PARABLE

(from Greek parabole comparison or similitude) short fictitious narrative that illustrates a moral attitude, a doctrine, a standard of conduct, or a religious principle. The term originally referred to a Greek rhetorical figure, a kind of extended simile, involving the use of a literary illustration. The parable differs from the fable in the inherent plausibility of its story and in the exclusion of anthropomorphic animals or inanimate creatures, but it resembles the fable in the essential qualities of brevity and simplicity. The storytelling aspect of a parable is usually subordinated to the analogy it draws between a particular instance of human behaviour and human conduct at large. The simple narratives of parables give them a mysterious, suggestive tone and make them especially useful for the teaching of moral and spiritual truths. Parables can often be fully understood only by an informed elite, who can discern the meaning within their brief, enigmatic structures. To a Western audience, some of the most famous parables are in the New Testament; in them, Jesus uses the form to illustrate his message to his followers by telling a fictitious story that is nevertheless true-to-life. There are also parables in the Hebrew Bible (notably those of II Samuel 12:19 and II Samuel 14:113), but they have suffered in popularity by comparison with the New Testament parables. Throughout Christian history, the pious tale or parable has been a popular preaching device. The more paradoxical aspects of the parable were revived in the 19th century through treatises on Christian faith and practice written by the Danish philosopher Sren Kierkegaard. His use of the form influenced the enigmatic works of Franz Kafka and the writings of Albert Camus. Parables have a considerable role also in Sufism (Islamic mysticism), rabbinic (Jewish exegetical) literature, Hasidism (Jewish pietism), and Zen Buddhism.