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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Key Examples in Indian Camp
Allegory
Explanation and Analysis—European Colonization:
As a story that includes a hidden meaning and symbolic series of events, “Indian Camp” could be considered an allegory. On the surface, “Indian Camp” is about the (less-than-ideal) coming-of-age process of the young Nick Adams and, on a more hidden level, it is an allegory for the violence of European colonization.
The story’s allegorical nature is apparent from the opening scene, as a group of white men cross a body of water into Native territory, just as Europeans did when arriving in North America. What’s more, the white men’s interaction with the indigenous people they meet at first seems to be positive, as captured in the following passage:
Across the bay they found the other boat beached. Uncle George was smoking a cigar in the dark. The young Indian pulled the boat way up on the beach. Uncle George gave both the Indians cigars.
Related Themes:
