In the sentence, the allusion to "Svengali" suggests that Joel's friend Vijay is exerting a powerful and perhaps manipulative influence over Joel, similar to how Svengali manipulates Trilby in the novel. This implies that Vijay may be leading Joel to behave in ways that are unusual or concerning for his parents, possibly suggesting that he is controlling or unduly influencing Joel's actions or decisions. The allusion invokes the idea of someone who has a strong, hypnotic, or dominating presence over another person's behavior or abilities.
Read the source of the allusion.
In George du Maurier's novel Trilby, Svengali is a hypnotist who exerts such power over the central character that she is suddenly able to sing, which she was unable to do before.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Joel's recent behavior made his parents begin to see his friend Vijay as some sort of Svengali.
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