So not being a literary scholar in any way, shape, or form…not even on TV or the Inter-Webs…It has never clicked what exactly an allegory was or why it was different from a parable, so I decided to use the vast misshapen knowledge wasteland known as the internet to scavenge a bit of meaning and difference. Here’s what I found:Yahoo! Answers - parable is a subset of allegory, but its shorter and usually only conveys a single ideaThe Narnia Academy - again parables are shorter and only convey a single point; this says it well (from the article)In essence, parables simply compare one event or action or theme to another while allegory uses characters or events to illustrate the topic or theme. It transfers the essence of one concept or idea into another. Parable merely says to the reader, ???This is just like this???, while allegory puts forth a person or event and says, ???This is this???.This made me think of the difference between Simile and Metaphor (which if you need a refresher, here’s a good article)