Which term describes a story in which characters or events symbolize abstract ideas or moral concepts?

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Allegory is a narrative approach where characters, events, and details stand for larger ideas, often moral, social, or political messages, beyond what happens on the surface. The story works on two levels: the literal sequence of events and the symbolic meanings those events represent. For example, a tale about animals overthrowing a farmer can function as an allegory about revolution and power dynamics, with the surface plot about farm life masking a deeper commentary on oppression and governance. This emphasis on a story as a vehicle for broader meanings is what sets allegory apart. It’s different from an allusion, which is just a brief reference to another work or idea within the text, and from an archetype, which is a recurring character type or pattern across literature, or from merely presenting a central conflict, which drives the plot but doesn’t inherently encode broader symbolic meanings.