edmund goes on to regret his betrayal later and much like Judas condemns his decision. the last supper Summary: The Last supper is the final meal that Jesus has with his apostles before his crucifixion. At this meeting he gave his apostle bread and wine and asked that they eat it, he wanted it to be a symbol of his flesh and blood. He used the bread and flesh as a sign of trust, almost like a covenant that they would be okay. Example: Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" paintingPurpose: the purpose of the last supper is to show the trust that the apostles had for Jesus, which created a religious practice called communion, which is where you go eat bread and drink wine in order to show your love and trust for Jesus Christ. The purpose of the painting was to put an image into people's heads who didn’t understand what the Last Supper was like. Lazarus Summary: Lazarus was a follower of Jesus when he died due to illness. Jesus then revived Lazarus four days after his death. This was to show the great power of God and how He is able to defeat the greatest enemy, death.Example: The Lazarus Effect- Movie 2015Purpose: This movie is a complete allusion to the Lazarus story told in the bible. The main character, Frank, learns to revive dead animals, then dead humans. However, this story does not end so positively with his wife becoming evil with her revival. This is just a darker story of the bible story. leviathanSummary:Example: Purpose: Limbo Summary: Limbo in latin means “the edge” and refers to the edge of hell. It’s the space between heaven and hell for those who have sinned but were not assigned to hell.Example: “Limbo”(video game)Purpose: The meaning and story of "Limbo" was purposefully left vague and up to interpretation, but most fans accept that the game takes place in the Biblical limbo or purgatory. This is due to its name, eerie and dark atmosphere, and some grotesque imagery throughout the game.the loaves and fishes Summary: After sending His disciples to teach people, Jesus was met with 5,000 people who wanted to talk to him and learn more of his ways. He took a day to teach them and by supper time, no one had eaten or had any food with them. One noticed a little boy with five loaves of bread and two fish. Everyone sat down, Jesus took the food and He thanked God for giving them this food. He started to pass it around and told everyone to take as much as they would like. When everyone was done, there were many more baskets of food than what they started with and even leftovers. The people discovered that this was a miracle given to them by Jesus and that He was a very important person sent by God. Example: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens"In both countries, it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the state preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled forever." Purpose: The quote refers to how the French and English had a multitude of food where they lived. However, it is ironic because in the original story, they only had a small amount of food until Jesus's miracle. the lord’s prayer Summary: The Lord's Prayer is in introduced to the followers of Christianity by Jesus Christ himself in the book of Matthew. Jesus was teaching the people how to pray by saying "This, then should you pray..." And gave them the lord's prayer which has been changed to accommodate different denominations but still is the basic model for prayer among Christianity. Example: Tale of Two CitiesPurpose: Monseigneur in the Tale of Two Cities read the Lord's prayer backwards in hopes of summoning the devil because if reading it forward was a way to speak to God then the opposite must be a way to contact the devil.lot / lot’s wife / “pillar of salt” Summary: Lot was a follower of God, but his wife was from Sodom, where it was customary to be cruel to strangers. One night, two angels disguised as men came to Lot's door (they were sent to destroy Sodom by God). Since the family had no salt, Lot sent his wife to get some. She went to the neighbors and told them that Lot was disobeying the custom and being kind to strangers. Later, a mob showed up at Lot's home to mistreat the strangers. The next morning, the angels tried to rescue Lot's family from the mob, but told them they must not look back. Lot's wife did, so she became a pillar of salt. Example: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bront?; "Very well; I hope you feel the content you express: at any rate, your good sense will tell you that it is too soon yet to yield to the vacillating fears of Lot's wife."Purpose: In this passage, Jane Eyre is torn between returning to her old life or pursuing her career. St. John tells her that she must look to the future, or else she will suffer a punishment. He uses the story of Lot's wife to emphasize that Jane's actions will be irreversible if she chooses to look back, and that she would be unwise to focus on the past. manna Summary: The food miraculously supplied to the Israelites during their exile. It arrived every morning with the dew and had to be collected quickly because the sun evaporated it. The Israelites also could only take as much as they needed for the day and it couldn’t be stored overnight except for before the sabbath. Example: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin Purpose: At one point in Game of Thrones, House Tyrell imposes a blockade on Kings Landing causing the common people within the city to starve. Later, House Tyrell moves through the city giving out food to the parents, winning over their support even though they were the ones who caused them to starve. This is similar to how the Israelites were starving because god sent them into exile, but at the same time god also was their salvation when he provided them with Manna. mary magdalene Summary: Mary Magdalene was a Jewish woman that was considered to be a prostitute or just sexually promiscuous; although there is little evidence of this in the bible. When Jesus found her, he cast out the seven demons with in her. This demonstrated that no one was beyond the saving grace God. She then proceeded to join the group of Jesus's close followers and traveled with him. She watched his crucifixion and was the first to see his resurrection. She is the patron saint of woman among other things.Example: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor DostoyevskyPurpose: Although the allusion is not directly stated; Sonya proves to be very similar to Mary Magdalene. The two were both described as fallen woman and both witnessed a resurrection. This allusion serves the purpose of demonstrating that there is no one is beyond the saving grace of God.Mephistopheles Summary: Mephistopheles is a worker for Lucifer. As a demon, he collects the souls of those already damned and brings them to hell. Doctor Faustus was a human that made a deal with Mephistopheles. Doctor Faustus agreed to sell his soul in twenty-four years if he received unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures, even though Mephistopheles warned him of the horrors of Hell. Throughout the next twenty-four years, Mephistopheles traveled with Faustus, teaching him the dark arts and impressing other scholars. On the eve of his last day, Faustus begs for forgiveness but it is for nothing because he was taken to hell anyway.Example: Marylin Manson's "Mephistopheles of Los Angeles"Purpose: Alluding to Mephistopheles might be used to show paying a heavy price for something you want or how when you make certain decisions you can’t turn back. There are often stories of people “selling their souls” for fame and fortune in Hollywood. People “sell their souls” by going against their values and beliefs to get something else they want. Marylin Manson’s song The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles is an allusion of the story of Mephistopheles to show there are people in LA that will try to get you to give up your morals to achieve your goals.messiahSummary:Example: Purpose: Methuselah Summary: In the bible Methuselah ("Man of the Dart") was a patriarch who lived 969 years and is known as the longest-lived human, and was the father of Lamech. Example: The Methuselah FoundationPurpose: The name Methuselah creates the thought of something old or long-lasting. The Methuselah Organization focuses on improving regenerative medicine to make people stay active longer to ultimately increase life-span. Moses Summary: When Moses was born, Egypt was occupied by a tyrant Pharoah, who told the Israelites (the minority tribe that Moses was born into) that all of their male children had to be drowned in the Nile immediately after birth. But Moses's mother recognized that he was a "fine child," and hid him for three months. When she couldn't hide him anymore, she covered him in tar and put him on the bank of the Nile in a basket.When the Pharoah's daughter went to the bank of the river to bathe, she sees the child. She adopts him as her own and named him Moses, saying she "drew him out of the water."When Moses was grown, he went to see where his own people were and watched them do hard labor, as they were slaves to the Pharoah. He saw an Egyptian man beat a Hebrew (Israelite), and Moses killed the Egyptian when he thought no one was looking, hiding him in the sand. The next day Moses realized what he had done had become known. The Pharoah attempted to kill him for his crime and he fled Egypt. (Exodus 2)He married Zipporah and had a child.God soon became worried about the Israelites enslaved by the Pharoah. One day Moses heard someone call his name from a burning bush. It was God, telling him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. When Moses refused, God told him he would be with him along the journey. God told Moses to bring the Hebrews to the "land of milk and honey," or Israel.God would use his mighty hand to persuade the Pharaoh to let Moses take the Israelites on a three-day journey. God gave Moses a staff as a sign that he was actually sent from God.Moses was apprehensive and asked God why he didn't ask anyone else. God became angry and commanded him to go anyway.On the journey to Egypt with his family, God attempted to kill Moses and his first-born son. But Moses's wife, Zipporah, in an attempt to protect her husband, cut off her son's foreskin and placed it at Moses's feet. She called it the "bridegroom of blood." God then left Moses alone.Moses then arrived in Egypt after meeting his brother Aaron and performed the signs before the people to prove he was sent from God, and they believed him. The Pharoah, however, did not allow for Moses to take the Israelites. He punished the Israelites for wishing to be freed.But when Moses questioned God's plan, God told him he would give the Pharoah deliverance for his actions.The Lord struck the Nile and made it from water into blood. The Egyptians now couldn't drink from the Nile, and Egypt was covered in blood. God continued to plague Egypt and its creatures (frogs, flies, gnats, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and, finally, the Firstborn) to punish the Pharoah for his actions against the Israelites.The Israelites then celebrated with a Passover dinner. The following day, Moses awoke Aaron and commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt. This is referred to as the "Exodus."When the Israelites and Moses reached the Red Sea, they could not cross it. With God by his side, Moses parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could make it through to the land of milk and honey.The Israelites soon crossed Mount Sinai, where God told them The Ten Commandments, along with other rules and restrictions such as Social Responsibilities. Moses then formed the covenant of worshipers. Example: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StonePurpose: Harry was placed in a basket as an infant to flee persecution, just like Moses. He also was raised to believe he was normal by muggles, but when he discovers he is different, he flees from his adoptive family, just as Moses flees after the Pharoah discovers he is a Hebrew.mount ararat Summary: Today Mount Ararat is the highest mountain in Turkey, but biblically, Mount Ararat is the sacred mountain of which pieces of Noah's Ark landed on the 17th day of the 7th month and rest (until this day) according to some.Example: On the Frontier by Bret HartePurpose: In literature Mount Ararat is used to symbolize eternal peace, because the end of the flood symbolized peace on Earth after 150 days of flooding that destroyed the Earth.mount gilboa Summary: Mount Gilboa was the setting for King Sual's charge against the Philistine, to claim the ad God said as theirs. The battle ended with the King's sons Jonathan, Mechishua, Abinadab being murdered. The king also died because he fell on his own sword. The mountain was cursed by King David after he heard the news.Example: The cursed mountain.Purpose: If Mount Gilboa is referenced it can be used to refer to a cursed area or location.the mount of olives Summary: The olive tree is a symbol of the Temple of God. In the bible we see that the Olive tree was the first tree to grow after the flood. Also, it's important to note that the olive itself is symbolic of Israel. The Mount of Olives is a prominent location throughout the old testament and the new. At the foot of The Mount of Olives lies the Garden of Gethsemane. Example: Purpose: An olive branch can represent peace thus when used in literature it can be symbolic as a gesture of peace or rebirth after a storm. MOUNT SINAI Summary: Mount Sinai was the mountain where the Ten Commandments were delivered to Moses by God. God descended on Mount Sinai, lowering the heavens and spreadig them over before delivering the Ten Commandments to Moses. Afterwards the summit of Mount Sinai was pushed into the heavens.Example: The Great GatsbyPurpose: While Mt. Sinai is not directly alluded to in The Great Gatsby, the scene where Gatsby is standing on top of his staircase looking down at the party alludes to him sitting atop a mountain with great power, like God sitting in the heavens on Mt. Sinai.THE NATIVITY Summary The Nativity is the birth of Jesus. Jesus was said to have been born in Bethlehem to the virgin Mary. In Christian Theology, Jesus was the second incarnation of Adam, and he was born in order to fulfill the divine will of God. Example: Children of Men Purpose: NOAH / NOAH’S ARK / THE OLIVE BRANCH Summary: The ship in which Noah built to save his family and all of his animals from the great floodExample: The adventures of Huckleberry FinchPurpose: At the time the world thought people's hearts were evil and lord was only about sin, but Noah's ark showed compassion and bravery to save all the humans and animals from the floodORIGINAL SIN Summary: The original sin refers to Adam's initial sin of disobedience of eating from the tree of knowledge and its effects on humanity.Example: Lord of the Rings by J.R.R TolkienPurpose: The original sin confronts human temptation and its effect on others. In the lord of the rings, Frodo has to resist the temptation to keep the ring for himself. Many characters in the story before Frodo succumbed to the power of the ring and their temptation resulted in war, death, and chaos. NEBUCHADNEZZAR Summary: Nebuchadnezzar was known to be the greatest ancient Babylon king. He is known for his conquer and destruction of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned multiple times throughout the bible, especially in the book of Daniel. Example: George WashingtonPurpose: the purpose of Nebuchadnezzar was to show that you don't have to follow your father's footsteps, or anyone's footsteps. It is trying to show that you need to just be yourself. George Washington can be compared to someone like Nebuchadnezzar. He is known as one of the best army generals in American history. PARABLE Summary: The parables are the stories told by Jesus Christ which teach morals, values, and ethics.Example: "Good Samaritans are very scarce nowadays" The Two Mittens and the Little Play Mittens by Frances Elizabeth BarrowPurpose: This specific parable is the Good Samaritan, which was a story in the Book of Luke. This taught people to be help others in their time of need.PASSOVERSummary:Example: Purpose: SAINT PETER Summary: Saint Peter was the leader of the 12 disciples of Jesus and is considered to be the first pope. He denied knowing Jesus under the threat of crucifixion but is considered a martyr Example: Purpose: PHARISEES Summary: They are spiritual fathers of modern Judaism and believe in an Oral Law that God gave to Moses at Sinai along with the Torah. They also believe that God gave Moses the knowledge of what the laws of the Torah meant and how they should be applied. Pharisees believe that there is an after life, that God will punish the wicked and reward the non-sinners and that there is a messiah that will one day bring a new era of peace. They greatly follow the Old Testament. They are looked down upon by many Christians for being hypocrites in relation to what they teach. Example: Calling someone Pharisee in an anti-Semitic wayPurpose: An author could have a character call someone a Pharisee to express that character's old, unprogressive view on the world because of the bad connotation it has and because of how old one would have to be to really know about it. PHILISTINES Summary: The philistines were a group of people that originated in Crete at the time of Abraham the prophet in the bible. Throughout the Bible there was a long-standing struggle between them and the Israelites. They were extremely greedy and wicked people and eventually were taken over by the Persian empire and their inhabitants is now known as Syria. Example: Star WarsPurpose: David and Goliath were a famous story that shows the struggle between the righteous Israelite that is shown in David who always follows the Lords commandments and the Philistines were symbolized in Goliath this barbaric monstrous human. This is also show I the battle between Luke, who like David fought for good, and Darth Vader, who like Goliath stood for bad. In the end the battle always ended with the good winning even though the bad opponent had the upper hand. PONTIUS PILATE Summary: Pontius Pilate is infamous for ordering the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He was persuaded by the Jewish authorities against his will as the Roman governor of Judea, as he was convinced of Jesus' innocence. Although he had wise morals, he aimed to please the people rather than God. He washed his hands of his guilt. Example: Richard II, "Some of you with Pilate wash your hands / Showing an outward pity; yet you Pilates / Have here deliver'd me to my sour cross, / And water cannot wash away your sin".Purpose: This is a direct reference to the story of Pontius Pilate, referring to his washing of his hands in order to make the point that water can't cover up our wrongdoings. THE PRODIGAL SON Summary: The parable is about a father with two sons. The younger son asks for his share of his inheritance and his father gives it to him. He then goes and wastes his inheritance and is left destitute and ends up with a job feeding someone’s pigs. He returns home to ask his father for a position as a servant thinking that their relationship would have been ruined, but his father receives him with open arms and throws a feast to celebrate his return. The older is the only one not celebrating and asks his father why he is reacting to his brothers return this way to which his father says, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.?But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” Example: A teenager begins to experiment with drugs and eventually ends up a heroin addict who wanders the streets looking for their next fix. They hit rock bottom and decide to clean themselves up and when they’ve been sober for a while they decide to reconcile with their parents, who accept them back with open arms. Purpose: The common idea between my example and the parable are that no matter how far you wander from home you should always be able to find love and forgiveness at home THE PROMISED LAND Summary: The promised land is the land between the Euphrates river and the river Egypt. This land was promised to Abraham and all of his descendants by God. It passed form Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and onwards. Moses anticipated that God would give the Israelites land that was promised, if they followed the covenant. When Moses led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. When they reached Mount Sanai God spoke to Moses and renewed his promise.Example: Willy Wonka and The Choclate Factory by Roald DahlPurpose: In the movie Willy Wonka says, "Across the desert lies the promised land." The purpose of this illusion was to establish the high level of worth of the Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. It draws attentions to the fact that like Abraham passed the promise land to his son Isaac; Willy Wonka's passes his factory to Charlie.PURGATORY Summary: Purgatory is a holding place for the dead before Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. Before Jesus, when people died they couldn't go to heaven because they lived in sin that hadn't been paid for. When people died in those days they went to purgatory to await the day of judgement. When Jesus died for everyone's sins those in purgatory went to heaven or hell depending on if they feared God and followed His commands to the best of their ability.Example: Supernatural Purgatory for is a place salfor all non-humans/monstersPurpose: Purgatory can represent many things. Because it is a state between one place and another (heaven and hell) it can show a kind of slump someone could be going through or the feeling of being stuck. In the show Supernatural monsters such as vampires, werewolves, and leviathan go there after they die; stuck in between heaven and hell because they are not fully human or monster.REBECCASummary:Example: Purpose: RUTH Summary: Ruth, a matriarch and ancestor of King David, was a model of loving-kindness, always acting for the well-being of others. In the Book of Ruth, she was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. She then married Boaz. Example: Rabbit, Run by John UpdikePurpose: Putting an ironic spin on an allusion to Ruth, in this novel, Rabbit's mistress named Ruth is an atheist and ex-prostitute. She demands that Rabbit leave his wife and marry her instead. THE RESURRECTION Summary: In Luke 24, a group of women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary mother of James) go into Lord Jesus's tomb the day after Jesus is crucified by the Romans to find it empty. The same day, there is a search to find Jesus. Finally, the people find Jesus among the Disciples, to which he says "peace be with you." He them blessed them after a feast and summoned himself up to Heaven, which is referred to as the "Ascension." He spent 40 days on Earth before returning to Heaven.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobePurpose: In Narnia, Aslan gives his life to save others. When Lucy visits his tomb she discovers that his body is not there. She then has a vision of Aslan, showing he had risen from the dead.Lucy represents the three women that discovered Jesus's unoccupied tomb. Aslan represents Jesus because he gives his life to save others and comes back from the dead.SACRIFICE OF ISAAC Summary: God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in order to test his trust and faith and Abraham follows through, carrying his son to the mountain Moriah to kill Isaac, and as he's about to kill him an angel comes and stops him and says that he now knows that Abraham fears God. A ram appears and Abraham kills the ram instead.Example: Fail Safe by Eugene Budrick Purpose: In literature the Sacrifice of Isaac is used to symbolize giving up something you love in order to receive something better. SAMSON and DELILAH Summary: Samson was a Nazarite who was blessed by God with extreme strength to fight against the Israelites enemies the Philistines. He had many rules as a Nazarite but the main one was to never cut his hair since it was the key to his strength. He fell in love with Delilah a Philistine woman who made a deal with the rulers to find the secret to his strength in exchange for money. He finally gave in and told her. That same night she shaved his head and he was captured by the Philistines.Example: Macbeth.Purpose: Macbeth was close with the King but he allowed his wife to persuade him to kill the King since he was so in love with her. He later had to pay the price.Representation of how love is blinding.Sarah Summary: Sarah was he wife and also the half-sister of Abraham and the mother to Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible. Her name was originally Sarai until God changed her name as part of a covenant after Hager bore Abraham a son, Ishmael. Sarah died at age 127 and she is the only woman in the Hebrew scriptures whose age is given. Example: Sarah: Women of GenesisPurpose: Sarah is often attached to Ishmael as seen in the book Moby Dick. Representing loyalty, courage and beauty in the bible she continues to represents that is allusions to stories. The name Sarah is associated with beauty and loyalty thus when used in a book the author can already convey the characters characteristics through just their name. satan(5 additional aliases) Summary: Satan was first identified as the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the apple in the story of Adam and Eve. He is thought to be a fallen angel who rebelled against God. He was cast from the heavens, thrown into the lake of fire also known as hell, and became the ruler of all demons. Satan is known to lead people astray and tempt them to do unethical things, as in the case of Adam and Eve.Example: The Waterboy, "Ben Franklin is the Devil!"Purpose: When Momma Boucher refers to Benjamin Franklin as the Devil, she alludes to the Devil's tendency to lead people astray and tempt them with unethical things. This creates a negative portrayal of Benjamin Franklin and served to discredit his reputation. Saul Summary: He was the first king of the kingdom of Israel and Judah. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel and reigned from Gibeah. He fell on his sword committing suicide to avoid capture in the battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa, during which three of his sons were also killed.Example: The Count Of Monte Cristo by: Alexander DumasPurpose: the sermon on the mount Summary: The Sermon on the Mount refers to what life should be like under faith in regards to thoughts, actions, and words. Christ performed this Sermon on a mountain hence its name Sermon on the Mount. Example: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R Martin Purpose: The Sermon on the Mount lays the ground work for what life should be and provides guidelines for humanity. In ASOIAF, the faith of the seven preaches its way of life by providing guidelines of how to avoid sins. seven deadly sins Summary: The Seven Deadly Sins is a grouping of Christian vices. The sins are: Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. These sins are typical abuses of necessary faculties and functions. The sins are not actually found in the bible, but they are biblical antecedents.Example: Snow White and the Seven Deadly Sins by R.S GwynnPurpose: The Seven Dwarfs in Snow White each represent one of the Seven Sins in this poem. Snow White is plagued with resisting each of these sins.seven sacraments Summary: The seven sacraments are seven religious rituals, which can be performed throughout the religious life and is approved by god himself. These seven sacraments are baptism, confession, eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, ordination, and anointing to the sick. Example: Gang initiation Purpose: purposes of things like the seven sacraments is to show loyalty and respect to the group or individual who created it. Doing things like the seven sacraments as a follower shoes your love and devotion to the church or whoever made up the sacraments. Which in a way is like a gang initiation. You must perform certain acts to follow or be a part of a certain group. shadrach, meshach, and abednego Summary: These three boys were respected officials of Bablyon. King Nebuchanezzar erected a statue of himself and forced people to bow to it. These three boys refused and were then thrown into a furnace for their doings. However, through the power of God, all three boys survived and lived on as higher office officials.Example: Letter from Birmingham Jail- MLKPurpose: The jail acted as the furnace for MLK. This was a place of great suffering for both people and showed the strength and faith they had in what they believed in. For the three boys, it was their faith in God, which made them survive. For MLK, it was his faith in the end of discrimination in the country.sodom and gomorrahSummary:Example: Purpose: solomon / wisdom of the tower of babel Summary: Solomon was the king of Israel and is known as a major prophet. He was famous for his immense wealth and wisdomExample: Calling someone "a Solomon"Purpose: Comparing someone to Solomon implies the person makes smart and financially sound decisions.3 wise men / magi Summary: King Herod sent the three wise men to find Jesus, the one called King of the Jews, and to report back to him. Herod did not want there to be another king and wanted the three wise men to tell him everything about Jesus, such as where he was in Bethlehem so he could kill Jesus. The wise men followed the star that led them to Jesus and gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Later, God told the wise men in a dream to not tell the king where Jesus was. They followed his order and when they left, they didn't go back to the king. By the time the king found out what had happened, Mary, Joseph and Jesus escaped Bethlehem. In the end, the gifts and them keeping Jesus's secret was seen as a very selfless act because if the danger it could put them in. Example: The Gift of the Magi by O. HenryPurpose: The author makes a direct connection to how Jim and Della are very similar to the three wise men because they give up something to selflessly give a gift to one another. Yahweh Summary: Yahweh is known as the national God of the Iron Age kingdoms of Israel and he is a warrior who leads the army of heaven and was later proclaimed as the creator of the cosmos. He composed the YHWH which is a list of commandments called the tetragrammaton.Example: Purpose: Biblical AllusionsCAIN and ABEL(Mr. Freeburger)Summary: Cain and Abel are brothers. Cain offers part of his harvest to God while Abel offers some of his livestock. God likes the livestock more which makes Cain jealous. He murders Abel, then lies to God about it, saying he’s not “my brother’s keeper.” But Abel’s blood is crying from the soil. The tainted soil will no longer produce for Cain and he is banished, but not before God marks him to protect him from retaliation for the murder of his brother. Cain goes to Nod, “east of Eden”, where he begins a new life. Example: John Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.Purpose: On the surface, the purpose could be to reference jealousy, betrayal and murder. The blood calling from the soil and tainting the ground could be used to represent punishment of a crime. Cain’s mark and exile could represent the protection from someone in power despite a wrong or the rejection and banishment from paradise (or someplace good). In Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden, Cain and Abel are alluded to throughout, but the title itself refers to the place of rebuilding…outside of paradise. AbsalomSummary:Example: Purpose: Abraham Summary: Abraham was a big deal in the biblical sense. He was very faithful and trusting of God. Abraham did whatever God told him and for that he was rewarded from God. God told him to leave his home and family and he did so which led him to become a descendant amongst God. God made a deal with Abraham to sacrifice his only son with his wife Sarah. Although they waited very long to have this son, Abraham was obedient and did as he was told. God then stopped him and put a ram there instead. Because of Abraham's obedience God granted him the things he desired and more.Example: In Herman Melvile's novel, Billy Budd Purpose: When you follow through with something although you might not want to do it because it's against your personal values but you know it's morally right. You will be rewarded for your faith and loyalty because God always has a plan. In Billy Bud, although he didn't want to see Billy die the captain knew the law and had to follow it. He can be compared to Abraham because he sacrificed someone who grew to be like his son due to the law.Adam and EveSummary:Example: Purpose: ANGELS (3 hierarchies, 9 orders) Summary: While there were many different proposed ways of structuring angel hierarchies, the most influential and well known was put forward by a 5th century philosopher named Pseudo-Dionysius; And splits the nine orders of angels into three different spheres (hierarchies). The First Sphere angels are the servants of god and include the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. The Seraphim, flaming angels with six wings, are the highest ranked angel order and serve as caretakers of God's throne. The Cherubim, which have four faces: one of a human, one of a lion, one of an eagle, and one of an ox, protect the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Finally, the thrones, two wheels covered in eyes, are living symbols or God's authority. The Second Sphere angels work as the governors of creation and include the Dominions: which regulate the power of lower angels, the Virtues: which make miracles, and the Powers: warrior angels who oppose evil spirits as well as act as the keepers of history. The Third Sphere angels act as heavenly guides and messengers to human beings and includes the Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels. The Principalities are guides that protect nations or other groups of people, the Archangels deliver messages to humans (most Christians believe Gabriel was an Archangel), and the actual order of Angels, what most people think of when they think Angel, are the lowest class of angel and do a variety of human related things such as guard individual people. Example: Paradise Lost by John MiltonPurpose: There are many examples of angels appearing in literature and playing all sorts of roles. They may act as a main character in the story, usually as a guardian angel helping the main character on his quest; Or they may be referenced as more an invisible power, pushing the character forward (almost like luck or fate). There's also many twists on angles appearing in stories such as purely evil angels, or angels with human flaws. Apocalypse Summary: In biblical contexts, an apocalypse is the disclosure of something hidden, usually a "heavenly secret". In the New Testament, the revelation which John receives is that of the ultimate victory of good over evil and the end of the present age. The apocalypse symbolizes an enlightenment from an idea, most commonly achieved through visions and dreams in the bible.Example: Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne PorterPurpose: Apocalyptic allusions are seen throughout Pale Horse, Pale Rider through the protagonists dreams and nightmares. She has these nightmares of wars and epidemics and stress from society while sick in a hospital from influenza in 1914. When she wakes up and leaves the hospital, she finds out that the real world is just as frightening. World War I has just begun, influenza has spread like a wildfire, and her job stresses her out to the point of depression. The apocalypse allusion is used to relate her previous visions and nightmares to the fate of the real world.Armageddon/Anti-Christ Summary: Armageddon is referred to as a hill where the war in which humans will fight against God in support of human leadership will take place. Some religions, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, rely heavily on this idea to spread their message. This battle is supposed to signify the end of times. It is stated that Jesus will lead an army of believers against those who deny God's truth, often refer to as antichrists. Antichrist was biblically constructed as a group of people who deny the truth of a god. Many leaders of Christianity believe that antichrists take the form of normal people who are particularly good manipulators. Example: Portal to Earth in the Avenger'sPurpose: The movie used a specific location to symbolize a place in which a war is supposed to take place. The geographical location, like the hill of Armageddon, is a branch between two worlds with clashing interests that may end disaster, as the hill of Armageddon symbolized in the Bible.The AscensionSummary: The Ascension of Jesus Christ is when Jesus goes from the Earth into the heavens. He ascends 40 days after he was resurrected from the dead, while he is talking to the disciples. As he is ascending to heaven, two angels appeared and told the disciples that "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11). Jesus is than seated next to the right-hand of the Father (God).Example: A promotion to a better job or moving to a city that is better for your personality.Purpose: The ascension is important because it represents the transition to a better, higher place. Jesus belonged in heaven next to his father, so the ascension can represent moving to a place where you belong. The Beatitudes Summary: The Beatitudes were announced by Jesus Christ during the sermon on the Mount. This happened during Jesus’ longest teaching. The Beatitudes were 8 things that Jesus felt led to supreme blessedness. The purpose of this was to provide a way of life that lead to and promised salvation. They were intended to provide peace during our difficult encounters and actions on this earth. He blesses different groups of people such as the poor in spirit and peace makers during this sermon. Example: Moby Dick by Hermin Melville Purpose: This movie uses irony to allude to The Beatitudes when the lieutenant said “‘well, blessed are the peacemakers, especially the fighting peacemakers”. In this quote the lieutenant assosiates a sermon of Jesus Christ, a symbol of peace, to soldiers who are described as “fighting peacemakers”. Beelzebub Summary: In books Mark, Luke, and Matthew of the Bible, Jesus was accused by the Scribes and Pharisees of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Lord of Devils, because he cast out devils, and the Scribes and Pharisees believed only the lord of devils can cast devils out. The Pharisees said in Mathew 12:24, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons." Beelzebub, or Baal-Zebub, is based on the Hebrew words "Ba'al Zevuv," meaning "Lord of Flies."Example: Lord of the Flies by William GoldingPurpose: Flies can represent disease, devils, or possession, given that "Lord of Devils," and "Lord of Flies" translate similarly.Apparent cleanliness or perfection can also hint at malicious behavior, as the Lord of Devils can cast devils out. However, these symbols can be used to make you misjudge a character as the scribes did.An author can chose to characterize a priest or clergyman to be rash and quick to accuse.The Betrayal Summary: After the Jesus provided the final supper to the disciples and he was out praying, Judas brought the high priests to Jesus. He had struck a deal with the high priests to deliver Jesus to them in exchange for a bribe of 30 pieces of silver. He said (once he had brought the priests to Jesus and the disciples) that whoever he kisses is the Messiah (the one who is said to save the world with everlasting life). Jesus then asks Judas if he really did just betray the son of man with a kiss. Peter, trying to defend Jesus then attacks one of the guards who seize Jesus, cutting off his ear. Jesus then scolds Peter saying that those who live by the sword die by the sword and proceeds to heal the wounded soldiers ear.Example: C. S. Lewis', The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Edmund betrays the lion, Aslan, who is an ally of his and his siblings to the White Witch who kills the lion. Afterwards, Aslan is revived like Jesus did after being killed.Purpose: The Betrayal can, of course, represent someone wrongfully betraying a close friend of theirs, usually one who has done nothing wrong, but is wanted for breaking the law. Judas' 30 pieces of silver represents the haunting reward of such a betrayal, especially one that was motivated by greed. Peter represents the loyal friend who tries to help the betrayed, and Jesus represents the one who is betrayed. Also, Judas' kiss represents the kiss of death, as it essentially sentenced Jesus to death by revealing his identity to the high priests.The Burning Bush Summary: According to the Book of Exodus, Moses encountered the burning bush on Mount Horeb. Moses is said to have heard the voice of God from the bush, and he was told to return to Egypt, his homeland, to lead the Israelites to Canaan. When God's message was complete, the bush stopped burning, unharmed by the fire. Some believe that the message was given to Moses by an angel, not God.Example: Jim Casy in Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckPurpose: Jim Casy refers to himself as the burning bush since he instructs and directs others. This strengthens the connection between his character and Jesus. They share the same initials, and Casy sacrificed himself to save another character, like Jesus sacrificed himself for mankind.CaiaphasSummary:Example: Purpose: Canon Law Summary: Canon Law is the name for the Catholic Church's order and discipline, structures, rules, and procedures made by or adopted by the church leadership for the government of the church and all of its members. It guides the church in its teachings and behavior and it keeps the church, with all the different people and their different cultures and languages, in order. Basically, canon law informs the church and its people on how to conduct themselves and protects the rights of those people.Example: Codex Iuris CanoniciPurpose: References to Canon Law in literature or the use of its codes like CCC or CCEO may represent the way that a Catholics should properly behave. Like the laws that dictate how we should act, Canon Law does the same for Catholics which is why in a lot of Catholic literature there are references to CCC, CIC, CCEO, and DS. These are the four most important resources for Catholic doctrine, morals, and laws.Cloven Hoof Summary: Derived from passages in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, the Cloven Hoof is a parting in animals' hooves that divides the hoof into two pointed edges. The significance of the Cloven hoof relates to deciding whether a food is kosher or "clean." Animals that chew the cud (ball of food) and have the cloven hoof are considered safe for consumption according to biblical law. Yet, the cloven hoof typically comes to represent the mark of Satan as he is often portrayed with the feet of a goat.Example: A character depicted as having a rare affliction which grants him two big toes on each foot instead of the normal ten.Purpose: In literature, a reference to a cloven hoof or divided hoof-like shoes can represent the sign of a devilish or evil character. Much like Satan has cloven hooves, the passing of a cloven-hooved animal can be symbolized as a foreshadowing of evil events or bad things to come.Covenant Summary: A covenant is the agreement between two parties; it can either be between god and the people, or between two people. There are two types of covenants, bilateral and unilateral. Bilateral is when a covenant is formed between two people while unilateral is formed between god and people. Bilateral refers to when the bond was sealed by both parties vowing that each would carry out their assigned roles. Unilateral refers to when god sets forth his expectations in return for elements of his choosing; people are not expected to contribute anything other than their loyalty.Example: Bible, Joshua (9:15)Symbols of mutual agreement (I.e. shaking hands, contracts, etc.)Purpose: In Joshua 9:15, Joshua and the Gibeonites vowed to live peacefully, thus forming a covenant. Symbols such as shaking hands also depicts the allusion of a covenant. The allusion of a covenant can be used very generally because essentially it just refers to an agreement set forth by two parties. A reference to a covenant generally means that breaking the covenant will result in harsh repercussions, but while following it, both parties will live easily care-free.Crown of Thorns Summary: According to three of the canonical Gospels a woven crown of thorns was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. It was one of the instruments of the Passion, employed by Jesus' captors both to cause him pain and to mock his claim of authority. It is mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John and is often alluded to by the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others. The crown of thorns was a mock crown; woven out of thorny branches, that Jesus was forced to wear by Roman soldiers.Example: In The Time of the Butterflies Patria alludes to the "crown of thorns" to describe her torment in the days and weeks after her sisters, husband, and son are rounded up by the Trujillo's police force, the SIM.Purpose: Anything that causes immense pain can be called a crown of thorns. The crown could represent the difficulties a leader must face in any situation. The Creation Summary: This is the story of how God created the universe. The Genesis says that God created the world in one week. Day one consisted of the separation of light and darkness, day and night. Day 2 consisted of the separation of water and the sky, the expanse. Day 3 was the separation of land and water; creation of plants. Day 4 was the creation of sun and moon to govern the day and night. Day 5 was the creation of animals for the water and the sky. Lastly, day 6 was the creation of animals for the land, and humans to govern all animals. Day 7, god rested. This story says that God created everything there is, and made it very good. It is the basis of creationism, and Christianity as a whole.Example: The Red TentPurpose: This piece of literature alludes to the creation by telling the life of Dinah, a woman scarcely mentioned in the bible. It tells the story of the genesis through women's perspective, more specifically the women of the red tent. The purpose of alluding to the genesis is to give a different viewpoint of life after it and their viewpoints on the creation.The Crucifixion Summary: The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy, because they did not believe that he was God as he said, and they wanted to have him executed but did not have power to do that under the Roman law. So the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate to have him sentenced to crucifixion, but Pilate found Jesus innocent. Pilate offered to free one prisoner because it was his custom to do so at Passover, and the two prisoners the Jewish people chose from were a notorious murderer and insurrectionist Barabbas and Jesus. The people wanted to free Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Pilate literally and symbolically washed his hands of Jesus' death, and handed him over to be crucified. Jesus was beaten, spit on, and mocked, and the Roman soldiers put a crown of thorns on his head. Jesus carried his cross, helped by Simon of Cyrene to Golgotha (the Place of the Skull), where he was crucified between two criminals. The soldiers cast lots for his clothes, and people, including the other criminals, taunted him ("If you are the Son of God, then save yourself"). From noon to three, the sky was dark, and Jesus cried out to God, and relinquished his spirit and died. A Roman soldier pierced Jesus' side with a spear, and blood and water flowed from the wound. Jesus was buried by a man named Joseph on the day before the Sabbath, and the women that followed Jesus from Galilee prepared perfumes and spices for the body. On the Sabbath they rested.Example: Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean"Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell/Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well/Grabbed a saggin' timber, gave out with a groan/And like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone, big John."Purpose: John is a Christ-figure. Although the miners were orignally intimidated by him, he turned out to be the their savior, possibly indicating a forgiveness theme, strengthened by the allusion to Jesus' death to save people who did not love him. Comparing John to Jesus, the speaker adds to John's physical strength Jesus' power, which deepens the meaning of "big" in the song to beyond physical size.Daniel in theLion’s Den Summary: Daniel was the leader of advisors under King Darius of Babylon. Daniel was a faithful man, believing in God and following his commands. The other advisors did not like Daniel and planned to get rid of him. The advisors, minus Daniel, advised the King to create a new law that prohibited the worship of anybody other than the King himself. If this law was broken, the lawbreaker would be thrown into a den of lions. Ignoring this law, Daniel continued to pray three times a day, with his window open. He remained faithful as ever to God, and the other advisors caught him praying. They accused him in front of the King, and the King reluctantly threw Daniel into the den. The King favors Daniel, and hopes he survives in the Lion's den. In the morning he checks on Daniel and finds Daniel alive amongst the lions. Daniel explains how God had sent an angel to close the jaws of the lions. Daniel says God saw him as "blameless," and therefore saved him. The King punishes those who accused Daniel by sending them into the den and he speaks out to everyone, telling them to tremble before the God of Daniel. Example: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick DouglassDavid and Bathsheba Summary: David saw Bathsheba (wife of Uriah) bathing on the roof and was infatuated by her. He proceeded to have sex with her and get her pregnant despite knowing she was married. He then attempted to call Uriah back from the war to claim the child but Uriah, being a noble man, refused to leave his fellow warriors. This angered David and he sent Uriah to the front lines where he perished in war. God punished David for his sins by giving his first son a horrible illness that killed him. Example: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohan/Jeff BuckleyPurpose: The song is a very sad poem about love, abuse, sin, etc. It uses the story of David in Bathsheba to discuss infatuation and abusive love with lyrics like "Your faith was strong but you needed proofYou saw her bathing on the roofHer beauty and the moonlight overthrew youShe tied you to her kitchen chairShe broke your throne and she cut your hairAnd from your lips she drew the Hallelujah." The bathing on the roof is a direct reference to the story but the throne lyric describes how a sinful infatuation (like the adultery that David and Bathsheba committed) can lead to horrible consequences. The story and the song illustrate the dangers of lust and how people often are controlled and ruined by their inability to control their lust. This lust could also be extended beyond sex to themes like power and selfishness and how they consume and ruin people as well.Purpose: The story of Daniel in the Lion's Den can be used to help express the purity of characters in a story. In the story, Daniel remains pure, while those who are not cast him out, and end up being the ones punished. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass alludes to Daniel in the Lion's Den by comparing himself to Daniel, after being arriving in New York after escaping slavery. Douglass was persecuted by slavery, just as Daniel was persecuted by the advisors.David and Goliath Summary: David was a shepherd in a field whose eight brothers all fought for the Israel army. Goliath, was a giant who thought that he could beat anyone in a battle who challenged him. No one wanted to fight Goliath because they thought they would lose. Eventually, David heard about the challenge and accepted it because he thought that God would protect him against the giant man because God is more powerful than anything. All David had to fight with was five rocks and a sling shot, while Goliath had a giant sword that had a lot of evil power. Before Goliath could he draw his sword, David took one shot that hit Goliath right in his forehead and caused him to fall to the ground and die. David chopped off Golaith's head with his own sword and claimed victory.Example: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John IrvingPurpose: The underlying purpose of David and Goliath is to prove that the underdog should never be underestimated no matter their size and strength. In A Prayer for Owen Meany, Owen believes that he is God's intrument just as David did when he was set out to fight Goliath.doubting thomas Summary: Based on the Apostle Thomas who refused to believe that Jesus had in fact appeared to the 10 other apostles until he saw and felt the bloodied marks Jesus received from being on the cross, the term refers to a skeptic or non-believer until he has experienced the occurrence himself. Thomas said to the disciples, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” When Jesus appears to him a week later, and Thomas undoubtedly believes him then seeing him in the flesh. Example: The Matrix, Neo's name – Thomas Anderson (an allusion to Doubting Thomas)Purpose: Like Thomas' doubt in the resurrection of Jesus, Neo (controlled by the Matrix) refuses to believe in the Matrix even though Morpheus shows him. Once Neo breaks free of the Matrix's control and sheds the illusion it was depicting, he can see clearly and begins to believe. It is also symbolic that he changes his name from Thomas Anderson and assumes the name Neo.exodusSummary:Example: Purpose: the fall Summary: God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden. He forbid them from eating anything on the tree. The serpent tempts Eve to eat from the tree and she takes it and brings it back to Adam. They tried to hide from God because they sinned. God punished Eve and other women to pain of childbirth and having their husbands rule over them. Adam and men were now forced to work and scavenge for food.Example: William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies.Purpose: It shows how everyone is born with temptation but these things how consequences. Also feeding into temptation is showing a loss of innocence. In Lord of the Flies, the kids got pleasure in killing the pig although they knew it was against their moral. Similar to Adam and Eve, they knew they shouldn't have eaten from the tree.fallen angel/luciferSummary:Example: Purpose: The Flood Summary: God felt that the world was corrupted and filled with violence, so he decided to return it to its pre-creation state by causing a massive flood. He instructed a five-hundred-year-old man named Noah to build an ark and take his sons, their wives, and a male and female of each animal on it in order to escape the flood. After 40 days of rain, everything besides what was on the ark died and after 150, days, the water began to subside. Once the earth was inhabitable again, Noah built an alter to make a sacrifice, and God promised never to destroy all life again.Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainPurpose: In literature, allusions to the flood can symbolize a cleansing or rebirth, and can come in many forms such as a water motif, a scene with excess amounts of rain, or sometimes a post-apocalyptic setting. An allusion to the flood may also be present when the story has examples of humans being sinful/ corrupt, or there's a character who is destined to rid the world of all evil. Finally, a story with the theme of new beginnings may also be an allusion to the flood.Gabriel Summary: Gabriel is an angel who serves as a messenger for God. Gabriel is said to have foretold the Virgin Mary and Zechariah of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Gabriel is often seen as a regular man possessing the qualities of a spirit or an angel. Most notably, Gabriel represents new beginnings and change, like when he told St. Peter that Jesus would be put to death only to rise again.Example: The Giver by Lois LowryPurpose: In The Giver, Lois Lowry alludes to the biblical character Gabriel, through the baby in the book, Gabriel. In this novel, Gabriel represents a new era of people in society as he would be different from everyone else. He would possess and be able to experience something no one else but Jonas had, memories. Gabriel represents change as the first non-giver to have this ability. This alludes to Gabriel in the bible as he had qualities not shared by many, and foretold people about change.garden of eden Summary: The Garden of Eden is portrayed as the idyllic garden in which Adam and Eve were sent to enjoy the world's creations. The trees, fruit and rivers were all created by God and were bountiful. Men were allowed to eat from wherever they wanted except from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve were entranced by a serpent to eat from the tree, and when God found out they had disobeyed, they were cursed.Example: "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.Purpose: George and Lennie walk alongside idyllic rivers throughout the book, which are described similarly to the rivers in the Garden of Eden. After they kill Curly's wife, a snake is described as popping out of a river. After killing Curly's wife, the two men have lost their innocence and committed a crime which they originally were not capable of. The two are described in these locations throughout the book to draw the similarities between their loss of innocence and Adam and Eve's defiance of God. Genesis Summary: The book of Genesis outlines the history of how the nation of Israel got its population, its land, and its religion. The first story is the creation story with the famous opening line: "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth." God created the world in six days. God created two humans, Adam and Eve, but they sinned against God and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Years later, when there are more people on the earth, God decides to flood the earth because the people have become very sinful. Before He does He tells Noah (the only righteous man) to build an arc to protect Noah's family and two of every animal. Years later, God promises Abram (a descendant of Noah) a son even though he is very old- He has a son named Isaac. Abram is renamed Abraham and God promises him that he will be father of Israel. The book of Genesis also includes the story of Joseph and how the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt. Genesis leads up to the Israelites' exodus to their Promise Land.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew Purpose: Because Genesis is a big book of the bible with many famous stories, referring to Genesis could mean the beginning of something new. This is because the word genesis means beginning and the whole book of genesis is about the world's and the Israelites' beginning. It also could be alluding to human failure because all throughout the book, humans failed. Adam and Eve, Noah and the arc, and Sodom and Gomorrah all show how humans failed to please God. The entire book, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, is about how Narnia was created.garden of gethsemane Summary: This is where Jesus went the night before his crucifixion. He came here with 3 men to pray so they would not fall into temptation. After this is when Judas arrived with a group of soldiers. He gave the secret signal of a kiss to Jesus and the Romans attacked him. This garden is where god sent down an angel to strengthen Jesus. Example: Purpose: This is a place someone goes before something bad happens to them. They go here looking for protection or a way to avoid what is going to happen. This place signifies that something bad will ultimately happen to the charactergolden rule Summary: In book Matthew, Jesus preaches to a crowd on a hill that just as they only give good gifts to their children, the Father in heaven will give good gifts to us, if we ask. Jesus then says, "do to others what you would have them do to you, HYPERLINK "" \h t for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."In Luke, Jesus says to bless those who curse you and love your enemies. If someone takes your coat, give them your shirt. Basically, the opposite of revenge.Example: To express a character's selflessness and generosity, and author can allude to the golden rule by making the character share food and ask for help when he needs it. He can be shown with bread and fish.Purpose: Bread and food can represent kindness, while stones and snakes can represent malice. Gifts such as clothes or the sharing of a coat represent kindness and something akin to brotherly love.Golgotha Summary: Gologotha is said to be one of the places where Jesus was crucified. In Aramaic, it means the "place of the skull," and is associated with much suffering. Jesus was tried for his crimes against the church for spreading lies about who he was (the Messiah) and was sentenced to crucifixion by the cross and death. Jesus was first mercilessly beaten and whipped in front of a crowd of eager people. He was then forced to carry a huge wooden cross well over his size and weight to a hill where he would be nailed in the cross and left to die. Example: Aldous Huxley's, Brave New World: "The door of the lighthouse was ajar. They pushed it open and walked into ashuttered twilight. Through an archway on the further side of the room theycould see the bottom of the staircase that led up to the higher floors. Just underthe crown of the arch dangled a pair of feet."(Brave New World, Aldous Huxley,pg 176)Purpose: Gologtha represents a place of suffering even to the point of death as Jesus did. Since it has a place in history solely because it is where Jesus was tortured and eventually killed. Also, Jesus was crucified along with two thieves. One of them questioned him (asking why he didn't just save himself) and the other asked for him to pray for him to get into heaven. These two thieves can further symbolize the two types of people who are about to suffer and/or die, those who are not willing to accept their fate, and those who are.The Good Samaritan Summary: In the book of Luke, Jesus recounted a story of a man attacked by thieves who beat him and left him on the road. A priest and a Levite passed the man, but a Samaritan took him to town where he helped care for the man. Jesus told this story to a lawman who asked what was required of him to enter heaven. He said that to enter heaven you must love God and your neighbor. The Samaritan loved his neighbor unlike the priest and the Levite.Example: Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeePurpose: Atticus helps a black man he did not know out of the goodness of his heart to his own expense. He represented Tom Robinson, accused of rape, in court.The Good ShephardSummary:Example: Purpose: herod/Massacre of the Innocents Summary: The massacre of the innocents is the biblical account of the infanticide (massacre of infants) committed by Herod the Great. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod was told by the Magi that there was a newborn King of the Jews. In order to keep his throne Herod ordered the execution of all young male children in the surrounding area of Bethlehem in order to get to Jesus. But before he could an angel appeared to Joseph and urges them to flee, which is why Joseph, Mary, and infant Jesus fled to Egypt.Example: The Ransom of Red Chief by O. HenryPurpose: When asked which biblical character is Bill's favorite, he tells Sam that it's King Herod. Herod is often associated with the story of how he ordered the deaths of all the children in Bethlehem, so in literature it may refer to someone with murderous intent of children or just someone who is crazy with power. In this case it refers to Bill's homicidal urge to murder a child, Johnny.the holy spirit Summary: The Holy Spirit is part of the holy trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in reference to God the Father, Jesus, and the divine essence. The Holy Spirit is said, in some variations, to be a dove. In others, the Holy Spirit is depicted as an impersonal power of God that lives within the righteous. Example: The main character, after having struggled with their identity throughout the entire book, finally comes to the realization that they must find faith in God to be at peace. Just then, a dove crosses the path of the character, startling them.Purpose: In literature, a dove can come to symbolize a blessing of God or a religious epiphany as the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove to some sources. The appearance of such allusions can represent calls for piety and a restoration of religious faith. Additionally, after a character goes through tough trials, the feeling of a divine presence may be a spiritual reawakening that happens to the character through the course of the book.the holy sacraments Summary: The seven holy sacraments in the Church are Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. These can be broken down into the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist), healing (Penance, anointing of the sick), and service (holy orders and matrimony.) You can only receive baptism and confirmation once, but for the rest you can receive these sacraments unlimited times.Example: Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's HousePurpose: The holy sacraments are still prevalent in today's society, as people are still being married, confirmed, baptized, etc. Although only three of the sacraments are considered initiation, these three are the most common. Because of this, the allusion of the holy sacraments could act as a symbol of initiation/exclusivity as well as a binding pact between two parties (either between person to person or between a person and god.) In A Doll's House, marriage is a recurring theme/issue between Nora and her husband, Torvald.the holy trinity Summary: The Christian doctrine of the Trinity holds that God is three consubstantial persons —the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—as one God in three Divine Persons. The three persons are distinct, yet are one substance, essence or nature. In this context, a nature is what one is, whereas a person is who one is.Example: In Greek legend, the Sphinx devoured all travelers who could not answer the riddle it posed: "What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?" The hero Oedipus gave the answer, "Man," causing the Sphinx's death.Purpose: An allusion to the holy trinity is a reference to one person with three distinct personalities. As the riddle states: what is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening? This is a reference to man because in the morning a child crawls and as the man gets older he can stand and walk and towards the evening or end of life the man has to use a cane.horsemen of the apocalypse Summary: Described by John of Patmos in his Book of Revelation (last book in New Testament), God has a scroll with seven seals. Jesus Christ opens the first four, summoning four beings that ride on white, red, black, and pale horses. They symbolize conquest, war, famine, and death. They are to set a diving apocalypse upon the world as harbingers of the Last Judgement. They are the evils that haunt humanity to this day.Example: BelovedPurpose: Toni Morrison approaches one of the characters, Sethe, describing his group as "the four horsemen." The purpose of this allusion is to explain that the group's main focus is death, and that they are rather depressing. They are the harbingers of negativity within the school, just like the four horsemen were on humanity.the immaculate conception Summary: The Immaculate Conception was defined as a characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church in 1854, and is celebrated on December 8. It is the doctrine that by God's gift the virgin Mary was not born into original sin. Because of Mary's sin-less life, she anti-parallels Eve, emphasizing the coming redemption from Jesus Christ (who anti-parallels Adam) and the ultimate defeat of sin. Mary carrying the new covenant in Jesus could also parallel the holy Ark of the Covenant, which carried the old covenant in the 10 Commandments.Example: Life of Pi"She came floating on an island of bananas in a halo of light, as lovely as the Virgin Mary. The rising sun was behind her. Her flaming hair looked stunning."Purpose: The speaker Pi is describing the orangutan as the Virgin Mary, which might imply the Immaculate Conception, which would be equivalent to describing her as perfect, and without sin. The orangutan also seems to be the most emotionally-capable animal on the boat, the others being a zebra, a hyena, and a tiger. However, the hyena kills and eats the orangutan, possible commenting on the danger the need for survival poses to morality/holiness. Beforehand, the hyena ate the zebra, so gluttony may go hand-in-hand with the need to survive. In contrast, the bananas the orangutan had might represent a peaceful sustenance, but she left them when she got in the lifeboat, implying that any hope of living in a holy way, has been abandoned.Isaac Summary: Isaac is the son of Abraham and one of the major patriarchs of the Israelites. Abraham and his wife prayed for a son. God promised them a son, but later decided to test Abraham's faith. God tells Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son. Abraham maintains his loyalty to God and takes Isaac to Mount Moriah to be sacrificed. As he was about to kill Isaac, God stopped him, claiming that Abraham had passed the test of faith. Isaac lived to be very old and faithful. Example: Things Fall Apart by Chinua AchebePurpose: This story delivers the message that loyalty and faith will be rewarded. Although Abraham always wanted a son, he listened to God, as he had a deep trust and love for him. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo has to sacrifice Ikemefuna, to preserve his honor. He listens to the oracle and carries through the sacrifice to keep himself manly.Isaiah Summary: Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets in the bible according to many people who practice Christianity or Judaism as he was able to describe God and his teachings in incredible detail. His most important writing is Isaiah 53 where he describes how Jesus is sacrificed for good of mankind to save them from sin. The text states that Jesus will come to Earth as a human first to deal with sin and then will rise after crucifixion and return to Earth in a glorified state because of his sacrifice to protect humanity from sin. Example: Lord of the Rings Trilogy By J.R.R. TolkienPurpose: In the trilogy, Frodo takes on the burden of bearing the one ring of Sauren (an allusion to the sins of man) and completes a dangerous quest to destroy the ring in the fires of mount doom. Just as Jesus sacrificed himself for the good of humanity, Frodo sacrificed himself to save the good people of Middle Earth and he returned to the shire after his sacrifice. Isaiah is the foundation that the hero architype is built on and describes the necessary bravery of one good willed being to save the greater good. Ishmael Summary: Ishmael was the son of the Prophet Abraham. When he was born he was taken to a desert with his mother, Hagar where the Prophet Abraham left them because it was what the God Allah wanted. Ishmael grew up not knowing much about his father but one day, Abraham decided to go see his family. The first night that Abraham was there, he had a dream that he must sacrifice his son to the God Allah. The next day, Abraham told Ishmael what he dreamt about but Ishmael was okay with it because he was willing to do anything the Allah wanted him to do. From that day forward Ishmael was trusted and understood as one of the most sacrificial people in history.Example: For All We Have and Are by Rudyard KipplingPurpose: The purpose of Ishmael is to show that you should sacrifice for the better rather than being selfish because selflessness will only bring you heartache. For All We Have and Are represents that men nobly sacrifice their lives for the good of the people and to protect them in a time of war.jacob and esau Summary: Jacob and Esau are twin brothers, who didn't get along even before they were born. They were polar opposites and stayed that way as they matured. Esau was deemed his father's favorite because he hunted, where Jacob was more reserved, earning his mother's favoritism. Esau was born first, therefore he had a birth right to his family's things as well as being the recipient of god's special blessing. Esau sold Jacob his birth right for some stew, and it is said he did not care about it. However, one day he wanted it back before his father died. Jacob's mother wanted him to have the birth right and blessing before their father died, so she told him to pretend to be Esau. Jacob wore a disguise and got his father's blessing, and now Esau had to work for him. Esau was furious and Jacob had to run away in order to avoid Esau killing him. In the end they made amends. Example: Perce Pearce's screenplay of CinderellaPurpose: Although in the story Cinderella and her evil stepmother are not twins, the basic structure of the dynamic of the two is much like Jacob and Esau. Esau was the favored child, much like how Cinderella was. Jacob was ignored and the lesser favorite, sparking jealousy between him and his brother, like the jealousy we see Cinderella's stepmother display to her. Cinderella was everything her evil stepmother wanted to be, as was the situation between Jacob and Esau. This was also evident in the inheritance portion of both stories, Cinderella and Esau were both meant to receive the inheritance from their fathers, until they were conned out of it by, in Cinderella's case, her stepmother, and in Esau's case, his twin brother Jacob.jacob’s ladderSummary:Example: