“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 …
Types of Allegories
“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 …
Our Town by Thornton Wilder is a classic play that explores the everyday lives of the residents of Grover’s Corners, a small fictional town in New Hampshire. The play, first performed in 1938, is known for breaking new ground in the theater world with its simple setting, absence of props, and direct address to the …
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 …
“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 …
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a novel by James Joyce that was published in 1916. This novel is considered one of the most important works of modernist literature, and it is widely studied in universities around the world. The novel is a coming-of-age story that follows the intellectual and emotional …
The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, first published in 1925. The novel is set in the roaring twenties, a period of great economic growth and cultural change in America. The story follows the life of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious and wealthy man who throws extravagant parties in hopes of winning …
“Schindler’s List” is a critically acclaimed American epic historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1993. The film is based on the novel “Schindler’s Ark” by Thomas Keneally, which tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved more than a thousand Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employing …