Comparison workshop
AllegoryversusMetaphorWhat's the Difference?
Both create nonliteral meaning, but their scale differs.
Read the pair
How They Differ
First idea
Allegory
An allegory organizes a narrative system whose elements correspond to broader ideas.
versus
Second idea
Metaphor
A metaphor transfers qualities through a comparison that may be brief or extended.
See the signal
Examples
Allegory
A city sells its citizens' names until nobody can claim a history.
Metaphor
The committee was a locked door.