O apologue is a short-length dramatic narrative text that presents fantastic stories, lived by inanimate characters (elements without life in reality), in order to present a “moral lesson” or a “behavioral conduct”.
The genre resembles other narratives, such as fable and parable, but differs in that it uses lifeless objects and elements to metaphorize aspects of human nature and reveal “lessons” with such a feat.
Read too: Tale - narrative that presents only one conflict
Characteristics and structure of an apologist
The apologia is mainly characterized by its predominance of inanimate characters. It's rare to find an apologist that introduces animals as characters, for example. Generally the actors of such narratives they are elements of nature (water, earth, tree, sky, stone) or objects (needle, knife, ball, chair).
Another highlighted aspect is the moralizing content present in this gender. The stories not only work with the symbology of things, but also present a model of behavior, which must be followed, built by the opposition between characters of good or bad archetype.
The apologist presents a concise narrative, starring inanimate characters, who, within the fictional universe, acquire life and modes of behavior similar to those of humans. For this factor, the personification or prosopopeia as the figure of relevance in this genre.
Still on the characterization of the characters, the apologia is distinguished, as these figures usually represent, through their metaphorical language, characteristics common to human nature, such as cunning, prudence, envy, corruption, empathy, solidarity, etc.
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Thus, through the story and the characterization of the characters, the apologia is inserted as a textual genre of pedagogical content, which aims not only to tell metaphorical and symbolic stories, but also to present the types of conducts considered good or bad to human morality, in order to instruct which behaviors take up.
at the moment it is rare to find new productions of apologists. Despite finding new genres that explore the use of inanimate characters (such as many animations, for example), the moralizing content of the narratives lost its strength in the productions contemporary.
How to make an apology?
To make an apology, it is necessary, primarily, define a "moral lesson" or "a value" that will be taught through the story, and also define characters (inanimate) and context with which to construct a metaphor of human behavior.
Once such purposes have been established, the writing of the text can be started. Essential aspects of the narrative are:
well-defined context and characters;
initial condition of characters;
conflict or changing situation, final condition of the situation;
result for the different characters.
See too: Chronicle - genre that narrates everyday situations
Apologue Examples
A classic example of an apology is the text "One The"pologue", of Machado de Assis, published in 1885 and available in the public domain. In this narrative, two central characters are the protagonists: the Needle and the Line. Both discuss their value and function in weaving work and, through this conflict, direct the entire plot. An excerpt from the work follows:
"Once upon a time a needle said to a skein of thread:
"Why are you looking all over yourself, all wrapped up, to pretend you're worth something in this world?"
'Leave me, ma'am.
"To leave her?" Leave her, why? Why do I tell you you look unbearable? I repeat that I do, and I will speak whenever I can.
"What head, ma'am?" You are not a pin, she is a needle. Needle has no head. What do you care about my air? Each one has the air that God gave him. Care about your life and leave others.
“But you are proud.
'I certainly am.
- But why?
- It's good! Because I sew. So our mistress's dresses and ornaments, who sews them but me?
- You? This is better now. Do you sew them? Do you not know that I am the one sewing them up, and a lot of me?
— You pierce the cloth, nothing more; I'm the one who sews, I attach one piece to the other, I make the ruffles look like...
"Yes, but what is it worth?" I'm the one who pierces the cloth, I go ahead, pulling for you, who comes after, obeying what I do and command...
'The scouts also go ahead of the emperor.
"Are you emperor?"
“I don't say that. But the truth is, you play a subordinate role, going forward; it just shows the way, it goes on doing the obscure and minimal work. I'm the one who arrests, calls, puts together..."
In this initial excerpt, the reader is already faced with an “impossible” dialogue between a needle and a thread. O storyteller uses the direct speech, allowing the characters to star in the story and the text to present its dramatic character. Regarding the plot, it is clear that it starts with the conflict between the two central characters, who discuss its relevance and value, based on the act of sewing.
The discussion has a human character, although it uses arguments consistent with the function of a needle:
“Yes, but what is it worth? I'm the one who pierces the cloth, I go ahead, pulling for you, who comes after, obeying what I do and command...”
Or with the one-line function:
“I don't say that. But the truth is, you play a subordinate role, going forward; it just shows the way, it goes on doing the obscure and minimal work. I'm the one who arrests, calls, puts together..."
During the narrative, the dress that was being sewn is ready and will be used by its owner, at this final moment, there is another dialogue that presents the moralizing content of the apologia, below:
“The night of the ball came, and the baroness dressed. The seamstress, who helped her get dressed, had the needle stuck in her little body, to give her some necessary stitch. And when she made up the beautiful lady's dress, and pulled it to one side or the other, rolled it up here or there, smoothing, buttoning, tying the thread, to mold the needle, she asked her:
"Now tell me who is going to the ball, in the baroness' body, as part of the dress and elegance?" Who is going to dance with ministers and diplomats while you go back to the seamstress's box, before going to the maids' basket? Come on, say it.
Looks like the needle didn't say anything; but a pin, with a large head and no less experience, whispered to the poor needle:
'Come on, learn, silly. You get tired of making way for her and she is the one who will enjoy life while you stay there in the sewing box. Do as I do, I do not open way to anyone. Where they stick me, I stay.
I told this story to a melancholy teacher, who said, shaking his head:
— I too have been used as a needle to a lot of ordinary thread!”
Here, at the end of the story, the pedagogical value of the text is evident. After a last provocation made by the thread to the needle, the third acting character appears, the pin, and he is the one who gives the moral lesson to the thread and, consequently, to the reader.
Difference between apology and fable
The apologia and the fable are similar narrative genres, both feature short stories, with dramatic content and moral content. However, there is an aspect that distinguishes both: the apologue presents inanimate characters, that is, elements that do not have life in reality (water, earth, stone, scissors, knife, needle etc.), while the fable usually features animated characters, but not human (fox, turtle, lion, mouse etc.).
By Talliandre Matos
grammar teacher