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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Allegory
Explanation and Analysis—Not-So-Civilized Society:
Throughout the novel, the characters seem like real boys rather than allegorical representations of vices and virtues. However, the boys' traits and actions stand in for behaviors and tendencies that Golding believes naturally occur in any group of humans. In this way, the boys' makeshift society on the island can also be read as an allegory for human civilization as a whole, with all of its downfalls and potential for brutality and malevolence.
Related Themes:
