Marguerite Duras’s The Lover is a novel that explores the themes of colonialism, femininity, and poverty through the experiences of an unnamed narrator. The semi-autobiographical novel recounts a young girl’s affair with a wealthy, older Chinese man in French-colonized Vietnam. The novel is a modernist story of sexual coming of age in French colonial Vietnam. …
Examples of Allegories
Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson is an allegory that explores the themes of happiness and the human condition. The story follows Rasselas, the prince of Abyssinia, as he searches for the true meaning of happiness. Along the way, he encounters various characters and experiences different lifestyles, each with their own flaws and limitations. …
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna is a novel that explores the aftermath of Sierra Leone’s civil war. The book is an allegory for the struggles of individuals and communities to heal and rebuild after experiencing trauma and violence. The author uses a complex web of characters and relationships to illustrate the challenges of …
“The Machine Stops” is a science fiction novella written by E.M. Forster in 1909. It is considered a classic of the genre and has been praised for its prescient vision of a dystopian future where humanity has become overly reliant on technology. The story takes place in a world where people live underground in individual …
“The City of Joy” by Dominique Lapierre is a novel that has captured the hearts of readers all around the world. The book takes place in the slums of Calcutta, India, where over 200,000 people live per square mile. The story follows the lives of several characters, including a young Polish priest named Father Stephan …
Arthur C. Clarke’s “The Star” is a science fiction short story that explores the idea of religion and science. The story is about a Jesuit astrophysicist who leads a team to investigate the explosion of a star. While investigating, they discover the remnants of an extinct extraterrestrial species. This discovery leads the Jesuit astrophysicist to …
“The Wings of the Dove” by Henry James is a novel that has captivated readers for over a century. It tells the story of Milly Theale, an American heiress who is stricken with a serious disease and the impact she has on those around her. The novel is a masterpiece of allegory, with the dove …
The Sea of Fertility by Yukio Mishima is a four-part epic novel that explores Japanese history, culture, and spirituality. It follows the life of Shigekuni Honda, a man who believes in reincarnation, and is set in Japan from roughly 1912 to the 1970s. Each part of the novel is set in Japan and covers a …
“The Shadow of the Sun” by Ryszard Kapuściński is a captivating memoir that explores the author’s experiences as a journalist in Africa. Through vivid storytelling, Kapuściński provides a unique perspective on the continent, delving into its history, politics, and the impact of colonialism. The book offers a thought-provoking and insightful look at Africa’s past and …
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a novel that retells the classic myth of Achilles and the Trojan War. The novel is narrated by Patroclus, Achilles’ lover, and follows their relationship from childhood to the events of the Trojan War. The novel is a beautiful and moving exploration of love and loss, and …