Purpose: Jericho Summary: Joshua was chosen to lead the Israelite people, who set out to conquer Canaan. He sent spies ahead to protect him and the Israelites. When Joshua arrived, a man told him that the land he was standing on was holy. God told him to have his men march around the city once every day, for six days. On the seventh day, they would march around seven times and trumpets would play. Then the wall of the city would collapse as God had promised him.Example: In Kristin Cashore's novel, Bitterblue.Purpose: The story of Jericho shows how obedience can be rewarding ad how its apart of peoples' lives. Similar to Bitterblue, he continued to obey the Queen. He felt honored to do things for the Queen because he received the reward of honor. Similar to Joshua because he obedied God he got what he asked for in returned.jesus / christ / carpenter / LAMBSummary:Example: Purpose: Jezebel Summary: Jezebel was a queen of Israel who tried to convince her husband to abandon the worship of Yahweh (Hebrew God), and begin worshipping the deities Baal and Asherah. She persecuted the citizens of Israel and created fake evidence against an innocent landowner who refused to sell his property to the king. Because of this, the land owner was executed. For what she had done, Jezebel met a gruesome death by being thrown out of a window and eaten by stray dogs. Example: The brothel in The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is called "Jezebels"Purpose: In literature, an allusion to jezebel is often made when someone in the story disregards others beliefs and instead tries to impose their own. Jezebel also became associated with prostitution due to her own of cosmetics, and may be alluded to in that way. jonah and the whale Summary: God talks to Jonah, telling him to repent to the city of Nineveh. Jonah does not listen to God out of fear and instead he boards a ship traveling the opposite direction of Nineveh. God sees this and creates a violent storm that threatens the ship. When the crew realizes the storm is Jonah's fault they throw him overboard and instantly, the seas are calm again. While in the water, a massive whale swallows Jonah whole, where is lies in the belly of the Whale for three days, asking for forgiveness and talking to God, promising to preach repentance upon the city of Nineveh. Finally, the Whale spits out Jonah, and he travels to Nineveh to warn them that their city will be burnt. The people of Nineveh are furious at Jonah and try to kill him, but God saves his life, because Jonah was ultimately obedient of his wishes.Example: Inside the Whale by George OrwellPurpose: George Orwell uses this allusion to reflect on the idea of obedience and forgiveness, as well as protection. In the bible, when Jonah is inside the of the whale's stomach, he is protected from all outside problems. He simply asks for forgiveness and prays over a span of three days. In George Orwell's essay he connects this to when one is being punished or in jail, they have to serve time however they are protected from all external conflicts.john the baptist / SalomeSummary: John the Baptist was born to an older couple who had previously been told they wouldn't be able to have children. An angel told the couple that they would have a child, and the name John was decided. He was born six months before Jesus and bears many similarities. In his later life, God sent him on a mission to spread the word of God as well as inform people of the coming of the Messiah. He dressed as an average man and acquired a wide following. Although many people that his work made him the messiah, he ensured people that the Messiah was coming. John baptized many followers of God, including Jesus himself. He was killed later after calling out the King for his life of sin. Example: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. ElliotPurpose: Similar to John the Baptist, Prufrock has a wide following but claims that he is no prophet. The use of such a character allows the reader to acknowledge the character's wisdom about life's suffering, but also gives him a more human-like approach. Joseph Summary: Joseph was the youngest of twelve sons and he was his father's favorite. His father made him a special colorful coat (which is referred to as Joseph's coat of many colors). Their father's favoritism toward Joseph made the other son upset, so they planned to fake Joseph's death and sell him into slavery. Joseph became a slave of Potiphar, who was a wealthy man in Egypt. Because Joseph had the favor of God, he was upgraded to be in charge of all of Potiphar's things. Potiphar's wife tried to get with Joseph and Joseph got in trouble because of this so he was put in jail. While in jail he was able to interpret some of the jailers' dreams. Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, so he sent for Joseph to interpret his dream. When Joseph could, Pharaoh promoted him to be second in command to the king. Example: “And the war’s begun. And we are out here, and the city is there, all wrapped up in its own coat of a thousand colors. What do you think, Montag?” (Fahrenheit 451)Purpose: Authors alluding to Joseph can mean many things, like when an author mentions the coat of many colors, he is referring to favoritism or being loved. Other times an allusion to Joseph is to refer to betrayal or to dreams because Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and he is known as a "dreamer."judas iscariot Summary: In the Bible Jesus had 12 apostles. One of these apostles was Judas. The reason Judas is so important is because he betrayed Jesus. When Judas was encountered by the Romans they bribed him with 30 pieces of silver to betray and reveal Jesus to them. This ultimately led to Jesus being captured by the Romans and crucified on the cross. After doing this Judas feels guilty and hangs himself. Example: The chronicles of Narnia, The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe by C.S. LewisPurpose: When the siblings enter the wardrobe and Narnia, Edmund eventually agrees to betray his siblings and join the the white witch to destroy and control Narnia, for Turkish delight. This represents Judas betraying Jesus for his own benefit. the last supper Summary: During Passover, the holiday, Jesus ate with his twelve disciples. At supper, Jesus said "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me." The disciple Judus was the one to betray Jesus. Then Jesus said to the disciples to eat the bread for it is his, Jesus', body. And to drink the wine for it is his blood, which was yet to be sacrificed for Man's sins.Later Jesus was crucified, and Christians today eat bread and drink wine to remember Jesus' Sacrifice. Christians commemorate Holy Week, the week Jesus was crucified, rather than Passover which occurs on the same week.Example: In The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevski the two brothers, Ivan and Alyosha, share a meal in a bar/restaurant. They discuss their brother and father, love, and how such a godless world could exist if there is a god. This meal is right after Lent, and Father Zossima, the monk, is about to die. In the day following the supper, Ivan leaves town and the brothers' father is murdered.Purpose: The finality of a dinner can hint towards pending doom or betrayal. Shared bread can represent communion. Wine could represent pending bloodshed. Lazarus Summary: Lazarus was a man who had been revived by one of Jesus' miracles. He was dead for about four days during which his sister sent for Jesus, who had been a good friend of her family. The second Jesus received the message, he turned his group of disciples around and headed for Lazarus' tomb. Upon seeing the tomb of the dead Lazarus, Jesus wept. When he had collected himself and reassured Lazarus' sisters that he would be alright, Jesus proclaimed, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus walked out of the tomb, still wrapped in strips of linen, which were undone as soon as the people witnessed Jesus' miracle.Example: Leif Enger's, Peace like a River: "Reuben Land, in the name of living God I am telling you to breath!" (p 2-3)Purpose: Lazarus represents rebirth in literature. Specifically, he represents one coming back from the dead when they were previously thought to have been dead. His family members, of course, represents the ones who are close to the recently deceased. When alluded to in literature, he not only makes a character come back to life, but has it happen in such a way that it is deemed a miracle, similar to the way Jesus had revived him. Leviathan Summary: Leviathan is a giant sea monster in the books of Job, Psalms and Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible. Leviathan is not referenced explicitly in the New Testament, but in Revelation a beast rises from the sea, alluding to Leviathan. Leviathan is an image of Satan, who endangers man and God's creation. Leviathan is described as the Demon of Envy by St. Thomas Aquinas and Peter Binsfeld. Some Christians believe Leviathan may be a crocodile, hippopotamus or dinosaur. In modern times, Leviathan can be used to describe any sea monster, and is sometimes used simply as an adjective to describe something large.Example: Moby Dick by Herman MelvillePurpose: Moby Dick is very comparable to Leviathan in its ability to stir the seas and in its dark nature. Both Leviathan and the whale are described as being beautiful with an insidious, evil dark side. The whale is described in a near divine manner throughout the novel, represented as a being superior to man.limboSummary:Example: Purpose: the loaves and fishes Summary: After a large crowd of people had followed Jesus up to the top of a mountain Jesus had to figure out a way to feed them. The loaves and fishes, also known as the feeding of five thousand, is reported in the Gospel of John as where Jesus was supplied with five loaves and two small fish by a boy in the crowd and used it to feed the approximately five thousand people on the mountain. The first application of the story is that people should have the same compassion as that of Jesus, if we see the poor or hungry then we should provide them with some food. The secondary more spiritual application is that we should take the spiritual food that Christ gives us and give it to the spiritually needy people of the world.Example: The Tale of Two Cities - "In both countries, it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the state preserves of loathes and fishes, that things in general were settled forever."Purpose: This quote refers to the French and English aristocrats. The estates of these aristocrats had a vast selection of wildlife that could be hunted for food. The allusion loaves and fishes is used to represent the vast amount of food that they had. This is more of an ironic use of the allusion as it refers to the vast amount of food they had while most of the time in literature the allusion means to make the most out of what you have, even when it's a small amount.the lord’s prayer Summary: The Lord's Prayer the standard Christian worshipping words for God. The Prayer includes a call for renewal of sustenance, forgiveness for misdeeds, and a plea for safety from evil. In return, the person promises God that his vison will be exacted on earth, assures God of their devotion to his kingdom, and reminds God of the forgiveness of humans toward each other.Example: From "The Hollow Men" by T.S Eliot: "For Thine is the Kingdom" (Line 77)Purpose: In Literature, instances where words similar to that of the Lord's Prayer are said (father, bread, kingdom) can be interpreted as human acts of desperation n calling for divine help when they lack tangible means to complete their quest. Times when a character feels defeated and they ask for bread can be seen relating to the Lord's Prayer as a plea for spiritual nourishment and solace.lot / lot’s wife / “pillar of salt” Summary: The story of Lot's wife begins in Genesis 19 when Lot was prompted by the Sodom's corrupt officials to hand over the angels which were residing in his home. After refusing the offer but countering with his two daughters, the officials refused. The angels warned Lot to flee for there was incoming danger due to the city's corruption, but they ordered Lot and his family to never look back. While they were fleeing, Lot's wife disregarded this and looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.Example: The tale of Icarus and the sun Purpose: This allusion can certainly still be used today because the message is still very much applicable - listen to orders given by people with superior intellect/information. The allusion depicts the ignorance of Lot's wife when her death easily could have been avoided. A similar situation occurred in the tale of Icarus and the sun where Icarus was told not to fly too close to the sun for it would melt the wax, but he decided to anyway and died because of his ignorance.Manna Summary: Manna is an edible substance, which, according to the Bible and the Quran, God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the forty-year period following the Exodus and prior to the conquest of Canaan.Example: In The Lord Of The Rings the elves provide the company with special Lembas bread, and it is said that one bite will satisfy a man for an entire day.Purpose: A substance that can satisfy someone for a long period is an allusion to Manna. With this substance characters can survive even the harshest conditions.mary magdalene Summary: Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus's most loyal followers and is said to be the first to witness his resurrection. According to the bible, Mary was of Jewish descent and her name comes from the town of Magdala. She was a witness to Jesus's crucifixion and burial, along with his resurrection. Overy the years, the Western Christian doctrine had portrayed Mary as a prostitute, love interest of Christ, and even his wife,Example: The DaVinci CodePurpose: This movie alludes to the relationship of Mary Magdalene and Jesus. It states that they were married, however there is large dispute over this. The purpose of alluding to their marriage was to illustrate a strong relationship between the two, after Jesus cleaner her of demons, and then she became his most loyal disciple. This also shows the loyalty that any human has for another if they save them from death. mephistopheles Summary:Goethe's Faust opens with a a bet between God and Mephistopheles that Mephistopheles cannot sway Faust over to the Dark Side (similar to the opening of the Job story)Mephistopheles appeared to Faust during Faust's attempt to translate the Gospel of John, transforming from a black dog that followed Faust home from an Easter celebration in town. Faust was despairing because he felt he could not attain a high enough understanding of nature, so Mephistopheles offers to serve Faust and give him power and knowledge, in exchange for Faust's eternal soul.Example: Damn YankeesPurpose: When Mr. Applegate appears to Boyd and offers him a chance to be a slugger for his favorite but lousy baseball team at the cost of leaving his wife, we know Joe enters a Faustian bargain. Because of the allusion to Faust and Mephistopheles, the audience is already knows that Joe would be trading the most important thing in his life for a lower priority, and can predict Joe's future discontent and inability to reverse the deal. Unlike Faust, however, Joe is capable of breaking his deal, and does so at the end out of love for his wife; the contrast between the allusion and the play emphasizes the importance of independent ability to resist temptation. Faust on the other hand was rescued from Hell by angels, drawing a parallel between God's love for Faust and the wife's love for Joe.Messiah Summary: The term Messiah refers to someone who is hailed as a savior, and has been long awaited. Jesus is the Messiah to the Christians, and the Jews still await the arrival of the Messiah.Example: Game of Thrones (Daenerys Targeryn) By: George R.R. MartinPurpose: The Messiah provides a sense of hope for characters or society in a story, for salvation. In Game of Thrones, as Daenerys takes over all the kingdoms, the slaves await her arrival, as she was known to free all slaves.Methuselah Summary: Methuselah is believed to be a man that lived to 969 years old, as the bible specifically states this age. There is dispute over whether this number has any significance at all. His father Enoch "walked with God" after having him at the age of 65 but Methuselah did not die when he had his son, he lived for 782 more years. The most significant part of this text besides the actual age of Methuselah is that he is said to have died 7 days before the great flood and he is the grandfather of Noah, the man who built the arc to save human kind from the flood. This could represent the passing of responsibility. The significance of the age is highly disputed. Some argue that humans were made to live eternal lives until sin was introduced and then God began to shorten the life span of his creation. Others argue that it is meaningless. A common theory as to why the flood happened when it did is that God promised to bring the flood right after the man who "walked with God" died. His whole life, Methuselah and his family (Noah) were trying to convince people to return to godliness.Example: Prediction of the 1929 stock market crashPurpose: Economist Roger Babson predicted the stock market crash of 1929 years before it happened. He was ignored just as the people of the world ignored Methuselah's warnings of the Great Flood. Babson tried to persuade people to stop inflating the economy with rampant spending but the roaring twenties were not tamed just as Methuselah tried to get people to return to godliness. With experience comes wisdom is a theme conveyed here as Babson was very experienced with economics just as Methuselah was wise with age.Moses Summary: When Moses was only a child he was separated from his mother because an Egyptian King wanted him dead. She decided that she would put him in a basket and send him down the Nile River. At the other end of the river, an Egyptian princess found him and brought him into her palace to take care of him. Moses then grew up to be a prince but was banned from the palace because he killed a man. He then traveled back to his homeland and on his way he became a shepherd. On his way home he heard the sound of Gods voice which told him to free his people from the Egyptians. When the Egyptian King refused such service, Moses turned the Nile River to blood. Many days of plagues, such as the first born child dying, past by which eventually influenced the Egyptian King to free his slaves. The Egyptians decided to go after Moses and the people to make them pay for what they had done. But, Moses saw them coming and parted the sea in two so they could walk through. When Gods people were saved, they found gold but broke the rules now stated, Moses made the 10 commandments.Example: Animal Farm by George OrwellPurpose: Moses, like Ishmael, represents a sacrifice but in a different way. He learns from his mistakes and represents that people can change and grow. In Animal Farm, Moses is a character that helps out the animals by spreading stories of where they go when they die; a sugar candy mountain. Moses in biblical times helped the slaves of the Egyptians escape and go to a better land of fortune.mount ararat Summary: Mount Ararat is the location that Noah's Ark rested after the flood died down. It would have been the first mountain peak to emerge from the flood waters. It is considered a biblical mountain, and Noah's safe haven after the flood.Example: John Steinbeck's The Grapes of WrathPurpose: The Grapes of Wrath alludes to the flood and Noah's Ark story when The Joads family was forced to pack up and leave for a safe haven because of extremely bad circumstances. This is a parallel to how Noah had to prepare to leave and weather the impending flood. mount gilboaSummary:Example: Purpose: the mount of olives Summary: The Mount of Olives is a part of the route from Jerusalem to Bethany. Jesus stood here when he wept over Jerusalem. He would go there to spend time, teach, and prophecy to disciples. Him and disciples would sing together.Example: So do you guys wanna go up to the park? It kind of reminds me of The mount of olives. Purpose: the mount of olives was suppose to be a place of relaxation or mediation for jesus and his disciplines. So in my example, saying if we wanted to go there would represent us getting away and just relaxing similar to how jesus did. MOUNT SINAISummary:Example: Purpose: THE NATIVITY Summary: The Nativity refers to the story of Jesus's birth. He was born to the Virgin Mary, after receiving a message that she had conceived the Son of God. On the night of Jesus's birth, there was no room at the inn and Mary had Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. People from all around came to give gifts to the Son of God, most notably the Three Wise Men. Many people were doubtful that the Messiah had come. The birth of Jesus thereafter created Christianity, and the calendar was set up around his birth. Example: "Chronicles of Narnia"'s character AslanPurpose: The children believe fully in Aslan, who behaves as a symbol for Jesus. Their faith, like the people who celebrated Jesus's birth, allowed them to follow Aslan's word and brought truth to them, like the claims God made about Jesus's disciples. NOAH / NOAH’S ARK / THE OLIVE BRANCH Summary: (The story of Noah's Ark is explained in "The Flood") After the rain stops, Noah sent out a dove to check and see if the waters had subsided. The dove initially came back to him with nothing because it couldn't find the ground. However, seven days later Noah sent out the dove again and it returned to him with a fresh olive branch in its mouth, letting him know that the earth was once again inhabitable. Example: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. LewisPurpose: Because of this story, the dove is a symbol of peace, and most allusions in literature to a dove hold that meaning. The olive branch, while also a symbol of peace, can signify a new beginning as well. ORIGINAL SIN Summary: Primarily relates to the sin committed by Adam and Eve in Eden by giving into temptation and consuming from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Relates to sins of forefathers affecting their descendants/sins or temptations that have negative influences on others as well as one's self.Example: The Odyssey by HomerPurpose: Calypso tempts and Seduces Odysseus to stay with her. Odysseus decides to stay with her even though his men warned him about how manipulative she can be. Calypso ends up keeping Odysseus for seven years which makes his wife Penelope worry about him and makes his crew spite him for wasting seven years of their lives when they could have been home in that time. This connects to original sin in that it is a sin committed by one person that negatively affects everyone else as well as Odysseus.NEBUCHADNEZZAR Summary: King Nebuchadnezzar was a wealthy and powerful king of Babylon. He was also very proud and cocky and sinned against God. One-night God told him in a dream that if he did not change how he was acting (sinning and being proud) he would be removed from human society and from his position as king. He didn't listen so he "was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven" (Daniel 4:33). He basically was removed from society and the palace and he lost his sanity. Eventually God restored his sanity and made him king again.Example: "'It is time someone undertook to rehumanize you,' I said, parting his thick and long uncut locks: 'for I see you are being metamorphosed into a lion, or something of that sort. You have a 'faux air' of Nebuchadnezzar in the fields about you, that is certain: your hair reminds me of eagles' feathers; whether your nails are grown like birds' claws or not I have not yet noticed" (Jane Eyre)Purpose: When Nebuchadnezzar is alluded to in literature, it means losing sanity and humanity, just how Nebuchadnezzar lost his sanity and humanity when he did not listen to God's warning. In this example from Jane Eyre, the author alludes to Nebuchadnezzar because Mr. Rochester loses his vison and his money in a fire. After this accident, he becomes less arrogant. His story almost exactly mirrors the story of Nebuchadnezzar. PARABLE Summary: In the story, a father has two sons. The younger son asks for his inheritance and quickly fortune. The younger son then returns home with the intention of begging his father to be made one of his hired servants. This is because he felt that his father's servants were getting a better life then he had and the younger son was expecting his relationship with his father to be severed. The father welcomed him