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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
Allegory
Explanation and Analysis—Allied vs. Axis Powers:
The 1936 Olympics serve as an allegory in the book for the mounting, pre-World War II tensions occurring throughout the 1930s. While The Boys in the Boat is primarily focused on Joe Rantz and his journey from childhood to Olympic gold, the secondary focus of the book is Germany's use of the 1936 Olympics in order to project a curated image of Hitler's Germany onto the international stage. The structure of The Boys in the Boat, which interweaves Germany's Olympic preparations with Rantz's story, makes this focus clear.
Related Themes:
