Allegory as a Literary Device

Aim: How do authors use allegory to deepen understanding?
Quick Write: Describe a time when you were in a situation in which you expressed your individuality loud and clear. What did you do to express yourself. What challenges did you overcome in doing this? What is one reason it is good for someone to express their individuality? When might it not be such a great idea?

Today's Lesson
Individualism is a belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence. As a philosophy, individualists believe in freedom from government interference to achieve one’s economic goals. The doctrine or philosophy also believes that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of a government or social group.

The United States was founded on a belief in the rights of the individual to live freely. The Bill of Rights was based on the understanding that all people are born equal and have the right to their individual beliefs. Many people believe that no one has the right to tell you how to vote, who to love, and to whom to pray. People express their individuality in the way they dress, their friends, music, dance, what they read, what they say, and what they do for work and fun.

Conformity: As you know, in social psychology, conformity is a social influence involving a change in behavior or belief in order to fit in with a group. It can be the result of something as simple as peer pressure or in some societies, a custom requiring individuals to act or dress a certain way. It also is not hard to understand the need for laws to control certain behaviors in every kind of society. For example, people obviously are not free to kill each other. People also must pay taxes.

In this country, there are laws and regulations covering all aspects of life from how to drive a car to procedures to follow when investing money or buying a house. Some public schools have dress codes that prevent students from wearing what they want to express their personalities. Students might not like these rules, but school officials have their reasons for it. Perhaps they feel dress codes create less of a distraction for students or perhaps they want to make it easier for disadvantaged students who cannot afford to buy expensive clothes that students consider “cool.” People must conform to rules and regulations of all kinds to be part of a peaceful and productive group or society.

In many cases, people actually want to conform so that they can feel part of a group that makes them feel important.

An allegory tells a story with the purpose of teaching about an abstract idea or principle. Allegories make use of symbols, characters and events to make their points. Watch this video that, using allegory, explains to children an aspect of conformity and how it can make people feel important by being part of a group: Dr. Seuss' "The Sneetches"  Consider: what does the star on the belly symbolize for the sneetches?

Your Challenge: Create your own allegory for how people conform to be part of a group and feel important, or how people express their individualism to be different. You may choose to write it, draw it, create a poster or slide presentation. Have fun with it!

Remember independent reading? Now is a good time to start thinking about your reading projects. See the list of suggestions under "Resources" in the right-hand margin. However, other ideas are encouraged. Just run them past me.

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