Using something in essay that the reader MIGHT not know about

theReach
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:18:12 +0000

There are books that you know adcoms would know, like Beloved, Animal Farm, Scarlet Letter.

Then there are books you expect them to know because you expect them to be cultured. For example, the “might” category would go to literature such as Confederacy of Dunces, or The Awakening, Brothers Karamazov, Catch-22, etc.

My question is, should I be using something I expect them to know about? In my case, Calvin and Hobbes. It is a well known comic strip that “cultured” people should know about. Should I use it, not use it, or use it an give a brief explanation of what it is? It plays a large role in my essay, fyi. Thanks.