Summary
Highlights
An allegory is a seemingly simple story that, beneath its literal surface, figuratively presents complex ideas about society or human nature through symbolic meaning and metaphors. The fable of the tortoise and the hare is a classic example, illustrating how steady effort can overcome arrogance.
Allegories provide commentary on larger abstract ideas, reflecting an author's views on political, moral, or philosophical issues. They make it easier for readers to grasp morals, and allow authors to cover controversial subjects or hidden meanings that might be difficult to discuss explicitly.
Most allegories fall into four main categories: Biblical allegories reference religious stories, classical allegories stem from mythology, modern allegories are not purposefully included by authors (like Narnia for some readers), and historical/political allegories satirize past events, such as George Orwell's Animal Farm symbolizing the Russian Revolution.
While both use unrelated ideas, a metaphor is a literary device to compare unrelated objects or actions, whereas an allegory extends this comparison throughout an entire story. The biblical story of Adam and Eve serves as an allegory for the impact of temptation, where the fruit is a metaphor for knowledge of good and evil.