tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post4691971942348597820..comments2024-02-27T00:19:14.984-08:00Comments on Burning Zeppelin Experience: Grappling with AllegoryMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741134687274260833noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post-81890693365352539112009-05-29T22:33:35.737-07:002009-05-29T22:33:35.737-07:00Alas, I don't have any advice for you. But as a To...Alas, I don't have any advice for you. But as a Tolkien buff, I will say that I was surprised at you including The Lord of the Rings in your list of allegories. Tolkien has explicitly denied that he wrote it as an allegory. If you see allegory in it, could it then be unintentional allegory?<br /><br />(If you had said Leaf by Niggle instead of The Lord of the Rings, I wouldn't have batted an eye.)Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12182579211549382453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post-2631025441313619662009-05-29T17:57:55.356-07:002009-05-29T17:57:55.356-07:00@mark
I don't think it's good, I think it's the B...@mark<br /><br />I don't think it's good, I think it's the Best (first/earliest/most extreme that people have chosen to base entire systems of belief on).<br /><br />David E. Teubner does an excellent example in his essay "Allegory in the Bible"<br />http://www.keeneonline.com/other/allegory.htm<br /><br />While I do not share his views 100% I feel he makes interesting points worth considering. <br /><br />http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=2055 also offers unique insights. ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post-54824571463435257872009-05-29T13:55:52.596-07:002009-05-29T13:55:52.596-07:00@ The Bionic Arabist:
Did you used to watch The ...<B>@ The Bionic Arabist:</B> <br /><br />Did you used to watch The Bionic Six when you were a kid? Man, I <I>loved</I> that show. It was better than Voltron.<br /><br />That said, <I>The Stolen Child</I> was really good.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I find everything you say incredibly disturbing. Successful allegory as purely accidental? Where does that leave me?<br /><br />Actually, it's not that bad, really. After all, the story idea did come before the purpose. Or, rather, it bubbled up out of wherever it is I keep ideas all on its own. I didn't set out to write a YA novel about gay rights, the idea just kind of... happened.<br /><br />So, maybe I should just write the damned thing and see what happens?<br /><br /><B>@ Anonymous:</B> <br /><br />I've got to say, I haven't the slightest clue what you mean by that.<br /><br />Here's the thing: I don't think the Bible really is very good allegory. Actually, it's kind of crap. The messages are unclear and contradictory, part mythology, part biased history, and part legal code (with attendant morally illustrative tales).<br /><br />Maybe it's a raised Reform Jewish thing. Maybe it's a univeristy trained bible scholar thing. Either way, I just don't get it. Explain?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post-80601805925810464302009-05-29T08:48:11.945-07:002009-05-29T08:48:11.945-07:00The best examples of allegory are found in the Bib...The best examples of allegory are found in the Bible. I'll let you think about that for a while.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8417850843973944836.post-31267153688840509492009-05-29T00:31:15.490-07:002009-05-29T00:31:15.490-07:00A thought: I have never successfully written an al...A thought: I have never successfully written an allegory that was meant to be an allegory. I have, however, written things that I later realized were excellent allegories for something that had been on my mind. So, on the second draft, I just emphasized the connections a little, and poof, non-overblown allegory.<br /><br />The best example of this from an actual writer I can think of is The Stolen Child. At least according to interviews with the author, he started the book because he was interested in the changeling legend (and an anthropological explanation for it). But all through the book is a remarkable allegory for the experience of feeling neither truly yourself nor truly human. Or for feeling that your life is not your life. Call it an allegory of alienation. I think you know why I might read it this way, but I don't think I'm alone in this.<br /><br />The author might think that's an obvious consequence of the legend itself and of his "failure to thrive" hypothesis, but I read it as an example of stumbling on an allegory, then running with it.The Bionic Arabisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03969840997189550449noreply@blogger.com