allegory
Say it: AL-uh-guh-ree /ˈælɪɡəri/ · noun
What “allegory” means
A story whose people and events represent a deeper message.
More precisely: A story whose characters and events stand for deeper moral or political meanings.
Example: “Animal Farm works as a children's tale and as an allegory of the Russian Revolution.”
When to use it
When discussing a story that uses invented characters and events to explore real moral or political questions.
Similar words
parable, fable, symbolic tale
Where it comes from
Greek allēgoria, 'speaking otherwise'.
Quick check
A tale about animals sharing a shrinking pond represents how countries fight over resources. What kind of story is it?
a parody or an allegory?
Show the answer
an allegory
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