Parable - Academic Mode

Definition of parable
Parable is a figure of speech, presenting a short story, usually with a moral lesson at the end. He has often heard stories from his elders, such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Everything is Vanity. These are parables, because they teach you a certain moral lesson. Parable is, in fact, a Greek word, parable, which means "comparison." It is like a succinct narrative, or a universal truth that uses symbolism, simile, and metaphor, to demonstrate the moral lesson it is intended to teach. As an analogy, we find the use of parables in verse and prose, specifically in religious texts, such as the Upanishad or the Bible.

Examples of parables in literature
Example # 1: The cow (from the Holy Quran)
The Holy Quran narrates a parable in the second chapter, Al Baqra 2: 259, in which a man passed through a village - a place where people died centuries ago. The man doubted the power of God, and thought about how he would raise them up on Judgment Day. Subsequently, God caused him to die, resurrected him after a hundred years and asked him how long he had slept, to which he replied only one day; however, his food was still fresh, which he brought with him.

This shows that God is in control of all things and time. The traveler's donkey, on the other hand, was dead and turned into a skeleton. Then God bound the donkey's bones, muscles, flesh, and blood back together before the man. and brought it back to life. Hence, this parable taught us a moral lesson in three ways:

God can change the time ;
God has power over life, death, resurrection, and no one else can have that power.
Humans have no power, and they should only put their faith in God .
Example 2: The Good Samaritan (from the Holy Bible)
Jesus told a very popular parable of a good Samaritan in the Holy Bible. The Gospel of Luke (10: 29-37) describes that there was a traveler (who may be a Jew) whom some people had robbed and beaten by the roadside, and then left him. A Levite and a priest went through this path, but both ignored the man.

Possibly a Samaritan came by and helped the injured and miserable man without thinking about his race or religious beliefs (Samaritans generally despised Jews). Later, the traveler revealed himself as the Christ. The moral of this parable is to help all those in need, without prejudice towards anyone due to perceived differences.

Example # 3: The Emperor's New Clothes (by Hans Christian Anderson)
Hans Christian Anderson wrote a short parable, "The Emperor's New Clothes. The author tells the life of a foolish and vain emperor, who was approached by two cheaters, pretending to be artists. " They suggested that he wear his clothes, which they said would make him invisible in front of incompetent and stupid people. The emperor agreed and paid them to make these clothes for him, as he enjoyed wearing costumes.

In fact, they did not. any elegant suit; However, people began to admire them, lest they be considered useless and stupid, so the emperor took off his clothes and put on the invisible dress, which actually left him walking naked through the city. No one told him the truth except a child. Therefore, the moral of this parable is that people should have their own opinions and do not need to depend on the opinions of others.

Example # 4: The Prodigal Son (from the Holy Bible, Book of Luke)
In In the book From Luke (15: 11-32), Jesus teaches about God's love for humanity. In this parable, a rich father divides his property - while he was still living - between his two sons. His youngest son does not want to wait until the death of his father to obtain his inheritance, and asks for it immediately. That son wastes all his newly found wealth and becomes miserable. Realizing that he will need the help of his father to survive, he returns home. Instead of being angry, the father greets his wayward son and celebrates his return.

The eldest son, who had stayed with his father all the time, without wasting his inheritance, was perplexed by this, and refused to participate in the celebration. He said to his father:

“Behold, these many years I serve you, and I never violated your commandment; And yet you never gave me a kid so that I could have fun with my friends… ”

The father responds to the eldest son:

“ Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
It was fitting that we rejoice and be glad, because this your brother was dead, and he is alive again; When the father dies, he leaves the remaining inheritance for the eldest son. The story conveys the symbolic message that God is like a father figure, loving humanity despite their rebellious nature, and those who follow His path are welcomed by Him, even if they have strayed.

Function of the parabola
Parable is a great teaching tool, because it often uses symbolic images and metaphors that the audience can easily recognize. In this way, the storyteller can convey complicated moral truths in a way that makes them understandable and understandable for his own life. Sometimes it is necessary for the audience to recognize the lesson a parable teaches, and in that way the audience also participates in reaching a conclusion. In general, parables help readers understand philosophical questions or moral doctrines in relatable terms, while narrators could guide them to better apply such principles in their daily lives.