This document defines allegory as using characters, figures, or events to represent abstract ideas or principles. It provides examples of allegories like Pilgrim's Progress and The Phantom Tollbooth. The document then discusses how allegory is analogous to film in that it puts symbols into motion. Exercises are proposed for brainstorming ideas, images, and locations that could represent abstract concepts allegorically in augmented reality. Contact information is provided for the author.

1. Allegory:
A Tool for Augmented Reality
Richard Smyth, Ph.D.
VM606 - Emerson College
15 March 2012

2. Definition of Allegory

The representation of abstract ideas or
principles by characters, figures, or events in
narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.

A story, picture, or play employing such
representation. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's
Progress and Norton Juster's The Phantom
Tollbooth are allegories.

3. Analogy
A symbol is to a photo
as
An allegory is to a film
A photo/image is static (1-to-1)
A film puts photos/images into motion
(symbols interacting)

4. Examples
In Pilgrim's
Progress,
Christian falls into
the Slough of
Despond, and
Prayer helps him
get out

5. Examples

In The Phantom
Tollbooth, Miles
jumps to
Conclusions and
must swim
across the Sea
of Knowledge to
resume his
journey

6. Allegory: Characters as Abstractions

Rhyme & Reason

Lethargarians

Christian

Prayer

7. Allegory: Places as Abstractions

The Doldrums

The Mountains of
Ignorance

The Slough of
Despond

8. Allegory in Augmented Reality
American Plutocracy
http://johncraigfreeman.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/american-plutocracy/
AR Occupy Wallstreet
http://aroccupywallstreet.wordpress.com/

9. Allegory in Augmented Reality
The Goddess of Democracy
http://johncraigfreeman.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/goddess-of-
democracy-in-al-tahrir-square-cairo/

10. Exercise 1: What Ideas to Store?

If you were a famous
star, what would you
rename yourself?

Think of three issues/
abstractions and write
them on the sticky
notes

Use the colored dots to
vote on your
preferences

11. Exercise 2: What Images to Use?

For the abstractions in Exercise 1, what
are some images that could allegorically
represent these concepts?

12. Exercise 3: Where to Store Them?

Brainstorm three
places in Boston that
are significant (i.e.
have allegorical
potential)

Brainstorm three
places in the U.S.A.
that are significant

Brainstorm three
places in the world...

13. Exercise 4: Explore 3-D Warehouse

14. Ready-Made Allegorical Images?
Are there images
you might be
able to use in a
project like this?

15. Contact Information

Richard Smyth, Ph.D.

richard_smyth@emerson.edu

rsmyth64@yahoo.com