back and even celebrated his return. The older son refused to participate until the father reminded the older son that one day he will inherit everything and that today is not a day of celebration because the younger brother returned but that they should still celebrate the fact that he was lost and is now found.Example: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Purpose: Emily runs away with steerforth. Who then took her across Europe, but in the middle of the trip abandoned her. She is ashamed and nervous to go home but is welcomed with open arms. This alluded to the idea that you can make a bad decision and abandon the people you love but sometimes they will forgive you and lovingly take you back in. PASSOVER Summary: To make Egypt fear the Lord and release the Israelites, the Lord passed a plague over Egypt. And the Lord commanded the Israelites to slaughter a lamb in each household, mark the house with its blood, roast in it in a fire, and eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The uneaten remains would be burned the next day. The plague would not come upon any house marked with the lambs' blood. Passover lead to the Jews' freedom.The sacrificial lambs of Passover parallel the sacrificial lambs of earlier Judaism. And Jesus, who was called the lamb of God, was crucified the on the first day of Passover centuries later.Example: Frederick Douglass' July 4th SpeechFrederick Douglass alluded to Passover to say that Jews' celebrate Passover because they are free. Why should slaves celebrate?Purpose: Lambs can represent faith or hint at future sacrifice. Blood on a doorway can represent fear of faith. Fire can represent safety or sacrifice as the lambs were roasted in the fire and these households were safe from the plague. Unleavened bread can represent faith, family, or heritage, as families ate this meal together, and unleavened bread became a meal to remember Passover in later years. Passover can be used to represent freedom.SAINT PETER Summary: Saint Peter was one of the original twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He was given the title of "Rock of My Church" by Jesus and "Apostle of the Apostles" and is traditionally considered the first bishop of Rome. Peter was originally a fisherman before he was chosen as one of Christ's apostles, and he witnessed the transfiguration. He confessed Jesus the Messiah, and he was part of Jesus' inner circle. On the day that Jesus was captured, he denied Jesus three times as Jesus had told him he would before and upon remembering Jesus' prophecy, wept bitterly. He is also known for preaching on the day of Pentecost.Example: Coldplay's, Viva la Vida:"For some reason I can't explain/ I know Saint Peter won't call my name/ Never an honest word/ But that was when I ruled the world"Purpose: Peter represents a friend or follower who is loyal and strong willed. He is with Jesus throughout almost all of Jesus' journey. He acts as Jesus' rock, which represents a friend in a story who is integral to the success of the protagonist mainly because of how he helps the protagonist succeed. However, since Peter did deny Jesus three times, he can also represent a friend who is normally very loyal, but turn their back on a suffering friend in their greatest time of need.PHARISEES Summary: The Pharisees and Sadducees were the ruling class of Israel in the time of Christ. Jesus was constantly in conflict with the Pharisees because he believed they were hypocrites, especially in terms of their religion. They followed the requirements of God, but did not love him. Jesus was angered, and tension grew between him and the Pharisees. Jesus found them guilty of five "woes": they shut out others based on their religion, they proselytized Jews abroad and in Israel, they swore by unsanctified gold, they tithed but failed to obey law and have mercy or faith, and they were only concerned with ceremonial and superficial cleanliness but were not really concerned with holiness. Example: Napoleon from Animal Farm by George OrwellPurpose: Napoleon was a hypocritical leader of the animals on the farm, creating rules which he was exempt from, just as the Pharisees preached laws that they did not obey. This allusion strengthens the connection between Napoleon and an evil dictator.PHILISTINESSummary:Example: Purpose: PONTIUS PILATE Summary: Pontius Pilate was a perfect of the Roman provinces of Judaea, Samaria, and Idumean appointed by Roman Emperor Tiberius. As a Roman perfect, he was granted the power of a supreme judge with the authority to order a criminal's execution. This led him to be the judge at Jesus's trial where he was pressured to sentence Jesus to death since by declaring himself the King of Jews, Jesus had committed treason. Example: Richard II by Willian Shakespeare "Some of you with Pilate wash your hands / Showing an outward pity; yet you Pilates / Have here deliver'd me to my sour cross, / And water cannot wash away your sin" (4.1.6)Purpose: Richard is always comparing himself to Christ, who's betrayed and ultimately crucified in the New Testament. After he is forced to give up his crown, Richard compares the rebels to Pontius Pilate. Richard clearly identified himself as a Christ like figure in the story having done nothing wrong but was betrayed by his people and wrongly sentenced. This allusion might also refer to how you should do what needs to be done and not to fall under the pressure of others. And don't be afraid of what people will think of you for doing something different. THE PRODIGAL SON Summary: The story of the Prodigal Son is a Parable from Luke. The story consists of a father, younger son, and older son. The younger son asks for an early inheritance, to which he receives it, moves away, and wastes all of it. The younger son is utterly destitute, starving, and homeless. After seeing that his father's servants have things to eat and a place to sleep, the younger son begs his father to make him a servant. The younger son expected a cold welcome, but the father rejoiced and welcomed him openly, much to the older brother's reluctance.Example: The character of Edmund in "THe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis Purpose: The story moves much deeper in terms of familial obligation and unconditional love and acceptance, not to mention the concept of humility over extravagance. The story provides insight into learning how relationships are more valuable than material objects as the son got more out of a good relationship with his father than he did out of the inheritance. The story hints that those who are lost can always be redeemed for a new life, much like how Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" strayed from the good path but later was redeemed by apologizing to Aslan.THE PROMISED LAND Summary: The promised land is land which was promised and subsequently given to Abraham and his descendants by god. Geographically it is the land between the river of Egypt to the Euphrates river. Because Abraham and his people upheld the covenant, god gifted the land to them; however, it was never explicitly stated that the land was solely for Abraham's descendants nor was it for perpetuity. Example: J.R.R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings Purpose: The allusion of the promised land can act as the light in the darkness or as the key to success. It is the land that is often kept to be sacred and pure, or which has properties that aid whoever is traveling to it. The idea of the promised land also incorporates the idea of a covenant formed between god and the people of the land. In The Lord of the Rings, Mordor acts as the promised land for Frodo and Sam as they try to venture to the center to destroy the ring. Although Mordor certainly isn't pure and light, it acts as the means of success.PURGATORY Summary: Purgatory is an intermediate state after physical death in which some of those ultimately destined for heaven must first undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven, holding that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. And that entrance into Heaven requires the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, for which indulgences may be given which remove either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin, such as an unhealthy attachment to sin. Only those who die in the state of grace but have not yet fulfilled the temporal punishment due to their sin can be in Purgatory, and therefore no one in Purgatory will remain forever in that state nor go to hell.Example: In D. J. MacHale’s Morpheus Road series The Black is a place you go to after death. Everybody goes there. You get sent to Hell/ The Blood or Heaven /- based on the choices you make there and once you come to terms with your old life you move on to the options.Purpose: Purgatory allusions serve as a gateway place/ limbo where characters are forced to make decisions about their lives. In MacHale’s series the characters must make a decision at “The Black” as to where they will go and they have to come to terms with their life before they can move on to the afterlife.REBECCA Summary: Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau. Abraham was looking for a wife for his son Isaac, so he decided that whoever brought him water when he was praying, would be the one. After marrying, it took many years for Rebecca to become pregnant. Isaac prayed, and the Lord answered. She became the mother of the first twins in the bible. From these twins came two conflicted nations. The Lord told her that two nations were in her womb, and those nations would fight. Jacob became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, and Esau became the father of the Edomites who fought Israel. Rebecca's marriage to Isaac was due to God's providence, her pregnancy was an answer, and her sons fulfilled prophecy. She lied to her husband, by helping Jacob deceive Isaac so the blessing would fall on him. This choice is an example how wrongdoing does not thwart the plans of God, and God will always achieve his will no matter what humans do.Example: There Eyes Were Watching GodPurpose: In this text, Joe meets Janie at a well, alluding to Rebecca and Isaac, however this is slightly wrong. Rebecca met Abraham, not Isaac. However, Janie is not happy as Joe's wife, just as Rebecca was not with Isaac. Janie however does not say anything to Joe, just behing his back as Rebecca did. The purpose is to show that no matter what you do, you cannot change what is meant to happen. Janie eventually does not get what she wanted, just as Rebecca did not.RUTH Summary:To escape famine in Bethlehem, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons move to Moab, where the sons marry Moabites Orpah and Ruth. They live in Moab for ten years, and during that time Elimelech and the two sons die. Naomi decides to go back to Bethlehem, begging Orpah and Ruth to stay behind in Moab. Orpah is persuaded, and she stays behind, but Ruth pledges her allegiance to Naomi and insists on accompanying her to Bethlehem.When Ruth and Naomi arrive in Bethlehem, they don't have any way to provide for themselves besides picking up leftovers from around harvested fields (Hebrew law commands farmers to leave the outsides of their fields and anything they drop for this purpose, called gleaning). Ruth ends up gleaning in the field of a rich man named Boaz, who is attracted to Ruth, and he leaves extra grain in his field for her. Boaz was a relative of Elimelech's, and the law obligated him to marry Ruth to carry on his family's inheritance, so Naomi (Ruth told her about Boaz's compassion) tells Ruth to go lie at Boaz's feet while he was sleeping on the threshing floor. Ruth does so, and Boaz tells her that he would marry her, but there is another, closer kinsman, that has first rights. However, Boaz makes a deal with this kinsman, who would give up property of his own inheritance if he married Ruth, and the kinsman relinquishes his marriage rights in exchange for the property. Boaz marries Ruth, redeeming Naomi's family name, and they have a son named Obed, who is the grandfather of King David.Example: Ode to a Nightingale "Perhaps the self-same song that found a path/Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,/She stood in tears amid the alien corn."Purpose: The speaker speculates that the nightingale's song was heard by Ruth as well as he, thus comparing his situation to Ruth's. The allusion to Ruth's alienation might demonstrate the narrarator's feeling of alienation and loneliness, because, in truth, he cannot be with the nightingale that represents escape/freedom from the hardships of living, which could be symbolized in Ruth's gleaning in the corn for subsistence. Ruth eventually makes home in Bethlehem when she marries Boaz, so the speaker might also be conveying some hope that his worries will be gone in the near future.THE RESURRECTION Summary: After Jesus was crucified, he died, was buried and rose 3 days later. People visited his tomb and found that he was missing. Afterwards, he saved all the people of their sins and rose unto heaven. Example: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. LewisPurpose: Allusions to the resurrection are typically related to awaiting salvation. In The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Aslan sacrifices himself for the kids. He does not struggle and accepts his fate. Afterwards, he is no where to be found, and has come back to life. Aslan sacrifices himself for his people and rises from the dead to represent the salvation of his people, exactly like Jesus.SACRIFICE OF ISAAC Summary: The story of Abraham and Isaac is one of sacrifice. The most popular translation of the story is that as a test of loyalty and willingness to perform for a high purpose, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in the land of Moriah. Just as Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac a messenger of God (usually depicted as an angel) stops him and Abraham sacrifices a ram instead thus fulfilling God's command while sparing his son. Another view is that the story is one of the sin of assumption as Abraham was never explicitly told to sacrifice his son by God but his imagination led him astray, conveying that assumption can lead to horrible consequences. Example: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King By: J.R.R. TolkienPurpose: In the return of the king, the steward of Gondor has two sons, Boromir and Faramir. The steward openly loves Boromir more than Faramir. When Boromir dies, the steward becomes aggressive and gluttonous. In the return of the king, Faramir is brought back after a battle wounded but his father assumes he is dead and believes what is best for his people is to burn his son from the main tower to show the sacrifices the warriors have made and to rid himself of his grief and anger that he has held since Boromir's death. This assumption and the belief in a need for sacrifice shows how ignorance and assumption can lead to a horrible consequence like the death of a son. Right as the steward lights the fire, Frodo rushes in and, with the help of Gandalf, removes Faramir from a fiery death. This is a clear allusion to the Sacrifice of Isaac.SAMSON and DELILAH Summary: Samson fell for a woman named Delilah. Soon, Philistine rulers learned of their great love and payed Delilah a visit. The Philistines wanted to capture Samson so they offered Delilah a lot of money to figure out what his great strengths were and his weaknesses. Delilah accepted the payment and kept asking Samson over and over again until he finally caved in and told her that his hair must never be cut because it was a vow when he had been set apart to God. The Philistines evidently captured Samson and punished him till he had enough. He prayed to God, for the first time ever, and asked what he should do. Samson soon figured out that he must kill his enemies by going to a temple where they were all meeting and knock down the pillars to that temple. When he did this, he ended up killing himself but he found it sacrificial and worth it because he ended up killing most of his enemies.Example: Pablo Escobar, a world famous drug trafficker, was a very vain person who would do anything to kill his enemies and protect his weaknesses, his family. People knew of his weakness and would pay others a lot of money to get near them.Purpose: Samson and Delilah represents that betrayal goes a long way and is not easily forgiven. It also represents that many don't care for anything else other than revenge. Pablo Escobar was a man known for revenge.Sarah Summary: Sarah is the mother of Isaac and husband of Abraham, originally Sari - meaning quarrelsome - God commanded her name to be changed to Sarah before the birth of her son to give her a new identity like he did for her husband Abraham. Sarah, in Hebrew, means princess or woman of high rank. She is the only woman in the bible to have her name changed by God, and God referred to her as "a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” She was the beginning of the royal lineage, in which King David and the Savior would come. God established his covenant wither her son Isaac and his descendants. Sarah was unable to produce a child with Abraham initially, and Abraham's son Ishmael suggested that he have an affair with their slave in order to have another son. God promises Sarah and Abraham a son, and after Isaac is born, Ishmael is no longer the heir. Ishmael mocked Isaac out of jealousy and as a result Sarah banished him from the land. Example: Herman Melville's novel Moby DickPurpose: The first line of the book is "Call me Ishmael." Ishmael's banishment in the bible was so profound that his name is now synonymous for an "outcast." In Moby Dick. Ishmael is considered an outcast because he is an amateur whale fisher. The name is given to Ishmael to create a distinct difference between the characters in Moby Dick. satan(5 additional aliases)Summary:Example: Purpose: Saul Summary: He was the first king of Israel – Samuel appointed him after he retired from being the judge. God directed him to appoint Saul. Saul fought in an army and defended the Philistines. But Saul didn't obey God and he tried to keep some of the goods. Then God asked Samuel to appoint another king- David. David was success in everything he did and Saul was jealous. He tried to kill David and killed his own son to hurt him. After Samuel, he had no one to get advice from God from. So, Saul and his 3 sons were killed during the second battle with the Philistines. Example: “ oh she’s such a hater, I know right isn’t her name Saula?” Purpose: In the example it shows how that someone was hating or someone else in another words just being envious so it relates back to Saul’s story also the person’s name being Saula it gives more evidence to show it relates back to the story. the sermon on the mountSummary:Example: Purpose: seven deadly sins Summary: The Seven Deadly Sins are a group of seven attributes that are excessive instances of normal human attributes. They are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Pride is considered the most serious of all the seven deadly sins and is defined as dangerously corrupt or selfish. Greed is defined as an excessive and artificial desire for material things, lust is defined as intense and unchecked sexual desire, and envy is defined as the resentment of someone else and a longing for their possessions. Wrath is defined as uncontrollable feelings of anger or rage, sloth is defined as excessive laziness, and gluttony is defined as overindulgence to the point of waste. Example: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Wrath)Purpose: In literature, allusions to the seven deadly sins are most often made by weaving one of the sins into a main character's personality. There are countless stories about a character who is driven by greed or by lust (or by any other sin) and in a lot of cases that’s what the whole story is built around. Also, a tragic flaw may be one of the seven deadly sins. seven sacraments Summary: The first sacrament is Baptism, or the pouring of holy water over one's head the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit in order to baptize someone into the church. The second sacrament is confirmation, or the initiation of someone into the church. Confirmation confirms and strengthens one's baptismal grace in God. The third of the seven sacraments is the Eucharist, or take consumption of Jesus' blood and body as a testament to his sacrifice. The fourth sacrament is Penance and reconciliation which involves confessing sins to God through prayer and asking for forgiveness. The fifth sacrament is annointing of the sick which means praying for and blessing those who are violently ill and near death ,as a way to give them closure with God before their journey to heaven. The next sacrament is Holy Orders includes becoming a priest or bishop or having an important leadership role in the church to devote your life to God. The next sacrament is matrimony which is marriage in a church and the uniting of God and love. Example: Purpose: An author may use images of loyalty or sacrifice in order to allude to the seven sacraments. Many of the sacraments show deep love for God and commitment to the faith in general. Anytime an author describes one of the previously listed sacraments they are making a biblical reference.shadrach, meshach, and abednegoSummary: The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was written in the Book of Daniel. These three men lived in Babylon and refused to bow down to the King's image. They were exiled and threw into a fiery furnace. However, God saved them as he believed they were faithful servants, and that he saw a fourth person walking towards them like "a son of God". They were put into a high office afterwards and declared that punishment would be given to those who speak against their God.Example: MLK allusion in a speechPurpose: MLK's used the three men's act of civil disobedience in comparison to the Civil Rights movement disobedience to show that their actions are justified for the greater good. The punishments, like the three men's, will forgiven by their God for the sake of the greater good.sodom and gomorrah Summary: Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that were very sinful. God sent two angels to tell Abraham about the two cities' sin. God planned to destroy the two cities, but Abraham asked God if he would preserve the cities because his nephew, Lot lived there, if Abraham could find a handful of good people. Abraham could not even find 10 good people in the whole city, so God allowed Lot and his family to escape before he destroyed the city. As God " rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah" (Genesis 19:24), Lot's wife turned around to take one last look at the city and turned into a pillar of salt. Example:"Why are these things permitted? What sins have we done? The morning service was over, I was walking through the roads to clear my brain for the afternoon, and then--fire, earthquake, death! As if it were Sodom and Gomorrah! All our work undone, all the work---- What are these Martians?" (The War of the Worlds)Purpose: The story of Sodom and Gomorrah represents judgement and destruction of sinful people, or people who do bad things. In the allusion in the book, The War of the Worlds, he refers to Sodom and Gomorrah because there was fire and destruction. Sodom and Gomorrah is closely associated for the fire, or "burning sulfur" that God rained down.solomon / wisdom of the tower of babel Summary: Solomon was the son of king David. When David died Solomon became king of Jerusalem and built a temple for god. One night two prostitutes came to Solomon each with a baby. That night one of them accidently laid on top of one of the babies and killed it. The one who killed her baby and replaced it with the live one and they both began to accuse each other. Solomon suggested the baby be cute in half so each get to keep piece knowing this would reveal the true mother. The one lady sai that no one should keep the whole child and that it should be cut I half. But the second one said let her have it and do not kill it. This revealed that the lady willing to give up the child was the actual mother because she would want the child to live. Example: The adventures of huckleberry finn by Mark Twain Purpose: Huck tells Jim different stories to entertain him including the one of the baby being cut in half. They begin to argue over whether Solomon is wise or not. Jim says no because he offered to cut a baby in half. Huck tried to defend Solomon by saying that he was being wise and tricking the ladies and never intended on killing the baby but Jim’s opinion wouldn’t budge. 