Definition of Parable (literary figure)

The parable is a narration with a teaching moral. Normally it is a very simple and easy to understand story, in which human passions and desires are used through characters, animals or everyday aspects of life.

Hearing the word parable comes to mind the name of Jesus, who was addressing his disciples of him so that they could understand him easily, for at that time there was no custom to read. The most of the population She was illiterate and knowledge was communicated orally. It was very important that the narrative was entertaining and, above all, that it was not complex. Something similar happens when we tell stories to kids. We do it for a dual purpose; on the one hand we intend to entertain you with a story attractive and, at the same time, we want to teach them values. A child of 4 or 5 years old needs to distinguish good and evil, begin to understand how he should behave. And for this, the story is the most appropriate narrative.

The parable has a purpose similar to the children's story. However, the parable is addressed to the grown man who has a

reasoning elaborate, has experience but he also needs good advice, an appropriate pattern of behavior. This is what Jesus did with the people who listened to him and especially with his followers. This is evident in the Gospels, where a significant number of parables (that of the son the prodigal, that of the sower or that of the Good Samaritan would be some of the best known). in the book most important of humanity, the Bible. It is a religious book and, at the same time, of great literary value. Its diffusion is universal and it has been translated into all languages. Consequently, their stories and teachings are part of universal culture.

The moral intention of the parable is essential because it is the true purpose of the story being told. We need to reflect on our behavior and to do so in a conceptual way would be typical of the philosophy, a complex field of knowledge with a highly specialized vocabulary that is difficult for the simple man to handle. The parable has, therefore, an indisputable literary element, because they are very attractive stories but their real purpose is of a moral nature. It is what happens anywhere in the world when a Christian priest addresses his faithful and uses the sacred scriptures and his parables to remind us that we must choose the good and avoid the wrong.

Themes in Parable (literary figure)