History ShoutOut / TheBoltChronicles

* ''Film/CactusFlower'': Bolt mentions the three pets having watched this film not long ago, following which the dementia-suffering hamster has begun to reference someone named Goldie. Symbolizes Rhino's present often-prickly nature which still acknowledging his more pleasant older normal self that comes through at times.

* ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': Bolt misunderstands Blaze’s [[LukeIAmYourFather I-am-your-father quote paraphrase]] from this film, wondering instead why the older dog just called him Luke.

** "Cynical Girl": Symbolizes the snarky Mittens to Bolt.

* Rhino says he has noticed Bolt and Mittens have unspoken feelings for each other, saying it's similar to television shows he has watched such as ''Series/{{Cheers}}'', ''Series/{{Friends}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', and ''Series/TheNanny'', all of which heavily use the "will-they-won't-they" approach to love shown between Bolt and Mittens found in this story.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': One of the apartments Mittens visits has this TV show playing in the background. The fic also has references to the "Wheel of Morality" and "puppy-children," as well as several phrases from the show's theme song such as "chicken chow-meiny" and "baloney in [their] slacks." Bonus points given that the story is dedicated to a fanfic author in this fandom.

* Creator/JohannesBrahms: Bolt angrily asks Mittens to listen to something by either this composer or Music/BillieHoliday instead of pop music. The cat opts for his Symphony No. 2 in D Major.

* Music/BillieHoliday: Bolt angrily asks Mittens to listen to something by either this artist or Creator/JohannesBrahms instead of pop music.

* Creator/JohannesBrahms: As much as Mittens dislikes listening to the pop songs that have been turned into [[TheElevatorFromIpanema canned elevator music]] at the mall, hearing a selection by this composer (the opening theme from the Intermezzo movement of the Symphony No. 3 in F Major) shoehorned into 4/4 meter and backed by a rumba beat angers her the most. She listens to it again in its original version when she returns home. The melody's distorted version symbolizes Mittens being lost, while its normal version symbolizes the cat's return to a normal home.

* Creator/AlfredHitchcock: Mittens meets a pair of Siamese cats who want to lure her into playing so-called party games based on the director's films, specifically ''Film/TheTroubleWithHarry'', and ''Film/{{Vertigo}}'' -- but not ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', as they say things didn't turn out so well last time they did so.

** "Somethin' Else": Symbolizes the strange occupants of the second apartment Mittens visits, featuring two [[ComedicSociopathy comedically sociopathic]] Siamese cats and two Basset hounds who [[OedipusComplex appear to be far more affectionate than is normal for a mother and son]].

** Music/TheRollingStones: "As Tears Go By." Symbolizes Mittens's sadness at being abandoned.

* Music/RollingStones: Penny mentions "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" as a good example of classic rock. Symbolizes Penny's lack of satisfaction at school.

* Music/TheRollingStones: One of the songs Bolt conjures up in his head while on a conditioning run is this group's "Sympathy for the Devil." Symbolizes Bolt's taking pity on his rather sketchy coyote adversary.

* ''ComicStrip/DogsOfCKennel'': The five dogs who rescue the injured Bolt and bring him to the nearby animal hospital are [[{{Expy}} expies]] of the main characters from this comic strip.

* Creator/MaxErnst: One of Mittens's nightmares features a frightening image from this artist's painting ''Art/TheAngelOfTheHearthOrTheTriumphOfSurrealism'', [[https://www.wikiart.org/en/max-ernst/the-angel-of-the-home-or-the-triumph-of-surrealism-1937 seen here]].

* Creator/MaxErnst: One of Mittens's nightmares features a frightening image from this artist's painting ''L'ange du foyer ou Le triomphe du surréalisme'', seen [[https://www.wikiart.org/en/max-ernst/the-angel-of-the-home-or-the-triumph-of-surrealism-1937 here]]. The first part of the title's English translation is given several ways, often as ''The Angel of the Hearth'', ''The Angel of the Home'', ''The Angel of Hearth and Home'', or ''The Fireside Angel'', normally followed by ''or The Triumph of Surrealism''.

* Creator/SalvadorDali: One of Mittens's nightmares features disturbing images from this artist's paintings ''Art/TheBurningGiraffe'' and ''Art/ThePersistenceOfMemory''.
* Creator/MaxErnst: One of Mittens's nightmares features a frightening image from this artist's painting ''L'ange du foyer ou Le triomphe du surréalisme'', seen [[https://www.wikiart.org/en/max-ernst/the-angel-of-the-home-or-the-triumph-of-surrealism-1937 here]]. The first part of the title's English translation is seen in several ways, often as ''The Angel of the Hearth'', ''The Angel of the Home'', ''The Angel of Hearth and Home'', or ''The Fireside Angel'', normally followed by ''or The Triumph of Surrealism''.