3 wise men / magi Summary: The three wise men from east of Jerusalem came to Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus, King of the Jews. They knew of Jesus from "his star in the east" and of his birthplace from a prophet. When Herod, the King of Jerusalem, heard from the wise men of this new king, he was troubled. Herod told the wise men to tell him where Jesus was when they found him, so that "[he] may come and worship him also."When the star stood above the wise men they found Mary and Jesus. They offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After having a dream warning them not to go back to Herod, they departed into their country another way.Example: The Gift by William Carlos WilliamsWilliams expressed that gold perfume and genuflections do nothing for a babe. He compared mother's milk to the gifts as to say the nurturing care of a mother is more perfect than any royal symbol.Purpose: A star can represent navigation, royalty, or prophesy. Gold can represent royalty. Frankincense can represent worship. Myrrh can represent prophesy, sacrifice, and death as the children of Bethlehem were killed and Jesus was ultimately killed as well. Dreams can be warnings.Yahweh Summary: Yahweh was the name of God to the ancient Hebrews. This name was revealed to Moses by God in the four consonants, YHWH, which is called the Tetragrammaton. Moses then revealed this to his people, who then spoke of God using this name. Though later, the name was considered too holy to utter, so people would use the more common "Elohim," which means "God."Example: Seamus Heaney's, Beowulf: "Afterwards a boy-child was sent to Shield,a cub in the yard, a comfort sent by God to that nation. He knew what they had tholed,the long times and troubles they'd come through without a leader; so the Lord of Life,the glorious Almighty, made this man renowned."Purpose: The use of this allusion, though rare, basically symbolizes the holy power of God. The use of the actual name of God can denote divine intervention in a story and can point out a higher power influencing the life of the protagonist or other characters. This can be represented by weather, whether it is inconvenient like rain or disastrous like a storm. Biblical AllusionsCAIN and ABEL(Mr. Freeburger)Summary: Cain and Abel are brothers. Cain offers part of his harvest to God while Abel offers some of his livestock. God likes the livestock more which makes Cain jealous. He murders Abel, then lies to God about it, saying he’s no “my brother’s keeper.” But Abel’s blood is crying from the soil. The tainted soil will no longer produce for Cain and he is banished, but not before God marks him to protect him from retaliation for the murder of his brother. Cain goes to Nod, “east of Eden”, where he begins a new life. Example: John Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.Purpose: On the surface, the purpose could be to reference jealousy, betrayal and murder. The blood calling from the soil and tainting the ground could be used to represent punishment of a crime. Cain’s mark and exile could represent the protection from someone in power despite a wrong or the rejection and banishment from paradise (or someplace good). In Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden, Cain and Abel are alluded to throughout, but the title itself refers to the place of rebuilding…outside of paradise. Absalom Summary: Absalom was the third son of David and was described as the most handsome and charming man in the Kingdom of Israel. This allowed him to amass a following among the citizens of Jerusalem. Having disagreements with his father over the function of the judicial system, he staged a revolt and drove David out of Jerusalem. There was a battle between David and Absalom's forces in the Wood of Ephraim. Absalom lost the battle and was killed by one of David's men in revenge despite David's instructions not to do so. Once David discovered that his son was dead, he wept saying "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" Example: Alan Paton's novel, Cry, the Beloved Country.Purpose: One of the conflicts in this story is between familial bonds and personal values. Absalom disagrees with the judicial system of the kingdom resulting in disagreement between David and himself. This same father-son conflict occurs between Stephen and Absalom Kumalo. Absalom ran away from Stephen and after several years, Stephen begins to look for him, only to discover that his son is a murderer. This proves to be pivotal in building tension and furthering the plot.Abraham Summary: Abraham is called by God to leave his own country and people and journey to an unfamiliar promised land, where he will become the founder of a new nation which will be his heirs for perpetuity. He is also recognized as being the first person to worship the single god. Abraham famously took his son up for sacrifice and almost carried it out until and angel stopped him because only one son (Jesus) can sacrifice to forgive the sin in the world.Example: Family Guy "Holy Crap" episodePurpose: When Peter says "I've been a worse father than Abraham" after being mean to Meg, it takes a humorous stance on a serious topic. Abraham completed trusted God and followed all requests given to him. When he was asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, he prepares to do so. This makes him a terrible father in the views of Peter. Adam and Eve Summary: The story of Adam and Eve is the biblical story of human creation. In the void, God created light, sky, land, vegetation, and living creatures over the course of six days. He creates man out of dust (Adam) and woman (Eve) out of the rib of the man. The live happily in the Garden of Eden until a serpent persuades Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of the good and evil. God, who forbade them from eating the fruit, banishes them from Eden.Example: Shakespeare's HamletPurpose: Old Hamlet proclaims that he was poisoned by a snake. The snake reminds the reader of the crafty serpent who brought the fall of innocence. There is no "fall of innocence" but the death of Hamlet signifies the fall of Denmark. Allusions to this story most often deal with the serpent and the end of humans' life in Eden. ANGELS (3 hierarchies, 9 orders)Summary: Although there are many different variations of angel hierarchies, the most recognized and influential is the structure made by a philosopher named Pseudo-Dionysius. The First Sphere angels are the servants of god and include the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. The Seraphim, flaming angels with six wings, are the highest ranked angel order and serve as caretakers of God's throne. The Cherubim, which have four faces: one of a human, one of a lion, one of an eagle, and one of an ox, protect the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Finally, the thrones, two wheels covered in eyes, are living symbols or God's authority. The Second Sphere angels work as the governors of creation and include the Dominions: which regulate the power of lower angels, the Virtues: which make miracles, and the Powers: warrior angels who oppose evil spirits as well as act as the keepers of history. The Third Sphere angels act as heavenly guides and messengers to human beings and includes the Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels. Angels are the lowest order of the angels, and the most recognized. They are the ones most concerned with the affairs of living things. Within the category of the angels, there are many different kinds, with different functions. The angels are sent as messengers to humanity. Personal guardian angels come from this class.Example: Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth ChandlerPurpose: Angels appear in literature in many ways, playing all sorts of roles. In most cases, these angels serve as a guardian angel or invisible force that pushes the main character forward in the story. In Kissed by an Angel, Tristan and Ivy are in a romantic relationship but are separated by Tristan's death. Tristan returns as Ivy's guardian angel who protects her from danger and guides her to catching Tristan's killer.ApocalypseSummary: The apocolypse is the rise and fall of the anti-christ resulting in the ending of the World, describe in the book of Revelation by John.Example: opening scene of belovedPurpose: Four men on horse, a slavecatcher, school teacher, sheriff and the school teacher’s nephew arrive at the house of newly free slaves. Just like the four horse men in the apocalypse story signify the beginning of the end so do the 4 men in this story. The recapturing of the newly freed slaves would end their new life aa human beings rather than property.Armageddon/Anti-ChristSummary: The prophesized location for a major battle between two groups at the end of times. It is a battle between good and evil, referred to as "the battle to end all battles". Example: The big fight in The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Purpose: It serves to symbolize a grand fight of the ages that will settle the differences of good and evil, in which one side will appear as the victor and the other will perish. It emphasizes the urgency of the battle and both sides motives for battle, while under a time crunch, as the inevitable world's end looms.The Ascension Summary: After the resurrection of jesus christ, jesus visited a small group of 11 apostles on the mount of olives. While the disciples asked if jesus was going to restore the kindgom of israel, jesus told them that he could not reveal god's plan, and said "you will receive power when the holy spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses." He then ascended into the clouds, and two angels stood beside the 11 apostles and said that this was the jesus that died for you.Example: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"- God gives the knights a mission and disappears behind the clouds.Purpose: The purpose of this story is to confirm any suspicions regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The story also symbolizes the passing of a mission, as the apostles must spread the word of Christianity and will be guided by the Holy Spirit.The Beatitudes Summary: Jesus Christ gives the Eight Beatitudes (supreme blessings), in the Sermon on the Mount, for the New Testament. The beatitudes are positive, and present the idea that there will be salvation for our suffering, in the next world. Example: Moby DickPurpose: The Beatitudes symbolize hope in times of trouble. In Moby Dick, "Blessed are the peacemakers, especially the fighting peacemakers" alludes to one of the beatitudes that states "Blessed are the peacemakers". The Lieutenant (speaker) is exclaiming that even through fighting, there will be peace. Beelzebub Summary: Beelzebub, directly translated as "lord of the flies," is another name for the devil. Beelzebul (the etymology is unclear, but the names are connected) is referenced in the Testament of Solomon as an angel cast out of heaven, similar to Lucifer. Once on earth, he is said to cause many evils among men, including, jealousy, lust, and war. Example: William Golding's Lord of the FliesPurpose: Once the boys' plane crashes (fall from heavens), they try to organize but quickly become jealous and violent, as well as worshipping the head of a slaughtered pig (that attracts flies, thus being the lord of the flies). This reversion shows the boys' true nature of evil and sin. Golding uses this allusion to show what he thinks is the true nature of schoolboys. The Betrayal Summary: Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Judas is known for his betrayal of Jesus, where he led those who would arrest Jesus to him. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane where after the Last Supper, Judas gives Jesus a kiss, and promptly turns him into the guards for thirty silver coins. Therefore, this betrayal is also known as the Kiss of Judas.Example: He had given me the Kiss of JudasPurpose: This indicates some grand betrayal of something in exchange for something almost petty, such as money in the case of Judas himself, but it could be for anythingThe Burning Bush Summary: From the Book of Exodus, the Burning Bush is the location where God instructed Moses to march to Egypt in order to free the Israelites and send them to Canaan. The bush itself is on fire, but it is not consumed by the flames as it burns continuously.Example: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck: "Reverend Jim Casy was a Burning Busher"Purpose: The Burning Bush symbolizes a beacon of light, hope, faith, and possibly the start of a journey. This is the place where Moses was instructed to go on his journey, and Jim Casy, as a traveling man trying to find himself, wandered around in order to seek the journey of faith that he himself would embark on.Caiaphas Summary: Caiaphas was a high priest who took part in plotting Jesus' crucifixion. Fearing the growing following of Jesus and the potential invasion by imperial Rome, Caiaphas searched for a way to preserve his power and found that by killing Jesus, he could preserve his power and less the threat of Rome. He did so by wrongfully trying Jesus through the use of false witnesses and, after asking Jesus if he was the Messiah, calling him a blasphemer for saying "Yes."Example: Dante's Inferno: Sixth realm of the eighth circle of HellPurpose: Caiaphas' decision to criticize Jesus for lying, corruption, and blasphemy lands him in the sixth realm of the eighth circle of Hell, where hypocrites are punished. His punishment is to be eternally crucified across the hypocrite's path and stepped on. His punishment represents the repercussions of selfish motives.Canon Law Summary: Canon Law is the name for the Catholic Church's structures, laws, rules, and procedures made for the leaders and followers of the church. It provides information on how church leaders should conduct church outreach in order to best represent the mission of the church. It is a fully developed legal system with lawyers, judges, etc. but it lacks most of the binding legal force required. Canon law essentially is the rule book for Catholicism. Example: Codex Iuris CanoniciPurpose: Rules such as CCC and CCEO structure the ways that Catholics should live similar to laws in our society today. Some popes alter the canon law and publish the updated version to account for changes in culture. Cloven Hoof Summary: According to the bible, animals with cloven hoofs and who chew cud are clean and are acceptable to eat. Animals with only cloven hoofs or animals that only chew cud are unclean and are not to be eaten or touched. Cloven hoofs have also been associated with the Devil, who is seen in many artists' depictions with cloven hooves. Example: "Why tis' devil I know him by a great rose he wear on's shoe, to hide his cloven hoof" - The White Devil by John WebsterPurpose: The description of a character with cloven hooves is to hint that that person is the Devil. In some instances, the allusion only serves to specify that a certain character is wicked. Covenant Summary: A bilateral or unilateral covenant is an agreement between two parties; it can either be between god and the people, or between two people respectively. Holding extraordinary meaning or withholding a special bond.Example: Bible, Joshua (9:15)Purpose: In Joshua 9:15, Joshua and the Gibeonites vowed to live peacefully, thus forming a covenant. Symbols such as shaking hands also depicts the allusion of a covenant. A reference to a covenant generally means that breaking the covenant will result in harsh repercussions, but while following it, both parties will live easily care-free.Crown of ThornsMInahSummary: A crown of thorns was places of Jesus’ head at his crucifixion to ridicule the facts that he referred to himself as and claimed to be the king of kings.Example: Dead Poets Society- Peter WeirPurpose: A crown of thorns when used in literature describes a hardship, burden or ridicule and foreshadows death. In the Dead Poets Society, Neil, a character who later commits suicide wears the crown in his role as Puck. The Creation Summary: Essentially, the story of how God created the Earth over the course of the initial week. He began by creating a formless Earth that was barren, then created light, water, nature, and humans.Example: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's NephewPurpose: It states the steps in God's creation of the earth and illustrates the key components that went into the making of our world. Also, it serves as a good introduction by laying out the steps taken at the beginning of time.The Crucifixion Summary: Judas betrays Jesus, making him a prisoner. Jesus is then wanted crucified by the whole crowd. He is mocked and beaten as he carried the cross. Jesus is then crucified. When he dies, earthquakes split the temple in two. There was a heavily guarded and sealed tomb for Jesus so no one could steal the body. Example: "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper LeePurpose: The crucifixion represents the payment for the sins of mankind, and shows that any sin will require a consequence. It also represents the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind because he paid for their sins through his crucifixion, making this story one of the most significant in the Bible.Daniel in theLion’s Den Summary: Daniel is a hard, and honest worker. He was such a good worker that king Darius decided to make him in charge of the whole country, making the other workers jealous. The other servants were so jealous that they tried to find a reason to get Daniel fired, but couldn’t since he obeyed God. They then decided to have the king make a law stating that no one could pray to anyone but him, otherwise they would be thrown in the lion's den. Despite this, Daniel kept praying to God, and was thrown in the lion's den. However, the next day Daniel was unharmed because he had trusted God.Example: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American SlavePurpose: Allusions to Daniel in the Lion's Den often represent themes of perseverance, and faith. After escaping from slavery, Frederick Douglass states that he felt like "one who had escaped from a den of hungry lions". Although Daniel was literally trapped, Douglass was trapped in slavery, and was able to escape through faith and persistence. David and Goliath Summary: Goliath is the warrior that fought and was defeated by the young David. Goliath is seen as a symbol of paganism while Goliath is the champion of God. The armies of the Philistines and Israelites were in battle. Goliath, champion of the Philistines, challenges one of the Israelites to come forward and fight in single combat to determine the outcome of the battle. David decides to step forward, refusing armor and bringing only his staff and a sling. His enemy Goliath is clad in armor and wielding a javelin, but David slings a rock at his face, knocking him out. David then cuts Golaith's head off in victory.Example: The fight between them was like David and Goliath.Purpose: This denotes an underdog situation, where it seems as if the underdog has little to no chance, and prevails against all odds.DAVID and BATHSHEBA Summary: David is a king at war. While his troops are abroad, however, David remains in Jerusalem, where he sees a beautiful woman from a rooftop. David sends a messenger after her, and discovers that she is named Bathsheba, and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David sleeps with Bathsheba and she becomes pregnant. Her husband, Uriah, is one of the troops at war for David, so David sends for him to visit home, hoping Uriah will sleep with Bathsheba and thus not raising suspicion over Bathsheba's pregnancy. However, Uriah refuses to go home, as the Israelite troops are sleeping on the battlefield, and it would not be honorable for him to sleep at home. After trying to get Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba multiple times, David orders Uriah to be put in the front lines so he will die. Once the battle is over, it is reported the Uriah is dead, so David goes to Bathsheba and makes her his wife. God was angry at David for doing this, and he sent the prophet Nathan after David to show him his wrongs. Nathan told David a parable of a rich man killing his poor neighbor's lamb simply because he didnt want to kill his own (though he had plenty). The story struck David, and he begged for forgiveness. Example: Claudius watching the horrors of his own crime in the play The Murder of Gonzago in Shakespeare's HamletPurpose: After committing a murder, Claudius watches the play-within-a-play The Murder of Gonzago, in which he watches the main character murder his brother the king, crown himself as the king, and take the queen as his wife. Claudius realizes the moral hideousness of his actions and begs for forgiveness. The allusion shows the depth of Claudius' repentance, as David's reaction to his own crime was described as very strong in the bible. The connection to the bible and the prophet Nathan also indicates that the play was an intended message from God to show Caudius his actions. doubting thomas Summary: Doubting Thomas was one of Christ's apostles. He was famously skeptical that Jesus had been resurrected and had appeared to the other apostles, and he only believed that Jesus was resurrected once he could see and feel Christ's wounds by himself.Example: A 1935 movie titled "Doubting Thomas", in which a husband named Thomas doubted his wife's acting abilities.Purpose: A "Doubting Thomas" is a person who is very skeptical of the world around him and is, perhaps, hyperrational. The Thomas from "Doubting Thomas" wanted to be certain that his wife would be a successful actress, which explains his reluctance to invest $75 into her career.Exodus Summary: The book of Exodus follows the quest given by God to Moses to lead the Hebrews to Canaan from Egypt. During this quest Moses is instructed to transcribe the Ten Commandments, dictated by God, on to stone tablets. The exodus in the story is the Hebrews from Egypt.Example: The Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckPurpose: The mass migration of workers West for prospective jobs can be equated to the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. In both cases, there is the prospect of a "promised land" where dreams come true; freedom for the Hebrews, and success for the American migrants.the fall Summary: The fall refers to the fall of man in the book of Genesis. The fall is the transition of humankind from innocence to disobedience brought to humankind by Adam and Eve's decision to eat the forbidden fruit. It is widely believed that the Fall brought sin into this world and created original sin. See Adam and Eve for an in-depth explanation of that allusion.Example: Adam raised a Cain by Bruce Springsteen Purpose: In verse 3 of Bruce Springsteen's song, he explains how it was Adam's fault for creating the original sin which resulted in the suffering that people feel today. This counters many people's belief that Eve was at fault for the sin because she was the one who picked the apple. fallen angel/lucifer Summary: A fallen angel was an angel that had been banished from heaven. Lucifer was a bright and respected angel in heaven. He was guard to God's throne. Lucifer became jealous of his power and conducted many hubristic sins. After being banished, he became the Devil. The name Lucifer is now synonymous with Satan. Example: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Purpose: The story of Frankenstein, a monster that rebels against its creator, reminds us of the angel that rebelled against god. The purpose of this allusion may be to signify the flaws in the creation of a sentient being (both Frankenstein and Lucifer became evil, despite their creators' good intentions). An allusion to Lucifer also may be a simple allusion to Satan.The Flood Summary: In the bible God explains to Noah that he will make it rain for forty days and forty nights until every living creature on the face of the earth is destroyed. God commands Noah to make an ark out of gopher wood and to bring his wife, his sons and their wives, and two of every sort of animal, one female and one male. As Noah conforms to the word of God, he and his family survive on the arc as the rains consume the world around him. The rains do not cease for 600 years. Had Noah not followed the word of God, he, along with his sons and their wives, would have been destroyed with the beings of the earth. The water cleansed the world of all good and evil beings through the flood, and allowed for the rebirth of humanity and life through Noah and those on the arc.Example: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark TwainPurpose: Huck and Jim’s raft is their arc, and the Mississippi River is the floodwater. Once Huck and Jim are off land and in the water, is exactly when the biblical