Not just the tip of the iceberg (or How Dr. Seuss Relates to Dante) Allegory Not just the tip of the iceberg (or How Dr. Seuss Relates to Dante)

Definition of Allegory For a story to be an allegory, it must be appreciated on two levels. The surface level (the story itself) The abstract level (the underlying meaning)

The Surface Story Must be complete. Must be readable on its own as a story without underlying meaning. Must have a beginning, middle, and end.

The Abstract Level All characters, events, objects represent something beyond themselves, telling another, often more important story.

Setting Allegory does not become dated by the passage of years. An allegorical story can be applied to different times, people, or situations in the course of history.

Allegory The meaning is hidden beneath the surface may become apparent only after close analysis.

The Allegory of the Journey The allegory of the journey: medieval period, steeped in Christian values. Examples: Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit/LOTR Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz Robert Frost’s “The Road not Taken”

Allegorical Readings Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” Mrozek’s “The Elephant”