Symbolism and
Allegory
Signs of something more…
Imagery
• Is the use of figurative or descriptive langrage to create
a vivid mental picture. It involves at least one of the five
senses—sight, sound, touch, feel, taste
Example of Imagery
• "For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed"
from Byron's The Destruction of Sennacherib;
Death is personified as an Angel, and shows the power
of the Lord by wiping out Sennacherib's mighty
Assyrian army with ease by 'breathing' on them.
The description and personification allows the reader
to visualize the scene.
3. Allegory
Meaning –A type of story in which the characters,
settings, and events are an interconnected series of
SYMBOLS. The deeper or symbolic meaning of the
story may contain a LESSON ABOUT LIFE.
Example:
• Animal Farm –The animals on the farm overthrow the
humans and take over running the place. This
represents events leading up to the Stalin-era in Russia.
The two main animals represented real life political
figures. So the farm politics represent real politics.
1. Symbol
Meaning – something that functions in a way one
would expect, but also represents something else
• Usually stands for something abstract
2. Public Symbols
Meaning – Symbols that are culturally recognized
What do these public symbols represent?
Why use symbols?
• Symbols are used to move the reader
• Examples:
• The Good Samaritan
• Cinderella’s glass slipper
• Symbols are easily remembered or recognized
• Examples:
• Flags
Identifying Symbols
1. Symbols are often visual.
• Ex. The different types of houses in The Three Little Pigs
2. Symbols often appear throughout a story.
• Ex. The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland
3. Symbols are a form of figurative language
4. Symbols often relate to the story’s theme