If you're drowning in a sea of symbols, you're probably wishing for a life preserver. I'll
throw you one next—it's the definition of allegory.
In almost every book you read for English, you'll probably come across at least one symbol.
(Remember from Recap 3 that a symbol is something that represents something else.)
But when everything stands for something else, you don't just have an author who's obsessed
with symbols. You have an allegory.
Now I'm not big on scholarly stuff, but here's a tidbit that's actually pretty awesome. Allegory
comes from the Greek word allegoria, which means "speaking otherwise."
Translation: An allegory is all about double meaning. You've got what's going on on the
surface of the story and then you have a political or social message that all the elements of
the story are working together to convey.
There's no tell-tale sign for an allegory, but often allegories have fantastical elements.
And context helps, too. If you know the author had a thing for criticizing the government,
you might have an allegory on your hands.
Still confused? Lord of the Flies, Gulliver's Travels, and The Wizard of Oz are all allegories.
Check one out to experience allegory firsthand ...
... or click on this video again for a repeat tutorial.