Allegory : The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.

I don’t like them.

My husband’s youngest daughter is fond of allegorical novels. She sends him books as gifts – “The Life of Pi” was one. He never finished it. I, having read the reviews, never started it. Yesterday, as a Father’s Day gift she sent him “Cloud Atlas”. I Googled the book and said “You’re not gonna like this book!” He said “Why?” I said “It’s another Life of Pi – no plot”. He started the book this morning and yeah, 20 pages in, not liking it.

I’m a straight forward sort of person. Yes, I can go on and on about things, but the things are the actual things. My things aren’t things that are substitutes, allegories, for other things. If I say something is, then it is. No head scratching needed.

I do appreciate allegory in art. Dali is allegorical, as is Magritte – stating the obvious here. But not in novels – not in such a way that instead of enjoying a story you spend your reading time trying to figure out what the hell the author is talking about and what the point is. I have no patience for that.

I like psychological stories, I like Alice Hoffman because so many of her novels involve, I don’t know what to call it, the supernatural? For me it’s not – but I’m weird that way. I believe in selkies.

There is a way to tell a story, make a point, have there be layers of meaning, and still be entertaining. Aesop’s Fables are allegories. But so is Winnie the Pooh.

I’m not a deep thinker. I know what I know. How I know a lot of what I know is something I question – but not for long.

I have no imagination. I love dragons, always have. They are not something I thought up – they don’t represent anything. They are what they are – dragons. Large lizards that fly…they come in different colors with different skills and abilities. I love them, they’re cool but…they’re just dragons.

And this post has no deep meaning other that what it appears to be – a disjointed, short ramble of what’s going through my head while I wait for my waffles to toast…