Futility (See also Despair, Frustration.) Allusions, Definition, Citation, Reference, Information - Allusion to Futility (See also Despair, Frustration.)

  1. American Scene, The portrays Americans as having secured necessities; now looking for amenities. [Am. Lit.: The American Scene]
  2. Babio performs the useless and supererogatory. [Fr. Folklore: Walsh Classical, 42]
  3. Bellamy, James character who goes through phases “playboy, war hero” to suicide. [Br. TV: Upstairs, Downstairs]
  4. Canute king of England demonstrated the limits of his power by commanding waves to stand still in vain. [Eng. Legend: Benét, 165]
  5. Danaides fifty daughters, forty-nine of whom are condemned to Hades to collect water in sieves. [Rom. Myth.: LLEI, I: 326]
  6. Fall, The tale of the monotonous life and indifference of modern man. [Fr. Lit.: The Fall]
  7. Grandet, Eugénie lacking everything but wealth, she is indifferent to life. [Fr. Lit.: Eugenie Grandet, Magill I, 258–260]
  8. Henry, Frederic loses lover and child; nothing left. [Am. Lit.: A Farewell to Arms]
  9. Moreau, Frederic law student whose amatory attachments all come to nothing, concludes that existence is futile. [Fr. Lit.: Flaubert A Sentimental Education in Magill I, 876]
  10. “Necklace, The” having lost a borrowed diamond necklace, M. and Mme. Loisel suffer ten years of privation to purchase a duplicate, then find that the original was paste. [Fr. Lit.: Maupassant “The Necklace”]
  11. Ocnus, the cord of eaten by ass as quickly as it is made. [Gk. and Rom. Myth.: Wheeler, 767]
  12. Of Mice and Men story of George Milton and Lennie Small’s futile dream of having their own farm. [Am. Lit.: Of Mice and Men]
  13. Partington, Dame tried to turn back tide with mop. [Br. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 807]
  14. pearls before swine Jesus adjures one not to waste best efforts. [N.T.: Matthew 7:6]
  15. Sun Also Rises, The story of American expatriates living a futile existence in Europe. [Am. Lit.: The Sun Also Rises]
  16. Tobacco Road tale of Jeeter Lester and other oppressed, degraded lives. [Am. Lit.: Tobacco Road]
  17. Tregeagle condemned to bail out Dozmary Pool with leaky shell. [Br. Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 1099]