allusion begins. Huck and Jim float the Mississippi while the world around them is metaphorically cleansed. This cleansing factor is especially present when Jim and Huck float by Pap’s cabin. Pap is dead inside, and his home is destroyed, therefore the world was then cleansed of the “evil” that was Pap, though the water. gabrielSummary: Gabriel is often referred to as the divine messenger because of his role in delivering messages concerning the birth of Jesus in the nativity story. He is one of only two named angels in the bible. Gabriel delivers the news of Mary's pregnancy with the son of God, speaks to Daniel and speaks to Zechariah about the birth of John the Baptist, however his delivery of the message to Mary is his most prominent role in the bible.Example: The teacher Mr. Gabriel, called the conference with Mr.James to tell him about Kira’s constant acting out in class, which Mr. James had no knowledge of.Purpose: Gabriel is the messenger angel in the bible who often bring revelation s to characters. By naming the teacher Mr. Gabriel I showed that he is bring an important revelation to Mr.James much like the angel did throughout the bible.garden of edenSummary: A garden created by god that always contains a surplus of succulent fruits and vegetation for God's children. It is a heavenly place that is peaceful and perfect. Example: The Secret Garden Purpose: Often seen as the garden of God. It is viewed as a fruitful garden of pleasure. When referenced it depicts a happy scene with a basis and setting which can easily be built upon to sculpt an informative lesson.Genesis Summary: God created the world in seven days. The first day, God created night and day by bringing light. The second day, God separated the waters and called it the sky. The third day, God created land and sea, along with plants. The fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars to mark the seasons. On the fifth day, God created all living creatures of the sea and sky. On the sixth day, God created animals as well as humans. On the seventh day, God rested. Example: "The Chronicles of Narnia"- sixth book explains the creation of Narnia.Purpose: The message of the story is that God is the ultimate creator. It also shows that even God must rest, and it is okay to rest throughout your life. In Christianity, Sunday is the Holy day to rest.garden of gethsemane Summary: Jesus and his disciples arrive at the Garden of Gethsemane, also known as the Garden of Olives. He asks them to keep watch as a he prays off to the side. The disciples fall asleep as Jesus prays, and he asks them to stay awake, this repeats two times. Jesus prays in agony that he would not have to suffer ahead. As he finishes praying, Judas leads his men into the Garden to arrest Jesus. Example: The Waste Land (Line 322-330)Purpose: T.S Eliot references the Garden of Gethsemane by stating "silence in the garden" and "agony in stony places". Also, "torch-lit red on sweaty faces" as the men coming to arrest Jesus. These phrases allude to Jesus' experience before crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane.golden rule Summary: In a parable, Jesus states that his most important commandment is "love your neighbor as you love yourself" Example: a reference to treating others as you wish to be treatedPurpose: An allusion to the golden rule could simply be a reference to the idea of treating others with respect. However, since the story was told by Jesus, the allusion could present the speaker as a Jesus figure. Golgotha Summary: Golgotha, also sometimes known as Gagulta or Calvary, was the site right outside of the walls of Jerusalem where Jesus was said to have been crucified. Example: This was my GolgothaPurpose: This would be the speaker's punishment for something that was perceived as good or righteous, just like the death of Jesus absolving the sins of others.The Good Samaritan Summary: The Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus, in which a poor, beaten traveler is left to die on the side of the road, and even though the man is a Jew, whom the Samaritans despise, a Samaritan man comes to help the weary traveler.Example: "The Good Samaritan" by Henry LawsonPurpose: The Good Samaritan was a man who recognized the struggle of another and selflessly extended himself to assist the traveler, which provides insight into man's generosity and willingness to help others in need of it.The Good Shephard Summary: The Good Shepherd is a metaphor that refers to Jesus. He compares himself to a shepherd that would sacrifice his life for his sheep (following). The image is frequently depicted as symbolic in art. The symbol of the shepherd typically depicts leadership.Example: J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the RingsPurpose: Gandalf portrays a shepherd figure in the movie. He serves as a guide and mentor for Frodo and is willing to sacrifice his life for the continuation of the quest when he fights the Balrog. herod/Massacre of the Innocents Summary: Herod, the king of Bethlehem, ordered all infant boys to be executed in an attempt to kill baby Jesus who was predicted to take over his throne. The murdered children and babies are considered martyrs for Christianity due to their sacrifice to keep Jesus, the King of the Jews, alive from Herod's men.Example: Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen PoePurpose: When discussing the Red Death itself, Poe said that it "out-Herod-ed Herod" and it "came like a thief in the night." This is ironical because Herod was the one who killed all the babies he believed could threaten his power. Just like the Red Death, no one could outrun him. the holy spirit Summary: In Christianity it is believed that God manifests himself in three persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus (the Son) told the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would appear after his Resurrection. The Holy spirit takes the form of a winged dove and the tongues of a fire.Example: Authors may use the Holy Spirit or Ghost as a direct allusion, or use its symbols, the tongues of fire or the dove.Purpose: The allusion to the Holy Spirit may be to signify that salvation or guidance has been given to the person who witnessed it. the holy sacraments Summary: There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition. The sevenfold list of sacraments is often organized into three groups: the sacraments of initiation (into the Church, the body of Christ), consisting of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; the sacraments of healing, consisting of Penanceand Anointing of the Sick; and the sacraments of service: Holy Orders and Matrimony.Example: Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's HousePurpose: The holy sacrament of matrimony is very prevalent in A Doll's House as marriage is a recurring theme/issue between Nora and her husband, Torvald.the holy trinity Summary: The Holy Trinity refers to the union between The Father( God), The Son (Jesus Chris) and the Holy Spirit. Although the three are essential all one being they have different purposes in human life. The Holy Spirit is believed to dwell within followers and guide them, Jesus acted as a template for perfection, a sacrafice and a teacher while and God of The Father serves as the father figure, protecting, providing, creating and punishing along with other things.Example: Beloved by Toni MorrisonPurpose: horsemen of the apocalypseSummary: There are four horses of the apocalypse described as the white horse, the red horse, the black horse, and the pale horse. Each symbolize conquest, war, famine, and death respectively. They roamed the earth and carrying out impeccable feats during their time.Example: Now You See Me Purpose: They illustrate four crucial components and describe each other with them. A reference to one horseman can easily be made, and not only do you think of the color, but you also remember what the horseman symbolizes. the immaculate conception Summary: God chose the mother of Jesus Christ to be the Virgin Mary. Everyone thought that Mary had committed a sin, however, she has become pregnant without sinning as a result of God. This blessing saved Mary from committing any sins in the future. Example: TV show "Jane the Virgin"- about a Virgin who becomes pregnantPurpose: The purpose of this story is to explain how Jesus is the son of God and how Jesus was conceived. It also circles around the life of Mary and how she was protected from sinning by God and the Holy Spirit. Isaac Summary: God orders Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son. Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac as burnt offering in the land of Moriah, and binds him to the wood. Then, a messenger from God interrupts and tells him he doesn't have to go through with it, since he has proven himself to God. Abraham then sees a ram, and sacrifices that instead.Example: "Michael", William WoodsworthPurpose: In the poem "Michael", Isabel and Michael sacrifice their son (whom they received in old age), by sending him into the city to earn money. Both Isaac and Luke (Michael's son), are children to older parents, and are sacrificed, literally or metaphorically. Isaiah Summary: The book of Isaiah is composed of the writings of the prophet Isaiah, and is located in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book discusses Isaiah's visions of the future for the people of Jerusalem, including judgement and restoration for Judah, as well as predictions for the coming of the Messiah and God's rule on earth. Example: Ralph Ellison's Invisible ManPurpose: on page 95, one of the vets at the Golden Day tells the narrator "a little child shall lead them." This is a reference to Isaiah 11:6, which states "then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb...and a little child shall lead them." The passage is in reference to the day of the Lord, when all will be peaceful on earth, and predator and prey live in harmony. In the book, Mr. Norton (a white man) is entering a bar of black men and women, which matches up with "the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb," signifying that this situation is divine or peaceful in nature. Ishmael Summary: Ishmael was the first son of Abraham, born to Abraham and his wife's handmaid. Ishmael was to be fruitful and beget twelve princes, of Ishmael a mighty nation would be made, of Ishmael a wild donkey of a man was to develop. Ishmael and his mother were later expelled, the inheritance of Abraham locked away from them. Ishmael's mother, Hagar, was reluctant to see the boy die, so she left him, but God reached down to her and told her to persevere.Example: Moby Dick"Call me Ishmael"Purpose: Ishmael, having been left in favor of Isaac, is representative of an outcast. This is just as true of the character in Moby Dick, as he is seen as inexperienced and as an outcast.jacob and esau Summary: Jacob and Esau is a story from the Book of Genesis in which Jacob, the younger twin of the pair, tricks Esau into giving Jacob the right to be the patriarch of the family after their father Isaac's death, despite being younger than Esau. Jacob also tricks Isaac into giving him his dying blessing to rule the Israelites, instead of his elder twin, whom Isaac preferred.Example: Thor and LokiPurpose: Although a large part of the story of Jacob and Esau concerns treachery and deception, the concept of sibling preference on the behalf of the parents was an integral part as well, with Isaac preferring Esau, and Rebekah, the mother, preferring Jacob. The purpose of alluding to this story is a good example of sibling rivalry and the desire to be the most loved by their parents. Thor was loved more by Odin, and Loki was loved more by Frigga, and the conflict between Thor and Loki was largely driven by their brotherhood.jacob’s ladder Summary: Jacob's ladder is the physical connection between Earth and Heaven envisioned by Jacob in a dream. The concept translates across the three major Abrahamic religions in different ways. In Judaism, it's thought that it serves as a medium through which angels and souls can travel to and from Heaven. In Christianity, Jesus is the physical embodiment of the ladder, being a means of communication between Heaven and Earth. In Islam, the idea of a ladder draws parallels to the "straight path" that Muslims wish to follow.Example: Led Zeppelin's Stairway to HeavenPurpose: The inspiration for the main imagery from the song, comes from Jacob's ladder which is a literal stairway to Heaven. The idea of a physical or spiritual bond between man and God is emphasized in this image.Jericho Summary: Jericho was known as the most important city in the Jordan valley and was the strongest city in Canaan. The city is most famous for being conquered by Joshua and the Israelites in the Battle of Jericho, after they were led by God from Egypt. The city walls were said to have fallen from the sound of the Israelite's blowing trumpets. Example: Bitterblue by Kristin CashorePurpose: The quote "For now, Lady Queen, allow us to continue to obey you. But give us honorable instructions" is similar to how Jericho asked his superiors for instructions. This obedience is how Jericho gained so much honor and respect in Canaan. jesus / christ / carpenter / LAMBSummary: Jesus Christ is the original martyr. He sacrificed himself for humankinds' sins. He is often symbolized as a carpenter (his occupation at one time) or a lamb, which a common sacrificial subject.Example: Jim Casy in the Grapes of WrathPurpose: As well as having the same initials as Jesus Christ, Jim Casy sacrifices himself, and wanders in the wild. These similarities show the reader that Jim Casy is a Christ figure and therefore a righteous character.Jezebel Summary: Jezebel was a Phoenician princess in the 9th century who married Ahab, the prince of Israel. Eventually, they ruled as king and queen. Jezebel continued worship the nature god Baal. Her citizens and the Yahweh prophet Elijah despised such actions. Preparing herself to be murdered by General Jehu, she applied makeup and dressed in finery before she was thrown over her balcony and eaten by dogs. Like Cleopatra, Jezebel’s story is one of intrigue, romance and ultimately, the fall of a nation.Example: The Caves of Steel By Isaac AsimovPurpose: The tale of Jezebel goes to show that if you disregard others' beliefs and try to impose your own that there will be dire consequences. In his novel The Caves of Steel (1953, 1954), Isaac Asimov portrayed Jezebel as an ideal wife and woman who, in full compliance with the mores of the time, conscientiously promoted her own religion.jonah and the whale Summary: Jonah was instructed by God to go to Nineveh and minister to the people there, due to their reputation as a despicable and unclean people Jonah rejects God's instruction and proceeds to attempt to hide from God on a ship. While on the ship God sends a storm and to protect the men on the ship Jonah throws himself overboard and is swallowed by a whale, in which he remains for 3 days before God commands the whale to vomit him out. This time when God commands Jonah he listens and so do the Ninevites when Jonah ministers to them. The nation repents and is spared by God.Example: George Orwell’s Inside the WhalePurpose: john the baptist / SalomeSummary: He is an incredibly important religious figure. Often, he is referred to as a Saint or a prophet. He is most well- known for preforming deep water, immersion, baptisms, most notably, that of Jesus Christ. It is also mentioned that Jesus may have, in fact, been a disciple of John. Example: "The Summer I was Sixteen" Purpose: Baptism is important as it symbolizes purification and regeneration, and of course you cannot achieve this without someone to perform it. John was highly regarded and held a position of respected authority. This translates to exemplify the importance of the practice of baptism. Joseph Summary: Joseph was the youngest of 11 brothers. He was his father's favorite son, and he made him a special robe. His brothers got jealous, and sold Joseph to slavery and told the father he was dead. While Joseph was a slave, the Pharoah had a dream that there would be no food, and put Joseph in charge of rationing and saving harvest. His brothers bowed down to him, and Joseph forgave them. Example: Musical film titled "Joseph: King of Dreams"Purpose: The purpose of this story is to show that God will be with you and guide you to greatness even if you are in an unfortunate situation as long as you remain good. It also emphasizes the importance of forgiveness no matter how people have wronged you.judas iscariot Summary: Judas was one of Jesus' twelve disciples. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, Judas went to the chief priests and offered to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Judas led people to the Garden of Gethsemane, and gave Jesus a kiss to identify him. Judas ends up regretting his actions, and kills himself. Example: OthelloPurpose: Judas Iscariot is known as a traitor, and represents betrayal. In Shakespeare's Othello, "of one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw a pearl away of great price, richer than all his tribe", the reference to Judas indicates his betrayal of Jesus for money. Judas' "pearl of great price" was his relationship with Jesus. the last supper Summary: Before Jesus was crucified, he was told by God when and how he would die. Thus, the night before he was taken, Jesus was aware that the Passover meal he shared with the apostles would be his last. Jesus gave the apostles a farewell during the meal, saying things like "this is my body, which will be given up for you" (which is also said during Christian mass), and advising them to "love each other as I have loved you."Example: visual allusions to Michaelangelo's The Last Supper Purpose: Michaelangelo painted a scene of the Last Supper as Jesus in the middle of a table, surrounded on both sides by the apostles. The painting is famous for depicting all the apostles and Jesus sitting on a single side of the table. This setup is often used in film scenes (such as the camp breakfast scene in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom) to depict the person sitting in the center as Jesus, or to allude to a final meal.Lazarus Summary: Lazarus is the subject of one of the miracles of Jesus. Lazarus is a follower of Jesus who lives in Bethany, near Jerusalem. Lazarus is ill, and his sisters send word to Jesus. Jesus intentionally stayed where he was for two days before departing for Lazarus. When Jesus finally gets there, Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. Jesus goes to where Lazarus lies, says and prayer, and resurrects him, inspiring the belief of many in Jesus.Example: It was like I was LazarusPurpose: This describes an event where someone is likely reborn or resurrected in some way, not necessarily physically, and inspires others as a resultLeviathan Summary: The Leviathan is a sea monster mentioned in the Book of Job, Psalms, and Isaiah.Example: "The Kraken" by Lord TennysonPurpose: The Leviathan represents a deadly underwater presence who dwells in the depths of the ocean away from the rest of the world. The Kraken is largely based on this idea of a mysterious and dangerous creature who lurks underwater.Limbo Summary: Limbo refers to the state of those who die with original sin, but aren't sent to Hell of the Damned. It stems from the Latin word- limbus- meaning edge or boundary. It is divided into the Limbo of the Fathers and the Limbo of the Infants. Limbo of the Fathers refers to those who died with a positive relationship with God despite their sins. Limbo of the Infants refers to children that died who were too young to commit sin, but were born with original sin.Example: Seamus Heany's LimboPurpose: The poem discusses a dead child found in a fishing net. The allusion to limbo is in reference to the afterlife of the dead child. The concept of purgatory or a "waiting room" is common across many mythologies along with the idea of some form of final judgement.the loaves and fishes Summary: The loaves and fishes refer to the "feeding the multitude" miracles conducted by Jesus. There were two occurrences of these miracles, the first being when Jesus miraculously turned 5 loaves and 2 fishes into enough food to feed 5,000 people. The second is similar but Jesus managed to feed 4,000 people. It is also notable that after feeding both large crowds, he had leftover loaves in a basket. Example: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles DickensPurpose: The quote "it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled for ever" is used as irony because the French and English Aristocrats hunt not for nutritional value but for entertainment. In the bible, the 2 fish were enough to feed thousands of people which probably saved their life. the lord’s prayer Summary: The Lord's Prayer is a famous Christian prayer that Jesus taught as the way to pray. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..."Example: Allusions to the Lord's Prayer may be seen as direct quotations and excerpts from prayer.FPurpose: A direct quotation from the lord's prayer may allude to the presence of Jesus Christ or label the person who said it as a Christ-figure.lot / lot’s wife / “pillar of salt” Summary: The story of Lot's wife begins in Genesis 19 when Lot was prompted by the Sodom's corrupt officials to hand over the angels which were residing in his home. After refusing the offer but countering with his two daughters, the officials refused. The angels warned Lot to flee for there was incoming danger due to the city's corruption, but they ordered Lot and his family to never look back. While they were fleeing, Lot's wife disregarded this and looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.Example: The tale of Icarus and the sun Purpose: Today, the allusion "Lot's Wife" usually refers to a person who unwisely chooses to look back once he or she has decided a course of action or to someone who disobeys an explicit command. in the tale of Icarus and the sun where Icarus was told not to fly too close to the sun for it would melt the wax, but he decided to anyway and died due to his ignorance.mannaSummary: The Bible refers to manna twice. The first time is after the Israelites escape from Babylonian captivity and shortly after run out of food. God tells Moses that he will rain down bread from heaven and later that day quail cover the camp and are killed and eaten by the people. The next day a white substance covered the ground and the people are told to only take what they need and when extra is taken it becomes bad and wormy. The manna covers the ground consistently for 6 days and provides for the Israelites for 40 years. The second time the Bible uses the term manna is to describe he food Jesus gives his followers when he feeds 5,000 men with just 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread on top of the mountain. Example: The teacher gave the whole class A’s on the classwork when we most needed it, it was like Manna.Purpose: Manna often symbolizes undeserved, unexpected and plentiful blessings in time a desperate need. The A’s given on the class work could have saved astudents grade eventhough they didn’t necessarily earn that A.mary magdaleneSummary: She was a Jewish woman who travelled as a follower of Jesus and was said to have witnessed both his crucifixion and his resurrection. After Jesus is resurrected from the dead, Mary is the first person he sees. Example: The Da Vinci Code Purpose: She serves as a key figure who is present throughout a vast portion of Jesus' life and serves as a devoted follower of Christ. Her role in his crucifixion and resurrection further solidifies the importance of her role and her loyalty to God.Mephistopheles Summary: Mephistopheles is a worker for the devil. He goes to people and bribes them with success or knowledge for a certain amount of time in exchange for their soul or their vow to be against Christianity. He coerced Faust into giving in to his bribe for 24 years, then when his time was up, he told his students not to give in to sin and temptation, and was gone the next day.Example: "A Modern Mephistopheles" by Louisa May Alcott- a story about greed and deceptionPurpose: This story warns against giving into sin and temptation because it will hurt you in the long run, and that you must continue to avoid sinning even if you must give up success or knowledge. Messiah Summary: In the bible Jesus Christ is recognized as the Messiah, or savior. In the New Testament, Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah who delivered mankind from its sins. In the Old Testament, Jews believe the Messiah had not yet come. Example: Harry PotterPurpose: Allusions to Messiah reference someone who is hailed a savior, particularly