The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami is a novel that has captured the imagination of readers worldwide. It is a complex and multi-layered work that explores themes such as identity, memory, and the human condition. The novel has been the subject of much critical analysis and has been hailed as a masterpiece of modern …
Types of Allegories
“A Serious Man” is a 2009 film directed by the Coen Brothers that explores the themes of fate, religion, and morality. The movie is set in the late 1960s in a Jewish community in Minnesota, and follows the story of Larry Gopnik, a physics professor who faces a series of personal and professional crises that …
“The Sandman” by E.T.A. Hoffmann is a classic short story that has captivated readers for generations. This Gothic tale, first published in 1816, tells the story of Nathanael, a young man who becomes obsessed with the idea of the Sandman, a mysterious figure who visits children at night and takes away their eyes. The story …
“Coraline” by Neil Gaiman is a dark fantasy novella that has captured the hearts of readers of all ages. The story follows Coraline Jones, a young girl who discovers a secret door in her new home that leads to an alternate reality. In this parallel world, Coraline finds herself in a twisted version of her …
Jorge Luis Borges’ “Labyrinths” is a collection of short stories and essays that explores the complexities of human existence through the use of allegory. Borges, who is considered one of the most important writers of short fiction in the history of Latino literature, used the symbol of the labyrinth to represent the many different paths …
Andrei Tarkovsky’s “The Mirror” is a 1975 Soviet drama film that is loosely autobiographical, unconventionally structured, and incorporates poems composed and read by the director’s father, Arseny Tarkovsky. The film features Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev, Alla Demidova, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Tarkovsky’s wife Larisa Tarkovskaya, and his mother. The film is considered one of Tarkovsky’s most personal …
“The Cave” is a novel written by José Saramago that was published in Portuguese in 2000 and in English in 2002. The novel tells the story of an elderly potter named Cipriano Algor, his daughter Marta, and his son-in-law Marçal. The story is set in an unnamed country and explores the themes of identity, consumerism, …
Exodus by Leon Uris is a historical novel that tells the story of the founding of the state of Israel through the eyes of several characters. Published in 1958, the novel became an international publishing phenomenon, spending 19 months on the New York Times bestseller list. It is widely credited as helping foster empathy for …
“The Lotos-Eaters” is a poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, published in 1832. This poem is based on a portion of Homer’s Odyssey, in which Odysseus’s men are fed lotos plants and become mesmerized by the land onto which they have stumbled. The poem begins with Odysseus commanding his men to have “Courage.” They will …
“The Walrus and the Carpenter” is a narrative poem by Lewis Carroll that appears in his book Through the Looking-Glass. The poem is recited in chapter four, by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to Alice. The poem is an example of Victorian “nonsense” verse, and its precise meaning remains elusive. However, many literary critics have interpreted it …