Symbol, Allegory, and Fantasy Kayla Podell and Sandra Milosek
Symbol A literary symbol is something that means more than what it suggests on the surface. It could be an object, a person, a situation, an action, or some other element that has more than just literal meaning. Carries the meaning of a word to a greater meaning.
Examples of Symbols A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things. A dove symbolizes peace. The bald eagle symbolizes America. Trees symbolizes nature. The color white symbolizes life and purity. Roses symbolize romance. Literary example: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference” (Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken“).
Allegory An allegory is a story that has a second meaning beneath the surface, endowing a cluster of characters, objects, or events with added significance; often the pattern relates each literal item to a corresponding idea or moral principle. In other words! An allegory is a story with hidden meaning. However, An allegory does not have to be a written story. It can also be a picture or sculpture. An Allegory can also be described as a long metaphor. A fable and parable are simply shorter versions of an allegory with single ideas. When writing an Allegory, an author will not go for creating two separate levels of reality, but one literal and one abstract to get their point across.
Examples of Allegories “The Scarlet Letter” -Hester Prynne wears a scarlet “A” on her dress that represents adultery. “The Wizard of Oz” -Cowardice is embodied in the lion, thoughtlessness in the Scarecrow, and lack of heart in the tin man. In the end, they were informed that they had each of these characteristics all along. Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” *Review* -Humans who have lived in a cave since they were children, are chained up by their necks and ankles. They are unable to move so this allows them to only see what is before them. A fire is blazing in their plain sight and marionette players have shown shadow puppets to them their whole life. The puppet shows are their only source of knowledge. What would happen if the prisoners where released? -They would be weak, sore, and in a lot of pain. The light from outside the cave would hurt their eyes, but they would grow curious. The troublesome glare of the light will make it very difficult for them to see the reality of which the puppets never taught. After they learn that the shadow puppets’ teachings where all fake and they get a better look at the light of reality; they begin to get the real picture.
Fantasy Also known as a nonrealistic story. A fantasy transcends the bounds of known reality. Meaning that an author uses the truth and adds imagined facts. The author tries to create an illusion of reality but also keep the story in a state of something that could have actually happened. Other times, authors will stretch the boundaries and make the story implausible or even impossible. The reader must be willing to accept the author’s miraculous and whimsical world of which the story takes place and where a fictional plot begins to form.
Examples of Fantasies “Alice in Wonderland” (Lewis Carroll) -Alice falls down a rabbit hole which leads to a whimsical world to which she has an interesting adventure. “The Lord of the Rings” (J.R.R. Tolkien) -Frodo Baggins gets a hold of the ring that would potentially rule Middle Earth and Sauron needs this ring to regain full power. The series takes the reader through a journey of many characters’ adventures as well Sauron’s attempt to retrieve the ring and regain full power. “Narnia” (C.S. Lewis) -Four children are lead through a coat cabinet and find themselves in a magical world filled with fawns, dwarfs, witches, and many other creatures. They are faced with the challenge of defeating the White Witch in a war of good verses evil.
ACTIVITY! In this activity, you will all get into groups and be given a picture. You and your group will practice your abilities to recognize symbolism by describing in your own words what you think the picture means. After you have completed the assignment, you will be asked to share your findings with the class. There are no wrong answers!
Sources "Allegory." About.com Grammar & Composition. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. <http://grammar.about.com/od/terms/g/allegory.htm>. Arp, Thomas R., and Laurence Perrine. Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College, 1998. Print. "Examples of Symbolism." Examples of Symbolism. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. <http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-symbolism.html>. "1. The Road Not Taken. Frost, Robert. 1920. Mountain Interval." 1. The Road Not Taken. Frost, Robert. 1920. Mountain Interval. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. <http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html>.