Allegory

Allegory
Meaning and Definition
The term ‘allegory’ refers to the form of writing that has a moral to be inferred.
“a story, play, picture, etc. in which each character or event is a symbol representing
an idea or a quality, such as truth, evil, death, etc.; the use of such symbols”.
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary
‘allegory’ is “a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning partially hidden
behind its literal or visible meaning”.
- Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
Characteristics
● Allegory is similar to metaphor, allusion, anecdote, etc., in a way that all of them tell
something but mean something more or different.
● Imagery is one of the techniques used when writing an allegorical text in order to
provide vivid descriptions.
● Symbolism is another technique. This is the use of particular objects/aspects that
symbolise something other than just its obvious appearance.
Forms of Allegory
Allegory can be expressed in two ways.
1. Literary allegory
2. Symbolic allegory
1. Literary allegory –
uses language as a tool to portray situations and present abstract ideas by

employing human and non-human characters.
2. Symbolic allegory –
uses symbols to represent ideas and messages that are not recognisable on the
surface but require interpretation.
The Importance of Allegory
Allegories deliver difficult messages in easy-to-read stories. That makes them

extremely useful and expressive tools. So for centuries, human beings have used allegories
to say things they couldn’t say any other way. Some scholars believe that myths and
religious stories originated as allegories for the deep secrets of the universe and the human
mind — secrets that humans cannot comprehend without the help of an allegorical story. In
this interpretation, the allegory is the oldest form of story in the world.
People often use allegories in order to understand the world around them — whether
it’s the world of politics, new technology, or the many ethical problems that challenge us
today.
Advantages for writers who use allegory
1. Allows Controversial Topics to be Addressed

2. Artistic Use of Literary Skill
3. Enhance Understanding for Reader
Types of allegory
Allegory is most commonly sorted by…
the tradition, it emerges from - 1. Biblical,

2. Classical,
3. Modern
the literary device, it employs - 1. Personification allegory
2. Symbolic allegory.
By Tradition
Biblical -
Biblical allegory can refer to stories within the Bible that teach specific lessons or to
literature that retells lessons from the Bible. These usually appear as tales of good vs. evil.
Classical -
Classical allegories are stories that emerged from the classical period of ancient
Greece and Rome. Many of these allegories, such as Aesop’s Fables, originated as oral
stories that were later transcribed.
Modern -
Allegory is a powerful way to hold a reader’s attention, and it continues to be

employed by writers to address modern concerns. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter,
from 1850, is an allegory about self-reliance and the threat of American conformity. Some
scholars have read L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900, as
an allegory about the social and political concerns of Americans at the turn of the twentieth
century.
By Literary device
Personification -
Personification allegory is a simple story in which the characters transparently

represent concepts or types.
Symbolic -
In symbolic allegory, the characters have an autonomous narrative outside of the

messages they convey. The character Virgil in Dante’s Divine Comedy, from 1320, is a
symbolic allegorical figure because he represents both the historical author of the Aeneid
and the human faculty of reason.
Examples of allegory
Allegory in Literature - 1. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell
3. ‘The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Allegory in Movies - 1. Avatar

2. Wall-E
3. Zootopia
4. Inside Out
5. Arrival

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Allegory

Meaning and Definition

- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary

- Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms

Allegory can be expressed in two ways.

uses language as a tool to portray situations and present abstract ideas by

Allegories deliver difficult messages in easy-to-read stories. That makes them

Advantages for writers who use allegory

1. Allows Controversial Topics to be Addressed

Allegory is most commonly sorted by…

the tradition, it emerges from - 1. Biblical,

Allegory is a powerful way to hold a reader’s attention, and it continues to be

Personification allegory is a simple story in which the characters transparently

In symbolic allegory, the characters have an autonomous narrative outside of the

Allegory in Literature - 1. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Allegory in Movies - 1. Avatar

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