* Creator/PabloPicasso: Penny and Bolt see this painter's ''[[Art/SelfPortrait1906 Self Portrait (1906)]]'' at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

** "When I Look in Your Eyes": Symbolizes the striking eyes in Picasso's ''[[Art/SelfPortrait1906 Self Portrait (1906)]]'' as well as Mittens's eyes in this section.

* Creator/MaxErnst: One of Mittens's nightmares features a frightening image from this artist's painting ''Art/TheAngelOfTheHearth''.

* ''WesternAnimation/HunchbackOfNotreDame'': Rhino believes cathedral gargoyles can talk in real life after seeing this film set in Paris.

* Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung: Songs from the group's album ''Music/DejaVu'' are referenced. The album title is symbolic of Mittens's recurring daydream.

* [[Music/TheFlaminGroovies The Flamin' Groovies]]: Bolt and Mittens listen to the album ''Music/ShakeSomeAction'' in the story. Symbolizes Bolt's later attempt to have Joe bring him to Penny's veterinary clinic by drinking a lot of leftover coffee, which gives him a serious case of the shakes.

* [[Creator/EdnaStVincentMillay Edna St. Vincent Millay]]: This poet's work is one of the cultural delights Bolt and Mittens enjoy on their last day together on earth.

** ''Series/AreYouBeingServed''
** ''Series/FawltyTowers''
** ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances''
** ''Series/MrBean''
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender:'' The name of the company manning the free sample table Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino approach is called "The Cabbage Merchant," a reference to a food purveying character on the show. Bonus points given that this story is dedicated to a fanfic author in this fandom.

* [[Creator/{{Pennamesmith}} PenNameSmith]]. A noteworthy author of ''WesternAnimation/{{Bolt}}'' fanfiction and the story's dedicatee. The passage referring to Penny and the actor who plays Dr. Calico corresponding via letter is a shout out to this author, something which occurs in their story "All the Year Round."

** "Evidence:" Symbolizes information on her life story that Mittens hesitantly shares with Berlioz, which leads the latter to grow to genuinely like and respect Mittens.
** "Round Midnight:" Symbolizes Mittens and Berlioz's late-night tryst before the former leaves for home.
** "Straight, No Chaser:" Symbolizes Berlioz's gradual transformation from his initial flirtatious persona to someone who genuinely likes and respects Mittens.

** "Get up:" Mirrors Rhino's urging to get Mittens to haul herself off the floor and dance.
** "Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag:" Symbolizes the idea of Mittens's dancing while sober as something new.

** "Atomic Dog:" Symbolizes Bolt, who will be her future sweetheart, and played a character on television who had superpowers.

** "Dance to the Music:" Symbolizes the two characters dancing.
** "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf):" Symbolizes Mittens letting her inhibitions drop, allowing her to dance.

** "I Believe (When I Fall in Love):" After Mittens and Rhino dance, they hear this song, which makes the cat feel sad about having to leave Berlioz behind in Paris. Bolt, who will become her lover in future stories, enters the room shortly afterwards. Symbolizes Mittens's hope for a good relationship in the future.
** "Superstition:" Mittens and Rhino dance to this song. References an earlier line of dialogue where the cat jokingly asks Rhino if dancing with a black cat brings seven years' bad luck.

** "Little Wing:" Bolt hears the song twice, once by Music/DerekAndTheDominos and once by Music/JimiHendrix. He finds the latter version a far better fit for the playful lyrics.
** "The Wind Cries Mary:" Bolt hears this selection through the sound system while a patient in the animal hospital. The story's title derives from that of the song, and snippets of the lyrics appear as section subtitles.

** "In Dreams:" The selection describes the end of a love affair, paralleling the end of Bolt's relationship with Mary.
** "It's Over:" Symbolizes the end of Bolt's relationship with Mary.

** "Brand New Lover:" Symbolizes Bolt and Mittens just starting to become sweethearts.
** "Cynical Girl:" Symbolizes the snarky Mittens to Bolt.
** "What Time Is It:" Symbolizes Mittens and Bolt's nervousness as 4 o'clock approaches and they find out how they finally feel about each other.
** "Whenever You're on My Mind:" Symbolizes Mittens thinking a lot about Bolt at the time.

** "Bad Is Bad:" Symbolizes bad music.
** "Crawling from the Wreckage:" Symbolizes Penny pulling out of her angst breakdown.
** "Girls Talk:" Symbolizes Penny talking to Bolt.
** "Queen of Hearts:" References Penny listening to Bolt's heart.

** "American Squirm:" Symbolizes Penny's discomfort with school.
** "Big Kick, Plain Scrap:" Symbolizes Penny's pulling out of her angst breakdown, ultimately battling back to a more pleasant reality.
** "Born Fighter:" Symbolizes Penny's pulling out of her angst breakdown, ultimately battling back to a more pleasant reality.
** "Heart of the City:" References Penny listening to Bolt's heart.
** "Music for Money:" Symbolizes bad music made more for sale than excellence.
** "They Called It Rock:" Symbolizes bad music made more for sale than excellence.

** "Girlfriend:" Symbolizes Penny's desire to have a relationship that's more than just physical.
** "Someone I Care About:" Symbolizes Penny's desire to have a relationship that's more than just physical.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePony''. Blaze calls his [[FishEyes walleyed]] girlfriend Tracey "Ditzy-Doo." She is not amused.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000:'' Penny and her chemistry lab partner make fun of a porn fanfiction featuring Bolt and Penny, lampooning it in the manner of this television show.

** "Beauty and Sadness:" Symbolizes the conflicting emotions Penny feels after her first sexual experience in this section.
** "Crazy Mixed-Up Kid:" Symbolizes Bolt's ill-considered condemnation of his father's sex life.
** "Hand of Glory:" Symbolizes Blaze's reckless nature having been passed on to his son for more constructive television show stardom purposes in this section.
** "I Don't Want to Lose You:" Symbolizes Bolt's offer to allow Blaze to be adopted to Penny's home with him in this section.
** "Much Too Much:" Symbolizes the over-the-top nature of the Penny and Bolt porn shipping story referenced in this section.
** "Some Other Guy:" Symbolizes Bolt's first meeting with his father in this section.
** "Strangers When We Meet:" Symbolizes the fact that Mindy Parker and Penny are out of sync with each other in this section, especially when they first greet each other.
** "Time and Time Again:" Symbolizes the constantly spoiled takes in Bolt and Penny's taping session.
** "Tracey's World:" Symbolizes the circumstance surrounding Blaze's girlfriend Tracey in this section.

** "Cornfed Dames:" Symbolizes Mittens being a randy country female.
** "(Hot Pool of) Womanneed:" Symbolizes Mittens wanting sex.

** "4+20:" The lyrics reference a character who is upset with his daily life, paralleling Mitten's current dissatisfaction.
** "Our House:" Symbolizes Mittens's desire to have a family.
** "Teach Your Children:" Symbolizes Mittens's desire to pass along life knowledge to her youngsters.

** "Communication Breakdown:" Symbolizes Bolt's inability to successfully dictate his autobiography into the computer using a speech program.
** "Eve of Destruction:" Symbolizes the trashing of Penny's computer by Mittens.

* Music/LudwigVanBeethoven. This composer's "Immortal Beloved" letters provide inspiration for Bolt to make up love letters to Mittens in his head.

** "First in Line:" Symbolizes this as being the first section of the story.
** "Gimme One More Chance:" Symbolizes both Bolt's desire to see the Creator/GeorgesSeurat painting several times during their visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as Bolt and Penny's willingness to donate an extra day of the book signing to accommodate the overflow of fans in this section.
** "Girl Next Door:" Symbolizes Bolt and Penny meeting their hotel next door neighbor in this section.
** "Hung on You:" Symbolizes how taken Bolt and Penny's fans are at the book signing in this section.
** "Keep in Touch:" Symbolizes Bolt's desire to remain in touch with Mittens in this section.
** "Little White Lies:" Symbolizes the various differences between public and private personas of Bolt's Furry-Con dog colleagues in this section. For example, Zaui plays a dumb canine role on-screen but is smart enough to answer ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' questions without missing a single one.
** "She's Got Everything:" Symbolizes the fact that UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity has every kind of attraction one could ask for.
** "Tell It to Carrie:" References an incident in this section where a waitress named Carrie carefully looks after Bolt and Penny's order in the restaurant.
** "Till I See You Again:" Symbolizes Bolt's excitement at seeing Mittens again in this section.
** "What I Like about You:" Symbolizes what Bolt likes about both New Orleans and Mittens in this section.
** "When I Look in Your Eyes:" Symbolizes the striking eyes in Picasso's ''[[Art/SelfPortrait1906 Self Portrait (1906)]]'' as well as Mittens's eyes in this section.

** "Happy Day:" Symbolizes that day's joy the two pets savor from Penny's marriage and later their own private soulmate ceremony.
** "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel:" Bolt marches in a circle around Mittens to this song. Symbolizes the dog's happiness that Mittens is in his life.

* Creator/EmilyDickinson. This poet's work is one of the cultural delights Bolt and Mittens enjoy on their last day together on earth.

* "Music/SimpleGifts:" This Shaker hymn serves as thematic basis for a set of variations in ''Music/AppalachianSpring'' by Music/AaronCopland, the latter being the piece Mittens is listening to when she dies. When Bolt and Mittens are reunited in Nirvana after their deaths, they sing this hymn together. Symbolizes the idea that ending up in a Nirvana afterlife is a gift for reaching completion.

