According to Dictionary.com, allegory [al-uh-gohr-ee] is a noun meaning "a poem, play, picture, etc., in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolize a deeper moral or spiritual meaning." A literary allegory is an extended metaphor, with both a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning. (Fables and parables are kinds of allegories.)
One of my favorite books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, is a fantasy novel -- but it is also a Christian allegory. Another favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, has been said (though not by its author) to be a political allegory.
Can you think of other allegories that you've read?
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