Allegory vs. Parable
By Duncan Rize

Often treated as synonyms, the difference between allegory and parable is often not easy to recognize. Both forms of writing employ metaphor in order to get abstract ideas across through storytelling. Most often, however, parables tend to be much shorter than allegorical tales. A parable is more often a short tale on a particular subject, meant to teach the reader about a moralistic or religious concept through example.

Parable most often has one central point and has one particular truth the author wants to impart. Every major detail of the story illustrates the theme, but it can have some irrelevant information in it. Often the story itself has nothing to do with the lesson it’s trying to get across, but usually the point of the parable is made clear in the end through example or application. A parable can be described as a short allegory with one theme or lesson to be taught.

An allegory can have more than one central point or theme and can teach a number of lessons within the story. The details within the story can wander off to teach another lesson of represent another idea or concept, but not necessarily. The events do not all necessarily have to do with the themes brought up. The meaning within the allegory is often woven into the story itself and becomes part of the tale and the examples that illustrate the points or themes can be found within the story. Parables clearly divide themselves between the story part and the lesson to be taught. Allegory blends the two into the storyline. Allegory tends to be characterized by being much longer than parable, with it’s themes fully fleshed out.

In essence, parables simply compare one event or action or theme to another while allegory uses characters or events to illustrate the topic or theme. It transfers the essence of one concept or idea into another. Parable merely says to the reader, “This is just like this”, while allegory puts forth a person or event and says, “This is this”.

C. S. Lewis’ novels, The Chronicles of Narnia are often considered allegories, although C. S. Lewis himself did not intent them to be. Contained in each of the seven books are allegorical elements which represent many aspects of the Christian faith and religion.

If one were to take small snippets within the story and set them up as a small tale, they might fit the description of parable, except for the fact that the lesson is intertwined into the story rather than set merely as an example of the lesson. Strung all together, each smaller tale also becomes part of a larger, allegorical tale and the lesson is contained within the tale rather than outside of it. The lesson is part of the story. Rather than having the reader be told after the fact what the lesson was, they are left to their own interpretations of what the tale may have been about. Often these interpretations are not what the author intended and yet still add to the beauty of the allegory.





Duncan Rize loves the writings of C.S. Lewis and works with the marketing group at www.LearningByGrace.org. Learning by Grace manages of a number of internationally known online K-12 academies including www.TheGraceAcademy.org, www.TheJubileeAcademy.org, www.TheMorningStarAcademy.org and www.TheNarniaAcademy.org . This article is © 2005 ELRN, Inc. and may be quoted in whole or part as long as the author (Duncan Rize) and source (www.TheNarniaAcademy.org) are credited.