** "Begin the Begin:" Symbolizes the story being the first of the series. Bolt's life starts here.
** "Just a Touch:" Symbolizes the brief tryst Blaze and Cheyenne have conceiving Bolt.
** "Superman:" Foreshadows Bolt in his later incarnation as (fake) superhero on his TV show. Also ironically references Blaze's outsized opinion of himself.
** "What if We Give It Away:" Symbolizes the broad sexual experience of puppy mill females Cheyenne, Corabell, Dorabell, and Mae.

** "Crippled Inside:" Symbolizes how far Mittens has sunk in her life on the street, to the point where she is no longer internally capable of doing the right thing.
** "How Do You Sleep:" Symbolizes Mittens's descent into her present bad behavior, asking how she can live with herself given her actions.
** "Instant Karma:" Symbolizes Mittens's impending karmic comeuppance from Bolt for her bullying treatment of Kelvin's pigeon friends.

** "The Boxer:" Symbolizes Mittens's hardscrabble existence and struggle to survive.
** "The Only Living Boy in New York:" Symbolizes Mittens's karmic first meeting with Bolt and her currently being friendless in Manhattan.

** "Billie's Bounce:" Foreshadows Bolt's angry request to have Mittens listen to Music/BillieHoliday instead of pop music.
** "Bird of Paradise:" References the symbolic use of bird imagery in the story.
** "Bongo Bop:" References Bolt's question as to whether the term "Bebop" refers to the sound made when a person plays bongo drums.
** "Moose the Mooche:" References Duke chasing off what he characterized as freeloading starlings in his lawn at the beginning of the story.
** "Ornithology:" References the symbolic use of bird imagery in the story.
** "Relaxin' at Camarillo:" Symbolizes Duke's request to have Bolt sit back and enjoy the Charlie Parker selections.
** "Scrapple from the Apple:" Symbolizes the scrap between Bolt and Duke when their friendship breaks up.
** "Yardbird Suite:" References the symbolic use of bird imagery in the story, specifically Duke chasing starlings off of his lawn.

** "The Hounds of Fate:" Symbolizes the fateful (and ultimately unsuccessful) friendship between Bolt and Duke.
** "Tobermory:" The subject matter of this story, about a cat who quickly wears out his welcome once he learns to talk, symbolizes Bolt becoming angry with Mittens's behavior.

** "I'm Goin' Down:" Symbolizes Bolt's gradual descent into latent prejudice against Mittens.
** "I'm on Fire:" Symbolizes Duke's breakdown into murderous behavior against the local cats.
** "Jungleland:" Symbolizes the danger to Mittens and other cats when Duke turns murderous.
** "No Surrender:" Symbolizes Duke's intolerant behavior and refusal to compromise. Given that Duke hates pop music, it is ironic that he inadvertently quotes the line "No retreat, no surrender" from this song.
** "Point Blank:" Symbolizes Frank's use of gunfire to break the windows of his school when he snaps.
** "The Price You Pay:" Symbolizes the karmic price paid by Duke and Frank for their villainous behavior.
** "The Ties That Bind:" Symbolizes the blood brother oath taken by Bolt and Duke to cement their friendship.

** "Any Major Dude Will Tell You:" The song's subject matter symbolizes Mittens's forgiveness of Bolt's bad behavior and comforting his sadness in this section.
** "Barrytown:" The song's subject matter foreshadows the story's main theme of prejudice and bigotry.
** "Charlie Freak:" Symbolizes Duke's owner Frank and his isolated and eccentrically bigoted nature referenced in this section.
** "Monkey in Your Soul:" Symbolizes the gradual reawakening of Bolt's latent prejudice against cats and its resultant anger referenced in this section.
** "Parker's Band:" References Bolt and Duke's listening to Charlie Parker's music in this section.
** "Pretzel Logic:" Symbolizes Duke's twisted thinking underlying his bigoted nature against cats in this section.
** "Through with Buzz:" Symbolizes Bolt's breaking off his friendship with Duke in this section.
** "With a Gun:" Symbolizes Duke's taking action on his bigotry by killing some of the neighborhood cats, as well as Frank's snapping and shooting out the windows of his school with a gun in this section.

* Music/JohnCage: As the composer of ''[[Music/ImaginaryLandscapeNo4 Imaginary Landscape No. 4]]'' which features superimposed layers of music presented by several simultaneous radios, it is suggested that he would have appreciated the crisscrossing din of multiple music playback systems in the dog park.

* Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival: The story's subtitles are derived from songs by this band. Kelvin also references the group after it's revealed he can't swim when he says his liking the band's music doesn't mean he a swamping dog.