The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

disaster on a similar scale. <strong>The</strong> trauma of the Vietnam
War (1965–73), which cost over 55,000 U.S.
lives, is refl ected in the fact that it is customarily
referred to as “Vietnam,” without any further
need for clarifi cation. This remains true more than
30 years after the war ended. In some respects this
constitutes a more accurate way of referring to
the confl ict, as a state of war was never actually
formally declared. <strong>The</strong> last thing the White House
wants in Iraq is another Vietnam.
Village, the See greenwich village.
Vincent van Gogh See van gogh.
Virgin Mary Archetype of a virtuous, innocent
woman. As the virginal mother of Christ (see Matthew
1:16–25 and Luke 1–2), Mary has special
signifi cance for Christians, especially within the
Roman Catholic tradition. She stared back at them
unblinking, the Virgin Mary herself, and it was almost
impossible to believe she could be guilty of the charges
being laid at her feet. See also queen of heaven;
rose without a thorn.
visit the cave of Trophonius See cave of trophonius.
Vladimir See waiting for godot.
Vlad the Impaler See dracula.
voice crying in the wilderness A lone voice of
protest raised against prevailing opinion, typically
one expressing views that meet with an indifferent
or openly hostile reception. <strong>The</strong> original voice in
the wilderness was that of john the baptist, who
preached about the coming of Christ: “In those
days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wil-
voice of many waters
derness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that
was spoken of by the prophet Esaias [Isaiah], saying,
<strong>The</strong> voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight” (Matthew 3:1–3). (See also Mark 1:3,
Luke 3:4, and John 1:23.) <strong>The</strong> phrase is typically
applied to prophets whose words of warnings or
advice are generally ignored. She did her best to stop
the committee from voting against the proposal, but hers
was a voice crying in the wilderness, and the suggestion
was thrown out.
voice from the whirlwind Through the workings
of nature God communicates to human beings. In
Job 38:1 it is Job himself who hears the voice of
God in a whirlwind, rebuking him for his complaints
about the sufferings he has experienced
and subsequently offering him comfort. In modern
usage the phrase may refer to any message or
moral that emerges out of a desperate situation.
Like a voice from the whirlwind, just when it seemed all
hope was lost came the realization that if the submerged
car was full of water it should become much easier to
open the door and escape.
voice in the wilderness See voice crying in the
wilderness.
voice of many waters A tremendous noise, specifi
cally one considered equal to the crashing sound
of the sea. <strong>The</strong> phrase comes from Psalm 93:4,
which reads: “<strong>The</strong> LORD on high is mightier than
the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty
waves of the sea.” It is also encountered as the noise
of many waters and as the sound of many waters.
“I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder—there
was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the
voice of a thousand waters—and the deep and
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