Literary Theory Essentials: Allegory and Postcolonialism Defined

Allegory: Definition and Literary Examples

Allegory is a method of expressing a complex idea by means of simple visual images or narrative. An allegorical story must inherently contain two parts: the literal story and the figurative story that readers interpret following the author's lead. Note that the passing of time may influence interpretation, potentially leading to multiple meanings.

Distinguishing Allegory from Related Literary Devices

Allegory is distinct from, but often confused with, other literary devices:

• Metaphor: Compares two dissimilar things, showing what they have in common.
• Symbolism: Refers to isolated items that, when put together, form the larger allegory.
• Simile: Compares two things by explicitly stating the nature of the comparison.
• Analogy: Compares two things that actually do have common characteristics.

Sometimes, the meaning assigned to the images depends entirely on the author's intent. Allegories can also be personified (e.g., in The Wizard of Oz, characters take on human traits, such as the 'cowardly' Lion or the 'brainless' Scarecrow).

Key Allegories in Literature

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Aslan represents Jesus Christ (his resurrection and sacrifice). The Stone Table represents the stone tablets Moses brought down from Mount Sinai, and the animal characters often represent human attributes.
• Doctor Faustus: Features characters named after the Seven Deadly Sins (e.g., Pride, Sloth). The Good Angels represent virtue, while the Bad Angels represent desire.
• Gulliver’s Travels (Jonathan Swift): An egg represents the division between Catholics and Protestants. The people owned by Low Heels and High Heels are a representation of English political parties. Swift used this allegory to reflect and criticize England’s society during his time, specifically targeting King George I and the political condition.

Postcolonialism: Theory, Themes, and Key Thinkers

Postcolonialism is a critical literary study that analyzes the cultural impact and political consequences during and after the imperial era, particularly focusing on the British Empire's influence on its colonies. This field examines the viewpoints of both colonizers and the colonized, though perspectives vary significantly depending on the nation.

Core Focus and Themes

Postcolonial theory fundamentally questions the actions of the Empire and their lasting effects, raising crucial themes such as racism and systemic exploitation. This theory gives oppressed intellectuals their own voice to express their experiences.

Colonized countries gained prominence in literature, leading authors to develop distinct national literatures and raise awareness about the problems they faced.

Key Theorists and Literary Responses

Frantz Fanon is often cited as the first major postcolonial author on the subject. He initiated the debate by highlighting the colonized people's desire for individual identity and liberation.

Edward Said is considered the most important postcolonial theorist. He famously stated that the term 'the otherness' inherently implied racist connotations, defining marginalized groups in opposition to the dominant Western culture.

Rewriting Canonical Works

Postcolonial literature frequently features rewritten works that offer a changed point of view to show alternative perspectives on famous canonical texts:

• Aimé Césaire's Une Tempête (A Tempest) reflects Shakespeare’s The Tempest from Caliban’s standpoint.
• William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies offers a contrasting focus to R.M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island, exploring themes of dehumanization and the inherent belief in one group's superiority over another (showing how humans turn into savages over time).