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Intro
From the beginning of literature, allegories have persisted as literary tools to help teach morals and bestow lessons for all ages. By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of what an allegory is, how to write your own, and some writing prompts to inspire your next creation.
What is an Allegory
An allegory, according to Britannica’s article “Allegory,” is
“a symbolic fictional narrative that conveys a meaning not explicitly set forth in the narrative.”
Ultimately, allegories hold symbolic weight, lessons, and hidden meanings that can enrich readers’ thinking and unlock a deeper appreciation for the beauty of storytelling.
Diving deeper, elements within the story hold separate and equal value to the overall allegory. Characters and places, as well as the events that occur, all help shed light on the lesson, which isn’t exclusively shown in the narrative.
Importantly, it should be noted that a novel may not be created as an allegory in its entirety, but still may have an allegory incorporated within a chapter or small story told by a character.
Different Types of Allegories
Next, let’s discuss the four types of allegories there are.
Historical Allegories
Like the title, this type of allegory is used to critically analyze historical figures or events. Whether to help publicly criticize parties in power or past historical events, historical allegories are a great way for writers to help readers develop a deeper understanding of history and the consequences of the past. In other words, according to LitCharts’ article “Allegory,” a historical allegory “effectively distills a complex history into a more simplified and vivid story that will engage readers on an emotional and aesthetic level.”
Conceptual Allegories
Conceptual allegories are used to help display a certain abstract idea, like a vice or value. In particular, many of these allegories have characters that symbolise these moral qualities, like greed, love, evil, and purity. Conceptual allegories are most commonly used for religious and social lessons.
Literary Allegories
A literary allegory is the default type of allegory that may have first come to your mind. Therefore, this technique uses events, characters, and places to represent abstract ideas hidden within the narrative. Think of the “Tortoise and the Hare” as one of the most famous examples in which the lesson of steady consistency succeeds.
Symbolic Allegories
According to Britannica’s article, a symbolic allegory is another storytelling technique “in which a character or material thing is not merely a transparent vehicle for an idea, but rather has a recognizable identity or narrative autonomy apart from the message it conveys.”
Conventions of an Allegory
Allegories, like all literary techniques, have their own conventions which must be used in order to effectively create one yourself.
Firstly, your allegory needs to have not just a fluid narrative, but each character and event must have a dual meaning: the literal and the symbolic, hidden meaning to be unmasked. The story is therefore intentionally contrived like a system.
Next, your allegory must attempt to teach a moral lesson. According to Literary Device’s article “Allegory,“
“Allegories often aim to teach a moral lesson, convey a political message, or explore complex philosophical ideas. They are rarely just for entertainment.”
While you improve your allegorical skills, ensure you are personifying abstract qualities such as evil and good within your characters.
Why Write an Allegory
In general, authors will write allegories to address controversial topics to their audience in a creative way instead of explicitly stating the lesson. Oftentimes, authors will do this to critically analysis real world troubles without sacrificing their safety.
Additionally, allegories can be exciting in their calculated development. Each character, event, and location is intentionally and strategically written into the narrative. Understand, you can have a great deal of fun creating dual meanings, teaching lessons which aren’t at first uncovered, in your storytelling.
Famous Allegories
Of course, “The Tortoise and the Hare” is the most prominent example that comes to mind when discussing an allegory. However, within each subgenre of an allegory, there are prominent examples seen throughout history that have helped develop this storytelling technique. Within shorter stories and novels, throughout history, many allegories have been published and spread worldwide to teach morals to all ages.
Examples:
- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- Paradise Lost by Milton
- The Divine Comedy by Dante
- The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
- The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
- Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss
- Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
- Allegory of the Cave by Plato
- Fables by Aesop
- Candide by Voltaire
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- The Crucible by Arthur Miller
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault
- Cinderella by Charles Perrault
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
For more examples, check out English Language and Literature’s article here.
Allegory Writing Prompts
So, now that you know what an allegory is, why not craft your own? Writing prompts are an excellent way to begin practicing new writing techniques. Below are abstract ideas that you can use as the lesson/dual meaning within your story. You know the drill: get a timer, paper, and pen, and begin your story!
- Evil
- Greed
- Purity
- Curroption
- Humility
- Sin
- Love
- Marriage
- Political figures/war criminals
- Kindess
- Saftey
- Historical traumas and debated events
- Consistency
- Faith
- Lack of Control
- Risk and reward
- Spirituality
- Family
- Jealousy
- Gluttony
- Curiosity
- Paitence
- Compassion
- Respect
- Divinty
- Honesty
- Relgion
- Trust
- Forgiveness
- Jusitice
- Thivery
- Pride
- Hypocracy
- Insincerity
- Temperence
- Prudence
- Fairness
- Puncuality
- Deception
- Charity
If you’re feeling in a rut and need help getting into the practice of consistent writing, check out the journaling prompts below!
Conclusion
To conclude, allegories have been a literary tool to teach morals to all through their dual meanings. Authors use allegories to speak on controversies and help shine the truth of this world in a strategic, symbolic way.
A blessing in this world is the vast literary techniques such as this, which, surely, we all can recall growing up hearing. Why not be another teacher for all? Get writing!
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