Book Anatomy: Ask the book now sits at the top of every book, with example questions · Ask any classic book about the craft that made it great · 50 tools · Updated 16 Oct 2026 · My list

Book Anatomy · All lenses

J8. Epigraphs, allusions and borrowed texts. Both

Theme and motif. One line per book. Open a book for the full answer, charts and cited lines.

BookGenreResult
Treasure IslandThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (10).
The Thirty-Nine StepsThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Arabian Nights (1), Bible (1).
The Prisoner of ZendaThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1).
Around the World in Eighty DaysThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Byron (1).
King Solomon's MinesThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (1), Shakespeare (1), Homer (1), Milton (1).
The Hound of the BaskervillesCrime and mysteryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
A Study in ScarletCrime and mysteryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (1), Bible (1), Arabian Nights (1).
The MoonstoneCrime and mysteryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Woman in WhiteCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (3), Scripture (3), Bible (2), Shakespeare (1).
Pride and PrejudiceRomanceNo well known books or writers are named outright.
PersuasionRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Byron (3), Scott (2).
EmmaRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1).
Jane EyreRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (7), Scripture (3), Gospel (2), Psalm (1), Virgil (1).
DraculaGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (2), Arabian Nights (1), Byron (1), Scott (1).
FrankensteinGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1), Homer (1), Dante (1).
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Picture of Dorian GrayGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (5), Dante (1), Bible (1).
Wuthering HeightsGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (7), Scripture (2).
The Turn of the ScrewGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Time MachineScience fictionBooks and writers named in the text: Homer (1).
The War of the WorldsScience fictionNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Invisible ManScience fictionNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Alice's Adventures in WonderlandFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1).
The Wonderful Wizard of OzFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Secret GardenFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Wind in the WillowsFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Great ExpectationsLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Arabian Nights (1).
A Christmas CarolLiteraryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Great GatsbyLiteraryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Heart of DarknessLiteraryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
KidnappedThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (3).
The Count of Monte CristoThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (7), Arabian Nights (7), Virgil (4), Shakespeare (4), Homer (4).
The Three MusketeersThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Gospel (5), Bible (2), Scripture (1).
The Riddle of the SandsThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Arabian Nights (1), Bible (1).
The Scarlet PimpernelThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (1).
The Lost WorldThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (2), Shakespeare (1), Virgil (1).
Captain BloodThriller and adventureBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (1).
Lady Audley's SecretCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Byron (3), Bible (2), Gospel (1), Milton (1).
The Murders in the Rue MorgueCrime and mysteryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Innocence of Father BrownCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (3), Dante (3), Virgil (2), Shakespeare (1), Byron (1).
The Big Bow MysteryCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (3), Milton (2), Scott (2), Scripture (1), Bunyan (1).
The Leavenworth CaseCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Byron (1), Milton (1).
The Red Thumb MarkCrime and mysteryNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Amateur CracksmanCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Virgil (1).
The Secret AgentCrime and mysteryBooks and writers named in the text: Virgil (1).
Sense and SensibilityRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (2), Shakespeare (1).
North and SouthRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Milton (172), Bible (9), Dante (2), Arabian Nights (2), Homer (2).
Far from the Madding CrowdRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (4), Scripture (2), Milton (1), Homer (1).
The Enchanted AprilRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (2), Bible (2), Shakespeare (1).
The SheikRomanceNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Daddy Long LegsRomanceBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (6), Bible (1), Scott (1), Byron (1).
CarmillaGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1).
The Castle of OtrantoGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Phantom of the OperaGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Great God PanGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Yellow WallpaperGothic and horrorNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Call of CthulhuGothic and horrorBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (1).
The Island of Doctor MoreauScience fictionNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Journey to the Centre of the EarthScience fictionBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (2), Virgil (2).
A Princess of MarsScience fictionNo well known books or writers are named outright.
HerlandScience fictionNo well known books or writers are named outright.
FlatlandScience fictionBooks and writers named in the text: Gospel (5).
ErewhonScience fictionBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (1), Homer (1).
The Last ManScience fictionBooks and writers named in the text: Virgil (3), Shakespeare (3), Homer (2), Arabian Nights (1), Byron (1).
Through the Looking GlassFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
A Little PrincessFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Arabian Nights (2), Shakespeare (1).
The Jungle BookFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Five Children and ItFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Arabian Nights (1), Shakespeare (1).
The Railway ChildrenFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (1).
The Princess and the GoblinFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Peter and WendyFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
The Worm OuroborosFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (2).
Anne of Green GablesFantasy and children'sBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (1), Milton (1), Virgil (1).
Black BeautyFantasy and children'sNo well known books or writers are named outright.
MiddlemarchLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Milton (6), Scott (5), Bible (3), Gospel (2), Dante (2).
Tess of the d'UrbervillesLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Gospel (3), Bible (3), Scripture (3), Milton (1).
Mrs DallowayLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Shakespeare (16), Milton (3), Dante (2).
To the LighthouseLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (5), Shakespeare (3), Virgil (1).
Anna KareninaLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Gospel (3), Shakespeare (2), Scripture (2), Bible (2).
Crime and PunishmentLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (1).
Madame BovaryLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Scott (3), Bible (2), Psalm (1).
The Age of InnocenceLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Dante (1), Scott (1).
Silas MarnerLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (5).
Adventures of Huckleberry FinnLiteraryBooks and writers named in the text: Bible (5), Shakespeare (2), Scott (1), Scripture (1).
HamletPlaysBooks and writers named in the text: Scripture (1).
MacbethPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Romeo and JulietPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
OthelloPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
A Midsummer Night's DreamPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Twelfth NightPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Doctor FaustusPlaysBooks and writers named in the text: Milton (1), Virgil (1).
The Importance of Being EarnestPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
A Doll's HousePlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
Hedda GablerPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
PygmalionPlaysBooks and writers named in the text: Milton (4), Bible (3).
The School for ScandalPlaysNo well known books or writers are named outright.
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