What is an allegory?
Q: What is an allegory?
A: An allegory is a story or picture with a hidden meaning where the characters are symbols that represent particular ideas.
Q: Does an allegory have to be a story in language?
A: No, an allegory can be something to look at, such as a painting or sculpture.
Q: How is an allegory like a long metaphor?
A: An allegory is like a long metaphor because it uses symbols to express ideas beyond their literal meaning.
Q: What is a fable or parable?
A: A fable or parable is a short allegory with one basic idea, usually a moral lesson.
Q: Can stories have meanings that the author did not intend?
A: Yes, sometimes people interpret stories in ways that the author did not intend, and they may change the author's ideas.
Q: What is an example of a book that has been interpreted as an allegory for the World Wars?
A: The Lord of the Rings has been suggested as an allegory for the World Wars, but the author, J.R.R. Tolkien, denied that it was an allegory.
Q: Why do some people change the author's ideas in their interpretation of a story?
A: Some people may change the author's ideas for their own political reasons.
