What Has It Got in Its Pocketsess?

 View the picture below:

What two literary terms drive the humor in this image?

a. verbal irony and periphrasis
b. alliteration and dramatic irony
c. allusion and pun
d. archetypes and imagery






Scroll down for the answer.




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a. is incorrect - verbal irony requires that something is said.  Nobody talks in this picture.  
b. is incorrect.  While it does seem that there may be some dramatic irony going on, it really doesn't add to the humor.  Plus there is no alliteration whatsoever in this picture.
c. is correct!  It is an allusion to The Hobbit, obviously, but the humor comes in that it is also an allusion to the cartoon series Precious Moments. Allusions are difficult if you are not familiar with the source material being referenced, so you may need to rely on eliminating other answers that you know are incorrect and then choosing from the ones left.  The pun is the word precious, being used by both stories.
d. is incorrect, but is the best wrong answer.  There are archetypes in this picture, but they are not being used for humorous intent.

She's a Mankiller

 Read these panels from Marvel Team-Up #8 When Spider-Man teams up with Hellcat to fight the Mankiller:

Which line from the dialogue is an example of an allusion?

a. "You're willing to battle for the things you believe."

b. "I'm a regular Patrick Henry."

c. "Are we going to stand here yapping all night?"

d. "Because you're a loner, Spider-Man... an outcast."

Scroll down for the answer.

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An allusion is a reference to another literary work or historical person/event.  These can be difficult to spot if you are not familiar with what is being alluded to.  In this case, Spider-Man is referring to famous American patriot, Patrick Henry ("Give me liberty or give me death!"), so the correct answer is B.