eMysteries Toolkit

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. [Project Number: 2019-1-DE03-KA201-060127] 49 dependent questions that are asked during close reading practices. Is the story relatable? Does the language used support the tone of the story? Is the narrative of the story clear? This will help students to write a more cohesive and comprehensive story. Symbolism and allusions The third step in our close reading methodology asks students to take a broader view of the text. It is at this point that readers will seek to find connections to other texts or references to real life events outside the story. Students can include this technique in their mystery detective stories using symbolism and allusions. Allusions by definition ‘allude’ or suggest a meaning or connection. For example, if a character in the detective mystery is described as “Scrooge”, then we know that the author is alluding to Charles Dicken’s novel, A Christmas Carol. Symbolism is different to an allusion in that it usually connects the mundane to the abstract. An author may use symbolism to convey a feeling without saying it, for example a storm brewing may in fact be symbolism to depict the mood of a character. An ‘ice princess’ may represent a certain kind of human being who does not relate easily with others or someone who does not show emotions, a human being put on a pedestal and thus difficult to reach or understand. Fiction Reality