What is an Allegory? Definition and Examples in Literature and Film

What Does Allegory Mean in Cinema?

How to Define Allegory in Film

Allegories are used in storytelling to communicate something symbolic; whether it be moralistic or political. Some allegory examples in literature include the self-titled Animal Farm allegory, the setting of Metamorphosis, and the social order in 1984.

We’re going to focus on how allegories are used in cinema and literature. But before we jump into our examples let’s start with an allegory definition.

It might be helpful to think of allegories in this regard: a well known type of allegory is a fable. 

A fable is a symbolic story that uses anthropomorphism in animals/inanimate objects to convey complex metaphors. 

A parable is similar to a fable because of its brief and it focuses on didacticism – but its difference lies in how it only involves human characters.

Both fables and parables are types of allegories – simply symbolic, metaphorical stories that have an instructional purpose.

What is an Allegory and Where did it Originate?

Allegory Examples in Movies & Lit.

Now that we’ve reviewed the allegory definition, let’s take a look at some allegory examples in movies and literature.

ALLEGORY EXAMPLES IN MOVIES

• Avatar – an allegory for imperialist oppression; and how it destroys indigenous cultures and the environment. 
• Metropolis – an allegory for class warfare; and the worsening divide created by industrialism.
• The Truman Show – an allegory for reality TV obsession; and how real people are dehumanized by consumer audiences.
• La Strada – an allegory for the road of life; and how in the end, we’re all swept back to the seashore.
• The Seventh Seal – an allegory for religious judgement; and the eternal battle between life and death.
• Fight Club – an allegory for consumerism; and how social expectations corrupt our sense of self.

ALLEGORY IN LITERATURE EXAMPLES

Note: some of the most famous “allegory in literature” examples are technically fables because they include anthropomorphized animals. That being said, the actionable difference in the allegory novel definition is minute; so we’re going to include the Animal Farm allegory and other examples here.

• Animal Farm – a fable/allegory for revolution; and how the pursuit of power is often feigned for idealism.
• The Lorax – a fable/allegory for deforestation; or the destruction of ecology for financial profit.
• The Trial – an allegory for bureaucracy; and how “the system” keeps “the man” down.
• The Crucible – an allegory for persecution; and how groups with power seek to disarm groups without power.
• Lord of the Flies allegory for social structure; and how humans conceal their savage ways. 
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – a religious allegory for the betrayal of Christ.

Allegory examples

Allegory in Arts

Allegory can also be found in fine art, where paintings or sculptures in their entirety are commenting on something beyond what they are literally depicting. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Reminder - Hans Thoma

In Thoma’s etching, we see a skeleton angling a mirror at a woman’s face. Throughout history, this type of animate skeleton represents death. Combining this appearance of death with a woman looking in a mirror, along with the title, represents the unforgiving passage of time and the folly of vanity.

The Alchemist – Pieter Bruegel the Younger

“The Alchemist” is a lot to take in at first glance, but with time its allegory becomes clear. Bruegel the Younger is warning against greed and shortcuts, showing us an alchemist (the discredited profession of turning elements into gold, among other things) frantically at work.

The cherry on top is the man fanning the flames, dressed as a fool. In other words, this is an approach that is only fostered by ignorance.

Allegory of the Catholic Faith – Johannes Vermeer

No need to take our word for it; Vermeer put it right in the title of his painting. “Allegory of the Catholic Faith” is, indeed, a multilayered allegory for Vermeer’s newfound Catholicism. The woman’s foot on the globe symbolizes Christianity’s dominance over the globe, and the crushed snake represents the Church’s power to defeat evil.

There’s a political angle to this painting, too. At the time, Catholic Masses were banned in Vermeer’s native Dutch Republic, so the trappings of the ritual on the table signifies the proliferation of Masses done secretly in people’s homes.

What is an Allegory and Where did it Originate?

A Quick History of the Term Allegory

The word allegory was popularized in the Ancient Greek world by the philosopher Plato, who used the term to propose his famous Allegory of the Cave. This next video does a great job of touching on the word’s etymology and the cave theory’s pervading impact on philosophy and culture:

Check out more on Plato’s famous theory in our article on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave.

Over the past 2,400 years, the term allegory has changed slightly in meaning, but Plato’s supposition of its importance has not.

Allegory Examples in Literature and Movies

Allegory vs. Metaphor 

It can be a little tricky differentiating metaphors from allegories because the latter term directly involves the former. So how do we do it? 

Well, we start with what makes them the same: allegories and metaphors are both symbolic techniques, which is a fancy way to say they both use non-literalism. What is non-literalism? Non-literalism (or figuratism) is anytime we are meant to derive meaning from something other than what an object appears to be. For example: a gravestone symbolizes death – but we only know that because of social learning. If aliens came to our planet, they probably wouldn’t connote that symbolic meaning.

