Allegory
Allegory: A story whose characters and events stand for a deeper moral, political or spiritual meaning.
Writers use allegory to argue something dangerous or abstract at one remove: the surface story entertains while the parallel meaning does the persuading.
Allegory examples
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
— Animal Farm, George Orwell
"The man that takes up religion for the world will throw away religion for the world."
— The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan
"How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?"
— Allegory of the Cave, Plato
"Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars."
— The Sneetches, Dr. Seuss
"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."
— Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Want a full walkthrough? Read our long-form guide: Allegory examples, explained.
Spot the Allegory
Score: 0/0A story whose characters and events stand for a deeper moral, political or spiritual meaning.
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
Which work is this from?
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Allegory: common questions
What is allegory in literature?
A story whose characters and events stand for a deeper moral, political or spiritual meaning. Writers use allegory to argue something dangerous or abstract at one remove: the surface story entertains while the parallel meaning does the persuading.
What is an example of allegory?
A classic example is "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." (Animal Farm, George Orwell).
What is the difference between allegory and symbolism?
A symbol is a single element that carries extra meaning; an allegory is a whole narrative built so that its characters and events map onto a second meaning throughout. Symbols can appear anywhere, while an allegory commits the entire story.
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