Allusions can give a deeper meaning to a story by referring to another piece of work that most are familiar with. If a character within a story uses an allusion (refers to another piece of work), it can give deeper insight on what kind of person they are.

How does allusion affect the reader?

How do allusions affect the reader? Allusions are references designed to call something to mind—comparisons to help writers get their points across to readers. They function as a type of literary shorthand, drawing on popular outside works to provide greater context or meaning to the situation being written about.

What are the pros and cons of using allusions?

Pros might include conveying much information in a single word or two or bonding over a shared interest in the source. Cons include allusions only making sense to those who know the source material or, in the case of pop culture phenomena, losing their meaning as time passes.