“The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, has gained widespread popularity due to its vivid portrayal of a totalitarian society, Gilead, where women are subjugated and stripped of their rights. The novel presents a bleak picture of a future where women are reduced to their reproductive capacity and are forced to bear children …
Examples of Allegories
“The Lathe of Heaven” by Ursula K. Le Guin is a science fiction novel that explores the concept of reality and the power of dreams. The story takes place in a dystopian future where the world is plagued by overpopulation, food scarcity, global war, and the devastating effects of climate change. The protagonist, George Orr, …
Elie Wiesel’s play, “The Trial of God,” is a powerful allegory that explores the difficult question of how a just and loving God could allow the Holocaust to occur. The play takes place in a small Ukrainian village in the 17th century, where three Jewish travelers arrive seeking shelter. They soon learn that the local …
“The Man in the High Castle” by Philip K. Dick is a novel that explores alternative history. It depicts a world wherein the Axis Powers won World War II, and Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany rule the partitioned United States. The story is set in 1962, fifteen years after the end of the war in …
Metropolis, a 1927 German expressionist film directed by Fritz Lang, is a cinematic masterpiece that has influenced science fiction and dystopian films for decades. The film is set in a futuristic city-state, where the wealthy elite live in luxury above ground while the working-class toil in the depths of the city. Metropolis is a story …
Blade Runner, a science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, is a classic movie that has captured the attention of audiences worldwide. The film is known for its complex plot, stunning visuals, and thought-provoking themes. Blade Runner is set in a dystopian future where replicants, genetically engineered beings, are used for various purposes. The film …
“The Day of the Locust” by Nathanael West is a novel that explores the dark underbelly of Hollywood through the eyes of its protagonist, Tod Hackett. Published in 1939, the novel follows Hackett, a disillusioned artist, as he encounters eccentric characters and witnesses the decay of dreams in the entertainment industry. The novel is a …
Perelandra, the second book in C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy series, is a novel that explores the themes of temptation, sin, and redemption. The story follows the protagonist, Dr. Ransom, as he travels to the planet Perelandra, where he encounters the innocent and sinless inhabitants of the world. However, Dr. Ransom soon discovers that the planet …
Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a novel that has captured the attention of readers worldwide since its publication in 2001. The story follows the journey of Piscine Molitor Patel, a young Indian boy who is stranded at sea with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. While the novel is often categorized as …
Absalom, Absalom! is a novel by William Faulkner that has been widely regarded as one of the greatest works of American literature. The novel tells the story of Thomas Sutpen, a man who comes to Jefferson, Mississippi, in the early 1800s and builds an empire on the backs of slaves and the exploitation of the …