Although the two books 'The Pilgrim"s Progress" by John Bunyan and 'Animal Farm" by George Orwell are very different in content and what they represent they are very alike in the techniques used by the authors. Both authors use the technique of Allegory with symbolism to make their books powerful and interesting to read. Allegory is a form of narrative expression used by many authors, it conveys a symbolic meaning parallel to but also distinct from the literal meaning. 'Animal Farm" has an allegorical use of animals to represent types of humans and their characteristics and 'The Pilgrim"s Progress" uses people and things to represent human behaviour and characteristics. The symbolic meaning is mostly expressed through personifications and other symbols. Related forms of allegories are fables and Parables, which are comparatively short and often simple allegories.

             'The Pilgrim"s Progress" is one of the greatest allegories of all times, published in most of the world"s major languages, and sometimes said to be the most popular book in the world after the Bible. 'The Pilgrim"s Progress", a prose narrative symbolically concerned with the search for spiritual salvation, was written by Bunyan while he was imprisoned for illegal lay preaching. John Bunyan was born in Elstow, near Bedford in 1628. After being taught to read and write he became a lay preacher in the Baptist movement where he attracted large audiences. There were many experiences in Bunyan"s life that must have strongly affected him and the things in which he believed. Bunyan lived through one of the most turbulent periods in modern history. Before being sent to prison for his beliefs he had lived through the experience of Civil War, fighting on the Republican side. He had seen the raise of Cromwell"s dictatorship and the rebel"s dreams of a democratic society disappear. He had lived through the restoration of the monarchy and a time where people were given very little religious freedom.