allegory
AL-uh-gor-ee
/ˈæl.ə.ɡər.i/
A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
In an allegory, characters and events stand in one-to-one correspondence with broader abstract ideas or historical events.
The story behind the word. Formed in Greek from 'allos' (other) and 'agoreuein' (to speak openly in the assembly). Literally meaning 'speaking otherwise', it described language that said one surface thing while deliberately communicating another hidden meaning beneath.
Word relationships
- parable: A parable is a short allegorical story teaching a specific moral or religious lesson.
- fable: A fable uses animals as characters to convey a moral message.
- literal text: A literal text has no hidden metaphorical meaning beyond its surface statements.
Commonly confused with
- analogy: An analogy is an explicit comparison drawn between two distinct things to explain an idea; an allegory is an entire narrative with layered symbolic meaning.
Word family
- allegorical (adjective): Constituting or containing an allegory.
- allegorically (adverb): In an allegorical manner.
- allegorize (verb): To interpret or represent as an allegory.
Collocations
- political allegory
- moral allegory
- extended allegory
- veiled allegory
Example sentences
- "George Orwell's Animal Farm serves as an allegory for the events of the Russian Revolution." Literary Analysis
- "Plato's Allegory of the Cave explores the nature of knowledge, perception, and reality." Classics
Memory hook
ALLEGORY = ALL OTHER meanings inside the story. Allegory: speaking otherwise, revealing hidden truth.
When not to use
Do not confuse allegory with simple symbolism; symbolism uses an object for an idea, whereas an allegory is a complete sustained story framework.
Fun facts
- In medieval Europe, allegory was considered the ultimate spiritual reading method to find divine secrets hidden in secular tales.
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