The Wide Window - Cultural References and Literary Allusions

Cultural References and Literary Allusions

• The name Damocles Dock, which presumably alludes to the legendary Greek figure Damocles who had a sword dangling over his head. Note in the picture in the front of the book it shows the three Baudelaires standing on Damocles dock. In the archway at the entrance to the dock is a sword dangling over their head.

• In the previous book of the series, the endnote references the Café Kafka, a reference to the Austrian-Hungarian author, Franz Kafka. One of Kafka's short stories, "Josephine the Singer, or the Mouse Folk", features Josephine, the only mouse that can sing. The Baudelaire's guardian Aunt Josephine is mouse-like because she is afraid of everything (timid as a mouse). Also in the short story, Josephine's music sounds like whistling if heard from the wrong angle, which may be a reference to Aunt Josephine's late husband's ability to whistle with crackers in his mouth (along with the Baudelaire orphans' mother). Josephine's last name was Anwhistle making her husband Ike Anwhistle ("I can whistle").

• The names Ike and Josephine may refer to Tropical Storm Ike and Hurricane Josephine.

• The name of the hurricane is "Hurricane Herman." This may be a reference to Herman Melville.

• Lachrymose (Lachrymose Lake) means "given to or causing tears".