Allegory in Troy and

Haroun & The Sea of Stories

(Or how to do a 180 and save the relevance of a film watched in class)

“Allegory” Definition and Pronunciation (hopefully)• “Al -Leh -Gory” NOT “Ah-Leg-Gorree”• Add this to your “Glossary of Literary Terms”

handout in the definition column:o A narrative fiction in which the agents and

actions and sometimes the setting as well, are contrived to make coherent sense on the literal level of signification and, and at the same time to signify a second, correlated order of agents, concepts or events.

WAIT – On second thought, don’t write this just yet.

Lets translate into “normal speak”

• A narrative fiction in which the agents and actions and sometimes the setting as well, are contrived to make coherent sense on the literal level of signification and, and at the same time to signify a second, correlated order of agents, concepts or events.

• Oh crap….

Maybe some examples will help us with the definition.• Hmmm what was that movie with the Smurfs

from a few years ago? Right, Avatar!o James Cameron’s Avatar can be seen as an

allegory of the colonialization of the America’s by the Europeans in the 15th and 16th Centuries. It could even be considered as an allegory for humanity’s destruction of rainforests and endangerment of species.

More? No problimo!• Famous modeling clay brand? Right, the

philosopher Plato!o Plato tried to teach people about the truth and reality of the physical

world and the flaws of human perception using the allegory of the cave.

Mr. Roynon will now try to draw (and teach you the allegory of not trying to draw)

Troy isn’t just a toy for Roy-Boy!

Troy (2004) Iraq War (2003-2010)

Menelaus wants revenge and Helen back, sort of. His brother uses this to start a war because he wants territory.

George Bush senior wants to finish what he didn’t in the 90’s. The US needs to secure oil. George Jr. uses WMD as an excuse to start a war in the Middle East

Statue of Apollo is first victim of war. Some people care, others don’t.

Saddam’s Toppled Statue “stage-managed” by US, some Iraqis care some don’t.

Agamemnon tries to negotiate quick end.

George W. declares “Mission Accomplished” in 2003

Paris,Hector? JULY 22, 2003: Saddam’s sons, Uday and Qusay, are killed in a U.S. raid in Mosul

An interminable war, that most don’t see the point of, that is full of disgraces ultimately brings down a Empire in the middle east (Turkey) for no reason.

Treatment of prisoners scandals (GITMO); goes on for 7 years after “Mission accomplished”, Iraq goes back to being unstable …

OK, OK, can’t miss with Katniss!

• The Hunger Games is, like, a book you know.• Erhmagherd! While I was watching this FICTIONAL account of the

future, I was struck by how the entertainment of the Hunger Games themselves are alarmingly similar to the “entertainment” we've watched too often before. A wealthy nation recruits its warriors from the ranks of the impoverished young, dresses them up in uniforms, packs them off to wage war against the impoverished young of other nations. The media and their sponsors rush to televise the conflict, pointing cameras in eager pursuit of bigger audiences and swollen coffers. Individual soldiers are sought out for their human interest value and, when the bloody circus turns tragic, the callow victims are heralded as fallen heroes making the ultimate sacrifice in the name of peace.

• I was then obliged to ponder the real world we have wrought, a world where adolescents do indeed fight wars while their elders do indeed watch with profitable interest. Panem's reality TV is our televised reality - the future is now. The “story“ is an allegory for our reality.

Any others?• Can you think of an allegorical story?

About that definition of Allegory…

• In our own words….

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

• Salman Rushdie wrote what looks like a children’s story about Haroun, but is there an allegorical link to something else in there?

• Earlier, someone mentioned a “bounty”?• Like the paper towels? The chocolate bar?

Not..quite…