Allegory
 a story, poem, or picture that can be
interpreted to reveal a deeper hidden
meaning, typically a moral or political
one
 an allegory is a story with two
meanings, a literal meaning and a
symbolic meaning.
Allegory is
nothing new!
 You have been reading
and watching it since
you were little!
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
• In 1933, Walt Disney
made an animated
cartoon based on the
tale, and the song for the
cartoon, “Who’s afraid of
the big bad wolf”, was a
best selling single.
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
 Disney’s “The Three
Little Pigs” cartoon and
song were very popular
in the 1930’s.
 Disney’s adaptation of
the cartoon and the
song were considered
an allegory for the
Great Depression, and
later to Nazi Germany.
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
Allegory for the Great Depression:
Wolf = the Depression
Three Little Pigs= Americans
Now think about the story,
substituting those key elements.
Doesn’t that make sense?
What message is being sent?
“Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad
Wolf” Lyrics:
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/so
ngs/childrens/badwolfmid.htm
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
 It was meant to give
hope to Americans
struggling through
that time.
 Reminded
Americans that the
way to get through
was to work hard,
and work together.
“ ‘The Three Little Pigs’ mirrored the people's
resolve against the "big bad wolf" of The
Great Depression; the song actually became
something of an anthem of the Great
Depression [3].” -
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
and the Holocaust
 The song and a newer version of the cartoon was used to represent Hitler
and the Holocaust.
 In 1941, Disney produced a special edition of the short, in which Practical
Pig was renamed Thrifty Pig and built his house of war bonds, thereby
foiling the wolf – who sported a swastika on his armband.
 One sequence in the cartoon, which showed the Big Bad Wolf dressing up
as a of a Jewish peddler, was censored from the film after its release and
replaced with a less offensive sequence, with the Wolf pretending to be
the “Fuller Brush Man” instead, but still had a Yiddish voice.”
 The wolf disguised as a peddler (with stereotypical jewish characteristics)
would try to persuade the pigs to come out of the house.
Wolf = ….?
Little Pigs =…?
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
Excerpt from New York Times
article: “Still Huffing, Still Puffing”
(2001).
 In 1933, when Disney's Technicolor animated
treatment of the story won an Oscar, the wolf at
the door represented the Great Depression, and
Walt himself explained the moral: ''Wisdom along
with courage is enough to defeat big bad wolves
of every description and send them slinking
away.''
 We use fables, G. K. Chesterton observed, for the
purpose of ''handing down those tremendous truths
that are called truisms.'' As allegories, they are
applicable to any situation.