By tracing allusion use from its religious roots to internet memes, The Grand Allusion presents a new way to understand pop culture.

The use of allusions represents an important way we employ our cultural artifacts to form relationships and build community. Noticed or not, allusions traffic in cultural cargo, smuggling in information from other sources. By situating the lyrical allusions of Jay-Z and Wu-Tang Clan and the pop-cultural references of Family Guy and South Park in the same frame as those of Shakespeare and Melville, The Grand Allusion illustrates the historical pedigree and the instructive power of allusion. The references in all of these works serve the same function: a higher meaning for the audience.

The arguments and examples in this book trace a lineage from ancient literature and philosophy, through contemporary music, movies, and television, right up to internet memes. A vital and timely volume with not only a broad appeal to media studies but also a solid foundation in its literary roots, The Grand Allusion is of interest to the anyone who wants to understand how pop culture works in the 21st century.