Dinosaurs in the Hood and Cultural Allusions

            Throughout the semester we have discussed the impact of an author’s utilization of allusions to cultural figures of decades past. In Dinosaurs in the Hood, Danez Smith perfectly exemplifies our discussions. The author draws on a variety of actors and cultural figures in order to add to the effect of the piece. Allusions to actors such as Will Smith, and the Wayans Brothers allow for a clearer picture of his message.

            The allusions to these figures paint the picture of exactly the type of image that the author is protesting. All of these references seem to point to stereotypical portrayals of African Americans. However, the author wishes to see a different narrative in this piece. Rather than the little black boy on the bus meeting his predetermined end that we seem to see all-to-often in today’s media; he wishes to see the chance for the boy’s dreams to be fulfilled. He further utilizes the allusions created in the work by contrasting them with the idea of the dinosaurs. Dinosaurs can only exist in the boy's dreams, but that is exactly what the author hopes to keep alive. I feel that this is accomplished greatly in part to the allusions, and the utilization of those allusions created by the writer throughout the work.