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Allegory

/ˈæləˌɡɔri/
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(noun) The use of symbols which may be interpreted to reveal a hidden, broader message, usually a moral or political one, about real-world issues and occurrences; also, the interpretation of such symbols.

The ship of fools was a popular allegory in medieval art and literature.
Ibn Tufail also criticized Islam through a literary process called allegory.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The book is a powerful ____ for the political situation in the country.

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