During the first chapter of The Things They Carried, O'Brien uses an allusion as a literary tool. He references the movie Bonnie and Clyde, a famous movie that came out in 1967, while looking back on Lieutenant Cross's experience with his unrequited love named Martha. By working this allusion into his writing in this story, O'Brien allows his readers to better understand the time period in which the story is set. Then, the reader is able to relate to the setting and picture the scene in a new and improved way. As a result, the allusion can evoke a mood, tone, feeling, or attitude in the reader. For me, understanding and relating to different time periods in literature can be challenging and a confusing task. But when authors use allusions like O'Brien did, I am able to focus on a particular generation by recognizing well known people, places, or things from various branches of culture. Recognizing Bonnie and Clyde in one of O'Brien's frame stories allowed me as a reader to mentally jump from one setting to another. Allusions in literature paint me a clear picture of what is happening in the story with much less struggle and confusion involved.
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