Summary
Highlights
Similitudes and parables are among the most difficult narrative forms. They are short, vivid stories that raise questions about correct human behavior. The reader should be able to see themselves in the text and reflect on their own situation. These texts should not be arbitrarily interpreted; they aim to convey clear rules and values, as exemplified by Christ's teachings. Both forms can appear within larger texts, like the New Testament or the Quran, or stand alone.
Both similitudes and parables force the reader to move between two levels: the narrative level (what is explicitly said, the 'Bild-Ebene') and the thematic level (what is actually meant, the 'Sach-Ebene'). The way a reader reaches this second level is where similitudes and parables differ.
A similitude is often referred to as a metaphorical speech, originally spoken rather than written. There are two forms: hypothetical (a thought experiment) and epic (a past, real event). The crucial element in a similitude is the comparison, the bridge between what is said and what is meant, which must be explicitly stated. An example from the New Testament about a camel passing through a needle's eye illustrates how an earthly impossibility highlights a greater, spiritual impossibility for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God, while offering hope to the poor.
A similitude can have multiple effects: it can cause the rich to reflect and become generous, teach renunciation, and offer comfort and hope to the needy. It compels the listener and reader to reflect on their own behavior and possibly correct it. Similitudes are shorter, have little independent action, but provide the interpretative key.
In contrast, a parable is longer, has a clear plot, but does not offer direct interpretive help. It describes a unique, unexpected event on the surface, conveying a lesson not explicitly stated. The reader must uncover this hidden meaning themselves. The actual message of the text is often missing. An example is a parable by Franz Kafka from 1922.
Kafka's parable lacks a moral statement, explanation, or commentary. It's a short story that begins and ends abruptly. To move from the narrative to the thematic level, one must discern the pattern behind the story. The narrative 'I' experiences four stages: moving towards mobility, then confronted by time, trapped by the city plan, and finally seeking help from an authority figure who dismisses him. This illustrates how structures of modernity (time, urbanization, institutions), instead of offering freedom, bind the individual, ultimately leading to a loss of prospects.
This example demonstrates how to read a parable: one must move from the surface of the text (narrative level) to its actual, initially invisible message. The link between the narrated and the meant is called 'Station der Kooperation des Lesers' (the reader's station of cooperation). Parables often use metaphorical language and rhetorical figures like metaphors, personifications, and symbols due to their figurative reference to the real world.