20. When a novelist uses an allusion in her story, she encourages readers to ask questions about the novel’s themes and characte
rs contrasts her own story with the work of another writer refers to the work of another writer, artist, or musician in her own story provides clues about how the novel’s conflicts will be resolved
Provides clues about how the novels conflicts will be resolved
Explanation:
"Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated (as opposed to indirectly implied) by the author, it is instead usually termed a reference. In the arts, a literary allusion puts the alluded text in a new context under which it assumes new meanings and denotations. It is not possible to predetermine the nature of all the new meanings and inter-textual patterns that an allusion will generate. Literary allusion is closely related to parody and pastiche, which are also "text-linking" literary devices."
Since historical fiction usually talks about a certain era in history, I'd say the correct answer is that 'it's set against a historical backdrop'. hope it helps you
