Introduction to The Alchemist Allegory, Fable, Parable

Allegory vs. Symbol A symbol is a word, place, character, or object that means something beyond what it is on a literal level. An allegory involves using many interconnected symbols or allegorical figures so that most elements of the story have a meaning beyond a literal level. They are similar, but an allegory is sustained longer, and is more fully detailed.

Allegory A story that has a double meaning. Everything in an allegory is a symbol that relates to other symbols within the story. Types of allegory: fable and parable.

The Role of Allegory Allegories were the method of choice for education many years ago. Why? Entertainment Easy to remember = Easy to pass on Underlying principles were used for teaching lessons

Where did Allegories go? We are a LITERALISTIC CULTURE grounded in an era of INSTANT GRATIFICATION (that including the information we receive). We are tired of figuring out “the message,” rather, we want it clearly delivered upfront. Proves why allegories are difficult to read for some students.

What is a Fable? A short, simple story with a moral lesson; a type of allegory.  The main characters in a fable are most frequently animals, though people and objects (like trees, rocks, rivers, etc.) are also sometimes used as central figures. The Aesopian fables emphasize the social interactions of human beings, and the morals they draw tend to reveal general truths about human nature.

What is a Fable? “The Shepherd’s Boy” There was once a young Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable time. This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterwards he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. But shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the forest, and began to worry the sheep, and the boy of course cried out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again deceiving them, and nobody stirred to come to his help. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock, and when the boy complained, the wise man of the village said: "A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.” (Here the moral is directly stated; sometimes the moral or truth is implied.)

What is a Parable? A simple story that typically uses humans as characters. Parables teach some religious principle, moral lesson, psychological reality, or general truth. Parables do not analyze social systems so much as they remind the listener of his beliefs or values. The audience hearing the parable is assumed to share a communal truth but perhaps to have set it aside or forgotten it. Parables generally show less interest in the storytelling and more in the analogy: Specific instance of human behavior Universal human behavior

What is a Parable? “The Prodigal Son” Jesus tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger demands his share of his inheritance while his father is still living, and goes off to a distant country where he "waste[s] his substance with riotous living" and eventually has to take work as a swineherd (clearly a low point, as swine are unclean in Judaism). There he comes to his senses and decides to return home and throw himself on his father's mercy, thinking that even if his father does disown him, being one of his servants is still far better than feeding pigs. But when he returns home, his father greets him with open arms and hardly gives him a chance to express his repentance. He kills a fatted calf to celebrate his return. The older brother resents the favored treatment of his faithless brother and complains of the lack of reward for his own faithfulness. But the father responds: Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. – (Luke 15:32, KJV) Lesson or universal truth?

Fable Parable Short, simple story Simple story – long or short Moral lesson Religious principle, moral lesson, psychological reality Animals, objects and humans are main characters Humans as characters Social interactions – general truths about human nature Remind listeners of his/her beliefs Remind us of communal truths

The Alchemist The Alchemist is an allegory with elements of both a fable and a parable—a story with both literal and symbolic levels of meaning. Several motifs (recurring symbols or themes) will be revealed. Important motifs in The Alchemist: dreams and omens; these are important in discovering one’s destiny.