The Valley of Dry Bones is a well-known allegory found in the book of Ezekiel 37:1-14. It is a vision that Ezekiel received from God, and it has fascinated and inspired readers for centuries. In this allegory, Ezekiel sees a valley filled with dry bones, and God commands him to prophesy to the bones so …
Types of Allegories
“Babbitt” is a novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1922. The book is a satirical critique of American middle-class life and values. The main character, George F. Babbitt, is a middle-aged real estate broker living in the fictional midwestern city of Zenith who is dissatisfied with his life despite enjoying all the modern conveniences of …
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 …
“The Allegory of Love” by C.S. Lewis is a book that explores the allegorical treatment of love in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Published in 1936, it is considered one of Lewis’s most influential works. The book traces the development of the allegorical form of literature, which was a popular way of conveying complex …
“Bartleby, the Scrivener” is a short story written by Herman Melville in 1853. The story is about a Wall Street lawyer who hires Bartleby, a new clerk, to work in his practice. However, Bartleby soon refuses to do his job and rejects every request with a polite “I would prefer not to.” The story has …
Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll is a classic children’s novel that has captured the imagination of readers for generations. This book is a sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and follows Alice as she enters a fantastical world through a mirror. The novel is full of whimsical characters and nonsensical situations that have made …
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel that explores the complexities of morality during World War II. Published in 1961, the novel was not initially well-received, but has since been recognized as a powerful work of allegory. The novel follows the life of Howard W. Campbell Jr., an American playwright who becomes a Nazi …
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories that takes place during a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury, Kent. The collection is considered a masterpiece of Middle English literature and has been studied and analyzed for centuries. One of the most notable aspects of The Canterbury Tales is …
Darkness at Noon is a novel written by Hungarian-born author Arthur Koestler and first published in 1940. The novel is set in the aftermath of the Stalinist Great Purge and Moscow show trials, between 1938 and 1940. It tells the story of Rubashov, an Old Bolshevik who is arrested, imprisoned, and tried for treason against …
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann is a novel that has been widely considered as one of the most influential works of twentieth-century German literature. The novel explores themes of time, illness, death, and the clash of ideologies, set against the backdrop of pre-World War I Europe. The story takes place in an international sanatorium …