Waiting for the Barbarians, written by J.M. Coetzee, is a novel that explores themes of power, oppression, and the consequences of colonialism. The story takes place in a frontier settlement owned by an unnamed empire, where the protagonist, a nameless civil servant, serves as a magistrate. The empire is in opposition to the “barbarians,” a …
Examples of Allegories
“The Red and the Black” is a novel written by Stendhal, first published in 1830. The novel is set in France and tells the story of a young man named Julien Sorel, who is determined to rise above his humble origins and make a name for himself in Parisian society. The novel is widely regarded …
“The City & The City” by China Miéville is a novel that combines elements of weird fiction with a police procedural. The book follows Inspector Tyador Borlú as he investigates a murder that takes place in two cities that exist side by side, but whose citizens are forbidden to acknowledge each other. The novel has …
“The Wasp Factory” by Iain Banks is a disturbing and thought-provoking novel that explores the dark and twisted mind of its protagonist, Frank Cauldhame. The novel was first published in 1984 and quickly became a cult classic for fans of fiction, horror, and thriller genres. The story is set in a remote Scottish village and …
“Riddley Walker” is a science fiction novel by Russell Hoban. The book has won numerous awards, including the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1981. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic society where the characters speak a phonetic, idiosyncratic version of English. The story follows the protagonist, Riddley Walker, as he sets out to …
“The Children of Men” is a dystopian novel by P.D. James published in 1992. Set in England in 2021, the book centers on the results of mass infertility. James describes a United Kingdom that is steadily depopulating and focuses on a small group of resisters who do not share the disillusionment of the masses. The …
“The Death of Artemio Cruz” is a novel written by Carlos Fuentes that tells the story of Artemio Cruz, a wealthy and powerful Mexican businessman. The novel is divided into three parts, each of which focuses on a different period in Cruz’s life. The first part takes place during the Mexican Revolution, when Cruz is …
“The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” is a novel written by Anne Brontë, the youngest of the Brontë sisters, and was published in 1848 under the pseudonym Acton Bell. The novel is widely regarded as a classic of Victorian literature and is often seen as a feminist work due to its strong female protagonist and themes …
“Earth Abides” is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by George R. Stewart, first published in 1949. The novel tells the story of the fall of civilization from a deadly disease and the emergence of a new culture with simpler tools. The story is set in the 1940s in Berkeley, California, and is told by Isherwood …
“The Painted Veil” by W. Somerset Maugham is a classic novel that explores the complexities of human relationships. Set in the 1920s, the story follows Kitty Garstin, a young woman who marries Walter Fane, a bacteriologist, to escape her family’s financial troubles. However, their marriage is far from perfect, and Kitty soon finds herself bored …