one who has been long awaited. In Harry Potter, Harry elicits savior like qualities, as he defends the world from Voldemort. Also, after defeating Voldemort, Harry lies in a coma, and then awakes to finally eliminate him. Jesus also rose from the dead to defeat a negative power, Satan, and death. Methuselah Summary: Methuselah was the oldest man to live in the bible. It is written that he died at age 969, in the year of the Great Flood.Example: Mr. Button saying "'I think we'll call you Methuselah'" about Benjamin in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"Purpose: By comparing Benjamin to Methuselah, it is established that not only is Benjamin's body one of old age, but his mind as well. The allusion characterizes Benjamin by his age, and could show longevity of life. Moses Summary: Moses is a prophet of the Abrahamic religions. He was leader of the Israelites and lawgiver. Moses was born in Egypt as a Hebrew, who at birth were sentenced to drowning. His mother hid him away to protect him. He was later adopted by the Pharaoh's daughter. One day after becoming an adult, he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and fled to Midian to escape the death penalty. God then told Moses to return to Egypt to free his people and bring them to the promised land of Canaan. Moses crossed the Red Sea to finally defeat the Pharaoh's army. From Egypt, the Israelites were led to Mount Sinai and received the 10 Commandments from God. Moses then instituted the laws of God and the priesthood in Israel, destroying any who disobeyed.Example: I had crossed my Red SeaPurpose: This indicates a great journey's greatest challenge being overcomemount ararat Summary: Mount Ararat is a dormant volcano in eastern Turkey near Armenia. It is widely believed by Christians that Mount Ararat is the resting place of Noah's Ark.Example: The Shire, from The Lord of the RingsPurpose: Mount Ararat represents a place of serenity and peace. It signifies the completion of a journey that a character may embark on. Frodo's return to the Shire represented the end of his spiritual journey, having returned to a peaceful place.mount gilboa Summary: Mount Gilboa is part of a mountain range in northern Israel. It is where Saul, the first King of Israel, and both of his sons die in a battle with the Philistines. Saul chooses to fall on his sword instead of being killed.Example: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar- Marc Antony's DeathPurpose: The idea of falling on one's sword as a means of suicide has been reused in many literary contexts. While not explicitly stated as the way by which Marc Antony dies, it is alluded to. the mount of olives Summary: The Mount of Olives is a mountain range east of Jerusalem and it is between the path from Bethany to Jerusalem. The olive groves which covered its hills are attributed to the name. This mount was also a popular burial site for Jews because they believe that when the Messiah comes, the resurrection of the dead will begin there. Jesus is also said to have taught and prophesized on the mount. Example: An author would describe a popular place of relaxation where teaching and spirituality was prominent. Purpose: The Mount of Olives was a sacred place for Jews where they believed that they were close to the Messiah. The Black Stone in Mecca can compare to the Mount of Olives because this is where people travel to when they want to be closer to their God. MOUNT SINAI Summary: In the Bible, Mount Sinai is the place where Moses receives the Ten Commandments from God.Example: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldGatsby stands at the top of a staircase overlooking his party.Purpose: At this moment no one knows anything about Gatsby, despite being such an influential and famous person. This moment reflects the moment in which the mysterious God arrives at Mount Sinai. The author is describing Gatsby as a godlike figure with this allusion.THE NATIVITYSummary: The story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. The census was doing count so Mary and Joseph had to return to Joseph's home, however when they arrived, there was no room in any of the inns they went to. At the last one, the inn keeper's wife offered for them to stay in the manger with their animals. They stayed there for the night and Mary ended up giving birth to baby Jesus. That same night, a group of shepherds and kings followed the star which led them to baby Jesus, where they worshipped him and bore gifts. Example: The Lion King Purpose: This is a crucial moment, as it depicts the story of the savior's birth in unlikely and not-optimal circumstances. From the story, you know that the future which awaits the newly born baby Jesus is going to be something grand and prodigious. NOAH / NOAH’S ARK / THE OLIVE BRANCH Summary: After the flood Noah released a couple of different birds to help him know if it was possible to leave the ark. The first was a raven that left and returned continuously until the waters receded. Then he released a dove. The dove, which he sent out three times, did not have any place to rest the first time it was released. It returned to the ark.Seven days later he sent the dove again, but this time it brought back an olive branch. Another week later Noah sent out that dove again, but it never returned. This told Noah that it was time to leave the ark since there was proof of vegetation and dry ground.Example: London Magazine (1775)Purpose: The olive branch appeared as a peace symbol in other 18th century prints. In January 1775, the frontispiece of the London Magazine published an engraving: "Peace descends on a cloud from the Temple of Commerce," in which the Goddess of Peace brings an olive branch to America and Britannia. A petition adopted by the American Continental Congress in July 1775 in the hope of avoiding a full-blown war with Great Britain was called the Olive Branch Petition.ORIGINAL SINMinahSummary: Original Sin is the term used to define the sin nature that is innate in all humman beings since the Fall of Adam and Eve when the first sin was commited in the Garden of Eden.Example: Purpose: NEBUCHADNEZZAR Summary: He was the King of Babylon, and forced everyone to worship him. Daniel, who interpreted dreams, refused to worship him, and was thrown into the furnace, but God protected him. He then told Nebuchadnezzar that he would live like an animal until he learned to worship God, and that is what he did, and ended up worshipping God like Daniel.Example: Harry Potter: Muggles didn't believe in magic and refused to until some were forced to.Purpose: This story shows that nothing is above God, and God is the only one that should be worshipped and no other human is considered above Him.PARABLE Summary: A parable is a story told by Jesus to illustrate a moral, or spiritual lesson, there are forty total. For example, the good Samaritan, the prodigal son (every repentant sinner is forgiven by God), the lost sheep (lost humans need a savior), etc. Example: Oliver TwistPurpose: Oliver, in a prison of poverty, parallels the traveler left to die in the good Samaritan parable. In both stories, people fail to come to their aid. However, one person (Mr. Brownlow, the Samaritan) save the victim's life. PASSOVER Summary: The first Passover occurs in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, where they were held in slavery. Moses asked the Egyptian Pharoah for the freedom of his people. The Pharoah refused, and Moses declared that God would set ten plagues on the Egyptians, and He did. The tenth plague was the death of the firstborn son of every Egyptian household. In order to avoid this fate, Moses instructed the Israelites to paint over their doorstep the blood of a sacrificed lamb, so that the angel of death would "pass over" their houses. They were also instructed to leave Egypt the next day, and to bake bread to take on the journey. There was no time to wait for bread to rise, so the Israelites baked unleavened bread. The next day, the firstborn son of each house was dead, and the Israelites were gone. Example: The Last Supper (new testament) Purpose: During the Last Super, Jesus and the apostles celebrate a Passover meal. In this case, the Passover is not just mentioned because it happened to be that time of year, but because the Passion of Christ is a symbolic Passover. Jesus represents the lamb, in this case sacrificed so that all of humanity could be free from (or "passed over" by) sin. SAINT PETER Summary: Saint Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and was described as "Apostle of Apostles." He was first Bishop of Rome and founder of the Roman Church. Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Augustus Caesar, possibly upside-down at Peter's own request, as he did not see himself as worthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus. There is a belief that Saint Peter is something of a door guard to Heaven, and that he decides who can come in.Example: The Paying Guests‘Good, bad or indifferent,’ she repeated, struck by the idea. ‘You sound like St Peter.’ Purpose: This alludes to Saint Peter's perceived role of being like a gatekeeper to Heaven and lumping people into 'worthy' and 'unworthy'.PHARISEES Summary: A political party, social movement, and school of thought during the Second Temple Era of Jewish history. After the destruction of the Second Temple, Pharisaic philosophy became the basis of the more modern Jewish sect, known as Rabbinic Judaism. They insisted on a strict adherence to written law, despite being inwardly corrupt.Example: Go Tell It on the Mountain by James BaldwinPurpose: The Pharisees were notoriously against Christ during his lifetime. The Pharisees may have been a large portion of the Jews living at the time, however they represent rigidity and semblance, as well as being very hypocritical. Minister Gabriel Grimes, in Go Tell It on the Mountain, preaches about exemplary behavior even though he himself fathered a child out-of-wedlock and left the mother to fend for herself. He treats his wife and children badly also.PHILISTINES Summary: The Philistines were a tribe of people who frequently feuded with the Israelites. There lineage can be traced back to Egypt during the reign of Ramses III. While the Philistines are a group of people, the word philistine is a synonym for a barbarian.Example: Purpose: PONTIUS PILATE Summary: Pontius Pilate was the judge who sentences Jesus to crucifixion. Pontius Pilate vouches for Jesus' freedom because he believes that the townspeople are mistaken and he offers them a decision; free Barabbas and crucify Jesus or allow Jesus to go free and Barabbas remains in prison. The townspeople choose Jesus to be crucified and in an attempt to show that he is not responsible for the murder of Jesus, Pontius Pilate washed his hands. Example: William Shakespeare's Richard IIPurpose: (4.1.6) "Some of you with Pilate wash your hands...showing an outward pity; yet you Pilates." This quote was used to compare the rebels to Pontius Pilate. He wants to emphasize that water cannot wash away their sins, despite what both the rebels and Pilate thought. THE PRODIGAL SON Summary: In the story a father has two sons. After receiving his inheritance, the younger son spends all his money until he is broke. He goes back to his father and asks to work as his servant. The father celebrates his return. His elder son refuses to celebrate the return of his brother. His father tells him to participate and that he (the elder son) will inherit all of his fortunes.Example: David Copperfield by Charles DickensPurpose: Emily runs away from home, only to be abandoned by her traveling partner. She returns home to be welcomed lovingly by her uncle. The similarities between these two stories emphasizes the theme of forgiveness and shows the love of the father figure. THE PROMISED LAND Summary: A place or situation believed to offer great happiness, ful?llment, and security. In the Old Testament the land of Canaan was promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, and thus Canaan came to be referred to as the Promised Land. In other contexts the same title is sometimes applied to heaven.Example: The Prince of Egypt Dreamworks MoviePurpose: After Moses runs away from home, he discovers his true identity. He realizes that he is not an Egyptian Prince; instead he comes from a poor Jewish family. On his journey of finding himself he finds a burning bush. The burning bush then starts to speak to him, and he realizes he is talking to God. God announces his plan to bring Israel out of Egypt to a "land flowing with milk and honey", and gives the job to Moses. By the "land of milk and honey" God means Palestine. By reaching this land, one reaches a safe place, and place they can start fresh, and place where they can be happy.PURGATORY Summary: Purgatory is the state immediately after death in which believers are purified before they transition to heaven.Example: HamletPurpose: Hamlet believes that the killing of Claudius will result in his father’s purgatory.REBECCASummary: She was one of the most prominent women in the book of Genesis. After being courted and proposed to she marries Issac, a somewhat distant relative. Their marriage is important because it stresses the importance of their lineage. Twenty years later in their marriage, she cannot bear children. This is frustrating and Issac prays to God. This prayer is then granted and they have a child. Example: The Pilot's Wife Purpose: This illustrates the importance of familial status and its role I marriage and other events. Additionally, the stories of Rebecca tell of the wondrous works of God and the magical feats which he is able to complete in response to prayer. RUTH Summary: Ruth was a kind-hearted person. She was selfless and but the well-being of others before herself. After her husband died, Ruth escorted her mother-in-law back to Bethlehem and ended up marrying Boaz.Example: Rabbit, Run by John UpdikePurpose: The purpose of this story is to praise and encourage kind heartedness in people. In Rabbit, Run, Rabbit abandons Ruth when she demands he leave Janice to marry her, making the best choice for himself.THE RESURRECTION Summary: After Jesus is crucified, soldiers place a large stone over the tomb, and guard it. Then, an earthquake rolls back the stone, and an angel appears. The angel states that the Jesus who was crucified had risen. As the women (Mary, and Mary Magdalene) go to tell the disciples, Jesus appears, and they worship him. Jesus remained on earth for forty days following his resurrection, then he ascended to heaven.Example: The Scarlett LetterPurpose: The Resurrection symbolizes the restoration of mind and body, to its original, or better state. In the Scarlett Letter, Arthur states "and to have risen up all made anew" alludes to Jesus' rising from the dead, in a holier state of being. SACRIFICE OF ISAAC Summary: God came to Abraham and told him to take his only son Isaac to a mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham did as he was told, and had his knife raised, ready to kill the boy, when God told him to stop, and that he had proved his fear of God, and God provided a lamb which they sacrificed instead. Example: An allusion to the Sacrifice of Isaac would include a sacrificial victim and an action stopped last-minutePurpose: The use of an allusion to Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac would characterize the Abraham character as devout and holy and could show that the intervention in the sacrifice was one of God, not just coincidence. SAMSON and DELILAH Summary: Delilah was a woman who Samson loved and who also became his downfall. Samson was a man of great strength; his strength being gained from God. Delilah was approached by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength. For this task, Delilah was promised 1100 pieces of silver. Samson gave her three false answers, and finally the true answer the fourth time. He didn't cut his hair because of a vow with God. When Samson slept, Delilah called up a man to cut his hair, and thus, she betrayed him.Example: MacbethPurpose: The love Macbeth has for his wife clouds his judgment, and he allows his wife to manipulate him to her own ends.Sarah Summary: Sarah is the wife and half-sister of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, who was known for her extreme beauty and charm. When she was told that she would have a child at the age of 99, she laughed and mocked the idea, however she eventually gave birth to Isaac. Example: Katniss Everdeen, from The Hunger GamesPurpose: Sarah represents a strong-willed woman; whose beauty is a fa?ade and isn't representative of her actual power and influence. Katniss was a very skilled fighter and leader of the movement against the Capitol, and while she symbolically mothered the revolution itself.satan(5 additional aliases) Summary: Satan is depicted as an evil character whose drive is to tempt man towards sin. Satan is thought to be a former angel who descended from Heaven because of hubris. He is considered to be the serpent that tempted Eve to taste the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and is often depicted as a snake.Example: Paradise Lost by John MiltonPurpose: Satan serves as a manipulative, self-absorbed, and cunning figure in this epic poem. He is motivated by corrupting man in retaliation for his defeat in the Angelic War. The idea of Satan is a physical manifestation of the animalistic actions of humans.Saul Summary: Saul was the first king of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel, and although he was the first king, he was ultimately rejected. There are three stories of how Saul rose to the throne, and the most reliable depicts how Saul rescued Jabesh-Gilead from an Ammonite attack, and the people proclaim their allegiance to Saul at Gilgal. In all three stories, Saul is anointed and proclaimed king by Samuel. Saul committed suicide and died alongside his three sons in battle. Example: Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonPurpose: The quote "Janie had robbed him of his irresistible maleness… The thing Saul’s daughter had done to David" alludes to Saul's daughter (michal) who did something similar to her husband David. In the Bible, David dances naked in front of the hand maids for the lord. After this, Michal mocks him. the sermon on the mount Summary: Jesus's famous sermon. It holds some of his best-known teachings as well as the central principles of Christianity.Example: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray BradburyPurpose: As Montag tries to remember parts of the Sermon on the Mount, he is annoyed by a commercial playing in the subway. This reference is part of a breaking point for the character. He is beginning to deny the ideals of his society, by not focusing on material things. This revelation is much like Jesus's own and the sermon he delivers.seven deadly sins Summary: The Seven Deadly Sins are a group of seven attributes that are excessive instances of normal human attributes. They are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Pride is considered the most serious of all the seven deadly sins and is defined as dangerously corrupt or selfish. Greed is defined as an excessive and artificial desire for material things, lust is defined as intense and unchecked sexual desire, and envy is defined as the resentment of someone else and a longing for their possessions. Wrath is defined as uncontrollable feelings of anger or rage, sloth is defined as excessive laziness, and gluttony is defined as overindulgence to the point of waste. Example: The Middlesteins By Jami AttenbergPurpose: In this novel, Edie, the matriarch of a Midwestern Jewish family, is obsessed with food, and is eating herself to death as her family swirls around her in various states of distress. This is representative f gluttony as she overindulges in food which leads to her demise.seven sacramentsSummary: The Seven Sacraments are channels of Gods Grace by which divine life is given to us to show faith in visible ways. Baptism is the sacrament that frees followers from the bondage of sin and remorse by washing with natural water while calling on The Holy Spirit. Through confirmation through classes believers acknowledge that they can now be held responsible for their faith. Through Holy Eucharist believes express oneness with the church in communion and feasts. Through the sacrament of Matrimony a couple is accepted into the Catholic Community. The sacrament of penance is confession which gives you a chance to release and be forgiven for your sins in order to strengthen your faith. The sacrament of anointing the sick is for spiritual healing. The Holy Orders are a sacrament to be completed if a believer has been led to become a priest or bishop in which he must show evidence of wisdom in the faith and spiritual maturity.Example: in order to be forgiven by the city for his crimes John would have to complete seven tasks to show his commitment to his nw life, kind of like his own seven Sacraments.Purpose: 7 sacraments represent steps taken in order to be purified or recognized. In order to be forgiven John has to complete 7 steps that symbolize his commitment much like Catholics do to show their commitment to God.shadrach, meshach, and abednegoSummary: They are three Hebrew men, devoted to, God, who refused to bow down to an image of the King and as a result were thrown into a firey furnace. However, instead of burning up and dying, they stayed unharmed by the flames and were not affected, as God helped them. Example: To Kill a Mockingbird Purpose: It illustrates how love and devotion to God can help serve to save you through all things. Not only will he support your endeavors, but he will also protect you amidst the worst of times. If you have faith, you will be saved. sodom and gomorrah Summary: Sodom and Gomorrah are two cities filled with sinful people. Abraham bargained with the Lord not to destroy those cities in case there were righteous people there, however the Lord found there were none and destroyed the cities with sulfur and destroyed vegetation. Example: Uncle Tom's Cabin:"And the only reason why the land don't sink under it, like Sodom and Gomorrah, is because it is used in a way infinitely better than it is."Purpose: The story showed that God was willing to give the people in these cities a second chance, however even though he is forgiving, the lack of righteousness gave God the right to destroy their cities. Uncle Tom's Cabin references Sodom and Gomorrah in the text, comparing the sunken land to the land sunk by the Lord in this story.solomon / wisdom of the tower of babel Summary: The people of earth had become skilled in construction, and built a stairway to heaven. This stairway was to show off their constructional talents, and allow everyone to be less scattered around earth. God saw this tower, and predicted that it would lead people away from him. Sensing the force of unity this tower created, God made everyone speak different languages, and scattered them, so they could not be unified. Example: Fahrenheit 451Purpose: Wisdom of the Tower of Babel is often alluded to as a sense of confusion, or disagreement among a group. In Fahrenheit 451, Beatty exclaims "None of these books agree with each other. You've been locked up here for years with a damn Tower of Babel.". Beatty is saying that books contradict each other, and are confusing, like the people at the Tower of Babel.3 wise men / magiSummary: When Jesus Christ was born, a star rose over Bethlehem, showing all where the Christ had been born. Three wise men saw the star and knew it was the birth of Christ, so they followed it. The three kings came upon King Herod's castle, and asked if he knew where the baby was. Herod said he didn't, but asked that when they found the baby, to come back and tell him so that he could pay homage to the Christ as well. The magi followed the star to Jesus' birthplace, where they offered him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. As they were leaving to tell King Herod the news, an angel appeared to the magi and warned them that Herod was jealous of the baby's title of "King of the Jews" and planned to kill Jesus, so the wise men did not go to the palace, but returned home instead. Example: A group of three men on a journeyPurpose: an allusion to the wise men could be used to show that the group's destination is holy, that they are seeking a Christ figure, or compare someone met along the way to King Herod, thus indicating alterior or sinister motives. YahwehSummary: Yahweh, the true name of God, originated in Israel.Example: He told me his name was Yahweh.Purpose: This is a situation where someone meets an all-powerful figure. ................
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