The literature often uses such techniques as allegory and metaphor. Allegory, according to Miriam and Webster dictionary, is “a story in which the characters and events are the symbols that are used to describe the ideas of human life as it is or its individual constituents”. One of the most striking examples of allegory in literature is Plato's work "Allegory of the Cave" in which people are shown to the reader's eyes as chained cave dwellers who are not seeing the daylight and are watching the movement of shadows that are projected on the walls by means of fire. Plato, describing the cave, mentions that these prisoners are «like ourselves». through the use of allegory, Plato wants to show human world through the eyes of people, who understand the fact that they are a part of this world. In other words, allegory is a method, which allows you to watch any side processes understanding that you yourself are an integral part of this process.
Another interesting technique is metaphor. Metaphor, according to Miriam Webster dictionary, is an "object, activity or idea, which is used as a symbol for the description of another object, activity or idea". A very interesting example of the use of metaphor can be called Jane Goodall’s work «First Observations». During the observation of chimpanzees, Goodall gives primates human names from the Bible. She calls one of primates Goliath. Goodall uses this metaphor to show the reader the size and strength of the primate that is living in the pack with his relatives and is clearly superior to many of them in size. Moreover, she uses the human name for the chimpanzee so that it will be easier for the human to identify with the primate which can be somehow compared to a man in terms of development. She was convinced of that on her own experience, while monitoring these creatures.
References
Allegory (n.d.) Merriam-Webster. Dictionary. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/allegory
Bloom, Z.L., White, M.E., Borrowman, S. (2004) The Allegory of the Cave. Plato. Inquiry:
Questioning, Reading, Writing (2nd Edition) (pp.138-142) Pearson
Bloom, Z.L., White, M.E., Borrowman, S. (2004) First Observations. Jane Goodall. Inquiry:
Questioning, Reading, Writing (2nd Edition) (pp.177-185) Pearson
Metaphor (n.d.) Merriam-Webster. Dictionary. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/metaphor
