Allegory: Story in the Mirror

1. Allegory: Story in the Mirror Allegorical/ Symbolic Literal

2. Symbols • A symbol is often an ordinary object, event, person, or animal to which we have attached meaning and significance. • Symbols can be inherited (crown) or invented (Peter Pan) • The most familiar symbols have been inherited, meaning, they have been handed down over time

3. Why Symbols? Why don’t writers just come right out and say what they mean? • Symbols allow writers to suggest layers and layers of meaning-possibilities that a simple, literal statement could never convey. • A symbol is like a pebble cast into a pond: It sends out ever widening ripples of meaning

4. Allegory • Allegory: • A specific type of symbolism…. • A genre of writing in which the objects, persons, and actions in a narrative have a symbolic meaning beyond the facts of the narrative • The story as a whole has a meaning beyond the literal interpretation.

5. Allegory • To understand allegory, you must first understand the difference between a literal interpretation and a figurative interpretation. • Literal interpretation: looking only at the words and plot…not looking at the symbolic nature of anything. • Figurative interpretation: looking at how the characters, plot, setting can be taken in a different context (metaphorically).

6. Symbols and Allegories • Remember a symbol is a word, place, character, or object that means something beyond what it is on a literal level. • An allegory involves using many interconnected symbols or allegorical figures in such as way that in nearly every element of the narrative has a meaning beyond the literal level, i.e., everything in the narrative is a symbol that relates to other symbols within the story.

7. An allegory can be read on one level for its literal or straightforward meaning • And on a second level for its symbolic, or allegorical, meaning. • Allegories are often intended to teach a moral lesson or to make a comment about goodness and vice.

8. Allegory Allegory Defined • The representation of ideas Often an allegory can follow this pattern: • A character represents mankind • Their mistake represents a mistake of mankind • Their punishment/ fate represents the punishment of mankind The story of Persephone and Hades could be read as both a parable and as an allegory.

9. How about Avatar?

10. The Gist • Humans try to pry away valuable resources from an alien species.

11. Breakdown Na’vi Innocent, peaceful alien species Their Home: Extremely valuable The Military: Greedy, blood-thirsty, and lacking respect for the indigenous people Na’vi= The Native Americans of pre-colonial America Their Home= The new land we now called America The Military: The English settlers who usurped the natives

12. Creation: According to the Greeks • Allegory, cont’d • An effective allegory can be read with or without knowledge of the symbolic connections Would you believe that many surmise that The Wizard of Oz is an allegory for a period in history called The Gilded Age?

13. Breakdown Dorothy: From Kansas; not rich and not poor The Wizard of Oz: A man of great power, but who doesn’t really know how to use it (a fake) The Witch: Evil and power hungry Dorothy= The everyman The Wizard of Oz= The Bumbling 25th President of the United States The Witch: The banks that looked to bully and abuse the average citizen

14. How about The Chronicles of Narnia ?

15. The Gist • Four children (with the guidance of a mystical lion) try to rid Narnia of the forces of evil.

16. Breakdown Aslan: Is killed as those looking on mock him; later returns Edmund: Tempted by the White Witch; almost turns against his family The White Witch: Rules of Narnia for 100 years; evil Aslan= Jesus Christ, complete with resurrection Edmund= Humans who must face temptation daily The White Witch: The Devil, who represents evil in the world

17. How about The Crucible?

18. The Gist • A Salem resident attempts to frame her ex-lover's wife for being a witch in the middle of the 1692 witchcraft trials.

19. Breakdown John Procter: Has inappropriate relations; violate religious code The witches: Violated norms of society and were hung during the Salem Witch Trials (34 in total) The Community: Reacted with hysteria and confusion John Proctor= Everyday man in the 1950s who went against the establishment and the USA government The witches= Victims of McCarthyism in the 1950s; anyone who was suspicious was labeled a Communist The Community: Fearful Americans, sitting idly by because of fear and confusion

20. How about Midas?

21. The Gist • King Midas loves gold, but when a god grants Midas’ wish to have everything he touches turn to gold, he learns a valuable lesson: Be careful what you wish for!

22. Breakdown Midas: King and lustful of gold Daughter: Turned to gold by her father Apollo: Makes Midas pay for his greed Midas= People in Power Daughter= The Innocent whose lives are destroyed Apollo: The gods who seek retribution for human folly

23. How about Animal Farm?

24. The Gist • Animals overthrow their human master in order to create a new utopia, but unfortunately the lofty goals of the rebellion are soon subverted.

25. Breakdown The Pigs (Napoleon): Cruel leaders who take advantage of the other animals’ stupidity The Windmills: Both failed (mostly) and successful attempts to modernize; offered the promise of less work for the other animals The Horse (Boxer): Works hard; believes in his leaders and concept of Animalism The Pigs (Napoleon): Joseph Stalin, the leader of Communist Russia The Windmills: Russia’s multiple attempts to industrialize; often called industrial revolutions The Horse (Boxer): The everyman or proletariat. Those promised much, who worked hard, and ultimately were taken advantage of by the bourgeoisie (upper class)