Transcript Allegory
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be
interpreted to reveal a deeper hidden
meaning, typically a moral or political
one
an allegory is a story with two
meanings, a literal meaning and a
symbolic meaning.
Allegory is
nothing new!
You have been reading
and watching it since
you were little!
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
• In 1933, Walt Disney
made an animated
cartoon based on the
tale, and the song for the
cartoon, “Who’s afraid of
the big bad wolf”, was a
best selling single.
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
Disney’s “The Three
Little Pigs” cartoon and
song were very popular
in the 1930’s.
Disney’s adaptation of
the cartoon and the
song were considered
an allegory for the
Great Depression, and
later to Nazi Germany.
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
Allegory for the Great Depression:
Wolf = the Depression
Three Little Pigs= Americans
Now think about the story,
substituting those key elements.
Doesn’t that make sense?
What message is being sent?
“Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad
Wolf” Lyrics:
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/so
ngs/childrens/badwolfmid.htm
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
It was meant to give
hope to Americans
struggling through
that time.
Reminded
Americans that the
way to get through
was to work hard,
and work together.
“ ‘The Three Little Pigs’ mirrored the people's
resolve against the "big bad wolf" of The
Great Depression; the song actually became
something of an anthem of the Great
Depression [3].” -
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
and the Holocaust
The song and a newer version of the cartoon was used to represent Hitler
and the Holocaust.
In 1941, Disney produced a special edition of the short, in which Practical
Pig was renamed Thrifty Pig and built his house of war bonds, thereby
foiling the wolf – who sported a swastika on his armband.
One sequence in the cartoon, which showed the Big Bad Wolf dressing up
as a of a Jewish peddler, was censored from the film after its release and
replaced with a less offensive sequence, with the Wolf pretending to be
the “Fuller Brush Man” instead, but still had a Yiddish voice.”
The wolf disguised as a peddler (with stereotypical jewish characteristics)
would try to persuade the pigs to come out of the house.
Wolf = ….?
Little Pigs =…?
Allegory example: “The Three Little Pigs”
Excerpt from New York Times
article: “Still Huffing, Still Puffing”
(2001).
In 1933, when Disney's Technicolor animated
treatment of the story won an Oscar, the wolf at
the door represented the Great Depression, and
Walt himself explained the moral: ''Wisdom along
with courage is enough to defeat big bad wolves
of every description and send them slinking
away.''
We use fables, G. K. Chesterton observed, for the
purpose of ''handing down those tremendous truths
that are called truisms.'' As allegories, they are
applicable to any situation.