When authors refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- Aristaeus (10.136)
- Blake, William, "The Sick Rose" (13.135-137)
- Bronte, Charlotte, Jane Eyre (7.163)
- Emerson, Ralph Waldo (1.102)
- Hilton, James, Lost Horizon (1.97).
- Shakespeare, William (1.99, 1.103, 3.1)
- Thoreau, Henry David, Walden (3.1-2)
Historical References
- The Afro-American Unity Group (11.15)
- Atomic bomb (1.136)
- Beethoven (8.153)
- Castro, Fidel (3.80).
- Civil Rights Act (1.138, 3.21, 9.5)
- Columbus, Christopher (4.29)
- Cronkite, Walter (5.88, 6.101)
- Fort Sumter (3.77)
- Goldwater, Barry (3.79; 14.62)
- Humphrey, Hubert (14.62)
- Jesus Christ (6.72).
- Johnson, Lyndon (1.138, 5.46; 14.62-63)
- Johnson, Lady Bird (1.138)
- Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (6.104)
- King, Martin Luther, Jr. (1.145, 3.13, 11.148)
- The Ku Klux Klan (11.15)
- Malcolm X (3.81; 11.15)
- Ranger 7 (6.101)
- Roosevelt, Eleanor (3.1)
- The Vietnam War (3.79, 3.81, 9.5)
Pop Culture References
- American Bandstand (9.67)
- The Beatles (3.81)
- Clark, Dick (9.67)
- Cole, Nat King (8.153)
- Cole, Nat King, "Unforgettable" (14.73)
- Cook, Sam, "Another Saturday Night" (9.74)
- The Crystals, "Do Doo Ron Ron" (11.40)
- Davis, Miles (7.18)
- Fats Domino (7.18)
- Fats Domino, "Blueberry Hill" (7.4)
- The Marvelettes (11.40)
- Palance, Jack (8.141-152, 10.95).
- Presley, Elvis (7.18)
- Presley, Elvis, "Viva Las Vegas" (7.4)
- Sullivan, Ed (9.156)
- The Supremes (11.40)
Biblical/ Religious References
- Feast of the Assumption (11.50)
- The Gospel of Luke (8.43)
- Luke 1:48 (13.80)
- Moses (8.114)
- The Virgin Mary (referred to throughout—she's kind of a big deal)