Understanding the Definition of Allegory
can Improve Your Writing
By Answers Staff
A common definition of allegory is calling it an extended metaphor. Allegories are full of
symbolism and meanings not always detected unless the reader looks below the surface.
For writers, having an understanding of what an allegory is and how to go about writing
one will enrich your writing. Read on for tips on writing an allegory of your own.
Read Other Allegories for Inspiration
You will find that reading allegories will improve your understanding of how to write one
yourself. Popular examples of allegories are "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, "Faerie
Queene" by Edmund Spenser, and "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville. These works are
classics and demonstrate how allegories can reach readers with their symbolism and
meaning. While reading, try to discern what the author is really writing about and how
they have embedded this deeper meaning into the work. Take notes on what you can
imitate in your own writing.
Choose the Type of Allegory You Want to Write
There are two types of allegory, historical allegory and an allegory of ideas. Decide
whether you are interested in referencing a historical or political event, past or present for
your story. In this type of allegory, you will create characters and events that mirror what
happened in the actual event. If you decide to write an allegory of ideas, the meaning will
be more abstract. Your characters will likely be personifications of different qualities.
When you set out to write your allegory, define what you want to teach your readers
through your writing.
Research What You Want to Reference
Now that you know the type of allegory that you want to write, you will need to research
your underlying topic. This is especially important if you will be writing an allegory
based upon something that actually happened. There is no doubt, George Orwell spent
time researching communism and the Russian revolution before and while writing
Animal Farm. His research helped him to make it possible for the reader to recognize the
parallels between the farm and communist Russia. If you write an allegory of ideas,
research is necessary. Read definitions and discussion of the qualities and behaviors that
you will be writing. Your in-depth research will add to the substance of your writing.
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Construct Your Plot and Characters
After planning the subject of your allegory, you will be ready to work on outlining the
plot and creating characters. Decide the setting of your story, taking into account multiple
options before picking one. Your characters could be animals, like George Orwell's
characters, or you could even make them aliens on another planet. This can be an
enjoyable part of writing your story, but be sure to give your plot and characters serious
thought.
Choose Your Tone
When writing an allegory consideration should be given to the tone of your work. You
can choose a sarcastic, satirical tone, such as used by George Orwell in Animal Farm.
Other examples tone options are optimistic, cynical, melancholy, informative, or
nostalgic. Think about how you want the reader to feel after reading your work and
construct your overall tone accordingly.
As you can see after reading this article, writing an allegory is not as hard as it looks. You
simply have to be familiar with a clear definition of what an allegory is, how other
successful authors constructed their stories, research the subject you would like to write
about, plan your story's plot and characters, and give attention to your tone. True, it will
take time and effort to perfect your story. Understanding the fundamental steps, though,
will make the process of writing your allegory much smoother and promises to provide
good results.
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