Why is allegory important in literature

Allegorical interpretation was also dominant amongst early Jewish, Islamic and Christian scholars who tried to uncover deep hidden meanings within spiritual texts. Allegorical writing is the intentional act of creating texts with two meanings. During Roman times there was a shift from allegorical interpretation to allegorical writing. Ever since, allegory has been a well-known rhetorical device used by writers.

Authors who use allegory want to share their own perspectives on moral, philosophical and political issues. Allegory is often more effective than direct literal explanation. Allegorical stories can capture emotion, context and mood effectively.

This makes many allegories appealing for putting forward opinions on complex moral issues. Allegory also adds complexity to narratives. Authors who want to create complex worlds in their storylines may insert several allegorical elements into a story.

Allegories are abstract big ideas while symbols are usually attached to an individual character, object or setting. Furthermore, allegories tend to act as motifs that span the full length of a text while symbols can be one-off representations in a single scene.

Symbols are used in the creation of allegorical texts. For example, the pigs in Animal Farm are symbols of oligarchs while the allegory is that communism leads to concentration of power and, eventually, corruption. A grammar guru, style editor, and writing mentor in one package. Try it for free! The tortoise responds by challenging the hare to a race.

The hare gets a big head start in race before stopping for a sleep. The tortoise passes the sleeping hare and goes on to win the race despite being the slower of the two animals. The story is an allegorical tale of the triumph of perseverance and hard work over natural talent. Like all Dr. Allegories deliver difficult messages in easy-to-read stories. That makes them extremely useful and expressive tools. 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.

On this interpretation, the allegory is the oldest form of story in the world. There are many obvious references to Islamic history throughout the book for example, the prophesied savior is called Mahdi , the same term used for the messiah in Islam. There are also the Fremen, desert-dwelling warriors who may represent the Bedouin. Since J. Tolkien fought in World War I, some people interpret Lord of the Rings as an allegory for the events of that war.

The hobbits go off to fight a terrible battle, but must resist becoming their own worst enemy in the process. To see this, all you have to do is take a map of Middle Earth and lay it over a map of Europe in Tolkien himself says that his book was not intended to be an allegory.

On the other hand, it might just be a case of people reading too much into the story! Here are some stories that have entered into public consciousness that are also allegories:. Allegories have been used for centuries in many different cultures.

An allegory is a very specific type of story, as it must stay true to the message for the entirety of the story. Allegories thus can be difficult to master, as they can be pedantic when done poorly. However, some works of literature that can be read allegorically gain much strength from their deeper meanings. It is the task of the enlightened not only to ascend to learning and to see the good but to be willing to descend again to those prisoners and to share their troubles and their honors, whether they are worth having or not.

And this they must do, even with the prospect of death. One person escapes the cave and is able to see reality for the first time. However, upon reentering the cave and trying to describe the outside world, the people still chained to the wall reject this other interpretation and vision.

No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.

But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? Comrade Napoleon is a symbol for Stalin, while other prominent pigs in the story represent Lenin and Trotsky. Search Field. What is an Allegory? Oregon State Guide to Literary Terms. Contact Info Email: LiberalArts oregonstate.