Analysis

Allegory as a literary or dramatic device serves as a conduit between author and audience. A form of extended metaphor, allegory peddles meaning in an indirect fashion. As an author, getting across one's point can be a daunting task. Once a work of prose, theater, or any other art form is out of the hands of the author, the interpretation of that work is solely in the hands of the audience. How then to convey a specific message without an air of condescension or of preaching? The answer lies in the use of devices like allegory. Allegory allows an author to craft highly specific meaning in a way that both explains itself, and does not interrupt the aesthetic of a piece of work.

I would like to first address what allegory is, and what it is not. Metaphor is a form of analogy that operates by comparing unlike things. From these comparisons, meaning is generated that is not intrinsic to the literal relationship of the metaphor. The reasons for operating in this roundabout manner are plentiful, but one stands out in its measure of importance. It is the simple fact that people do not enjoy being preached to. In the context of work that employs metaphor, authors are often attempting to deliver elaborate or highly nuanced messages. Were these to be dictated to the audience, they would likely take offense. In explaining an idea one must leave room for something to be “figured out” lest it insult the intelligence of the target. The actual intelligence of this sentiment remains to be seen, but it exists nonetheless. Allegory operates within the confines of this definition of metaphor, but it acts along very different principals. Metaphor acts by obscuring its message in the technique of the delivery. Amongst forms of metaphor, however, allegory seeks to crystallize the meaning of a piece of work. Any unnecessary act of obfuscation would run counter to the purpose of an allegory.

This is directly related to the nature of allegorical components. They are firmly grounded in the cultural norms of the target audience. Allegory works with readily recognizable symbols that are drawn either from the accepted symbolisms of a society, or from object-meaning relationships that easily are interpreted by anyone. Examples of symbols intrinsic to Western society include roses as a symbol for passion, scales as a symbol for justice, or ships as a symbol of exploration. These stand in contrast to more general symbols like water as a symbol of healing or life. Straying from these two varieties of readily apparent symbolisms would enter into the realm of conceit. What this means is that in designing a persistent allegory, an author is crafting new meaning from that which already exists. The wealth of allegorical components available to an author are bountiful. Nearly every word and concept has both a literal and more metaphorical meaning. Such is the nature of language. Authors must give constant attention to this duality of meaning as an audience will analyze both, whether the author intended it or not. The fact that words, objects, and events always own multiple meanings allow for subsidiary messages to be conveyed in a way that does not interrupt the literal interpretation of a piece of work. I would like to demonstrate this with two narrative selections.

The first is Toni Morrison's //Beloved//. This story depicts the life of an escaped slave woman. It focuses on the unsharable nature of traumatic experience, and the common identity, or lack thereof, of Black community which resulted from the institution of slavery. These are difficult themes to convey as they are highly internalized sentiments, and internalized is the tact Morrison took in writing. This story is told from a perspective that weaves between dialogue and the private thoughts and memories of the actors. There is no room in this writing style for characters to dictate to the reader what the author wants them to understand. So Morrison speaks through metaphor.

Beloved, the story's namesake, is a complex allegorical figure. She is seemingly the resurrected ghost of the main character's, Sethe's, dead child. Specifically she represents Sethe's grizzly choice to murder her child rather then subject her to a life of slavery. This is a literal example of, as the saying goes, the past coming back to haunt her. They engage in a parasitic relationship of love and possession that demonstrates the destructive nature of dwelling on past mistakes. Beloved is the allegorical object, and her relationship to Sethe is the allegory itself. The more that Sethe loves Beloved, the more her new daughter demands until Sethe herself begins to waste away.

Beloved also serves as an allegorical representation of the horrors of slavery. She is murdered by her mother to protect her from slavery. She represents a terrible act that her own mother committed to prevent an even more horrid future. As a result the reader instantly ties her to slavery as she is martyred by the institution. This easy relation allows us to quickly tie some of her own characteristics to slavery itself. I would like to focus on the fact that she is mute. A common experience that many of the ex-slaves in the novel seem to share is that they cannot or will not put to words the things that have happened to them. This is simply because they are too painful to recall. Many survivors of slavery, rather than deal with these issues, choose to block them until they fade from memory. When Beloved is asked to explain herself, she too cannot put her experience to words. Yes it is because she presumably has the mind of a child, but it is also because she is a symbolic representation of crippling memories. This is why Beloved withers Sethe despite the fact that she has regained a child. She is a memory so painful that they only way to handle her is to forget her.

The second example I would like to bring to light is the use of historical allegory in Alan Moore's //V for Vendetta//. //V for Vendetta// is set in a near-future facist UK, and focuses on the terrorist acts of one V in his attempts to liberate society. Now the entirety of the graphic novel is wrought with allegorical devices: the masked bandit-hero, blowing up “Lady Justice”, V's plan as dominoes, etc. These are all put forth very plainly, and often explained by some monologue of the protagonist. But the overarching setting is a slightly more subtle, and more important symbol.

The elements of the political climate and events of recent history in the text attempt to tie the story directly in with contemporary events in our own history. This is exceedingly important as it allows any of Moore's themes to drive home with a greater impact. The graphic novel itself is set in a world that has recently experienced nuclear war and a resultant socioeconomic collapse. These were powerful fears at the time of its publication (1982). The political climate of Britain prior to the world catastrophe is similar to Moore's view of Margaret Thatcher's leadership of Brittain's conservative party. Once Norsefire has taken hold in the novel, their practices of targeting queer individuals, use of violence, and eventually concentration camps draw clear parallels to Germany's Nazi Party. This story of virtue and the fear of totalitarianism gets updated in the Wachowski brothers' film adaptation. The story itself remains relatively unchanged, but they update these historical cues to make it relevant to a post-9/11 world. What was a nuclear attack is now a biological attack, and what was a totalitarian regime is now held in power by the political apathy of its subjects. Historical allegory allows for a story told in a very foreign setting to hold direct contemporary relevance for a reader.

Allegory gives much and takes little away. It adds a small layer of complexity to a narrative in exchange for richer and more numerous theses. It allows for writers and artists to deliver principals and lessons without the need for an essay. Symbolism is ultimately what allows us to communicate effectively and deeply.

For further reading:

The Lorax - A famous children's novel by Dr. Seuss that delivers an allegory on sustainable development.

Pilgrim's Progress - A novel by John Bunyan often heralded as the quintessential allegorical tale.

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