Which term is used for a story, play, or picture in which characters symbolize ideas and convey a second, hidden meaning?

Which term is used for a story, play, or picture in which characters symbolize ideas and convey a second, hidden meaning?

• A. Autobiography
• B. Allegory
• C. Allusion
• D. Apostrophe

Answer: (B)

Allegory is a narrative where characters and events stand for larger ideas and convey a hidden meaning beyond the surface story. The characters act as symbols for moral, political, or social concepts, so readers uncover a second layer of meaning as they engage with the plot. For example, stories with animals or figures that represent different groups or forces can critique real-world issues without stating them outright. This differs from autobiography, which tells a person’s own life story; allusion, which is a brief reference to another work or thing within a text; and apostrophe, which is a direct speech to someone or something absent or inanimate. So the term that fits is allegory.

Allegory is a narrative where characters and events stand for larger ideas and convey a hidden meaning beyond the surface story. The characters act as symbols for moral, political, or social concepts, so readers uncover a second layer of meaning as they engage with the plot. For example, stories with animals or figures that represent different groups or forces can critique real-world issues without stating them outright. This differs from autobiography, which tells a person’s own life story; allusion, which is a brief reference to another work or thing within a text; and apostrophe, which is a direct speech to someone or something absent or inanimate. So the term that fits is allegory.