In a visual sense, metaphors serve to symbolize things on a 1-to-1 basis. For example (spoilers beware for the 1941 classic Citizen Kane): Rosebud is a metaphor for forlorn desire. Allegories on the other hand serve to symbolize things in a grander sense. If Rosebud is a metaphor for forlorn desire, then the burning of Rosebud is an allegory for the loss of forlorn desire. 

Let’s take a look at Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer to see how another masterclass filmmaker pulls it off.

Snowpiercer follows the story of Curtis Everret (Chris Evans) and the revolt he leads aboard the train of the same name. The train is divided into sections based on class; Curtis is in the impoverished section all the way in the back. So it’s fair to say that the train itself is a metaphor for a social caste. The setting quite literally separates people into wealth-based sections which results in varying standards of living and rampant discrimination.

This next video shows us how the setting of the train was set-up in Snowpiercer, spoilers beware:

So if the train is a metaphor for a discriminatory social caste, then what’s the allegory of the film? Well that can be inferred by the events of the story. Curtis is a symbolic figure of the lower-class, almost messianic in nature. His journey from the back of the train to the front is allegorical – layered in metaphors, symbolism, and subtext. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that these devices are used. 

What can we infer from the way Joon-ho frames the choices Curtis has to make? Well as the video explains, the “right” choice is a metaphor for moving forward, moving up the social caste. The “left” choice is a metaphor for looking back, expressing a connection to the place he came from. 

Another major way in which Snowpiercer communicates allegory is through its production design. As we advance with Curtis up the train, we see the set dressing and wardrobing of characters transform from dirty and drab to elegant and colorful. These production decisions are often very exaggerated, which helps us to see their purpose. 

Interestingly, the climax of Snowpiercer brings us back to a set that’s just as grey as the slums in the beginning, perhaps to suggest a cyclical theme, similar to that of a train that does loops around the world. 

This theme aids the allegory of a social revolt’s role in bringing about the demise of class structure. So what’s an allegory used for in Snowpiercer? To show us social revolt in a non-literal way.

What is an Allegory Used For?

Allegory vs Other Devices

Allegories can sometimes be confused for other literary devices as well. Let’s take a look at how an allegory differs from some of the following terms.

Allegory vs parable

A parable can be considered a subtype of an allegory. Parables are short, simple stories that have larger moral lessons that are relatively easy to identify. Take “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” for example. Everyone knows the beats of that short story, and everyone knows the lesson.

Thus, a parable is an allegory, but not all allegories are parables. Many allegories, like most of the ones we’ve already mentioned, are far too complex and nuanced to be considered parables.

Allegory vs fable

Fables are very similar to parables. The main difference is that fables focus on non-human characters, so they are more fantastical in their nature. “The Tortoise and the Hare” is a famous example of a fable.

As such, fables too are a subtype of the allegory.

Allegory vs symbolism

Symbolism refers to an object or event which has a larger, typically figurative significance. Therefore, allegories are rife with symbolism. 

Take Avatar. The Na’vi are symbols for indigenous people, while unobtainium is a symbol for whatever resource the market demands (oil, gold, etc.). Taken as a whole, the narrative is an allegory.

Now, let’s dig in a little deeper to the subtypes of allegories we’ve already mentioned.

What is an Allegory Used For?

Breaking Down Other Types of Allegory Examples

As we alluded to earlier, both fables and parables have been used for centuries to convey metaphors in storytelling. Although these types of allegories are more prevalent in literature, they’re still sometimes used in film. 

FABLE EXAMPLE

Let’s take a look at a scene from the classic Orson Welles film Mr. Arkadin to see how one of these allegory types is put to use.

What type of allegory is the “scorpion and the frog?” Since it involves two animals, it’s a fable not a parable. The more important question is: what’s the purpose of the allegory? Well, quite simply, it adds to the film’s theme of character permanence; that a person is innately “who they are” and is incapable of change. The fable of the scorpion and the frog supports this theme through metaphors. Oh, and the shot composition also makes great use of the Dutch Angle.

PARABLE EXAMPLE 

Now, let’s break down the use of a parable in film. This next scene shows us how filmmakers can use plot, setting, and production design to create a parable. 

UP NEXT

Explore more literary devices

An allegory is just one of many literary devices and types of figurative language, including irony, satire, and paradox. If you're a writer and want to develop your craft fully, do yourself a favor and continue this exploration. The next article on literary devices is a gateway to many of these tools that help add substance and style to any type of written work.

Up Next: Literary Devices Index →