The Celestine Prophecy

Though it is not technically or formally an allegory in the style of Pilgrim’s Progress, The Celestine Prophecy nonetheless has strong allegorical qualities in that it is a story that conveys a deeper meaning. One way to think of an allegory is to consider the story itself as being elevated to the level of a symbol. According to this criterion, then, The Celestine Prophecy is allegorical, as the plot is meant to signify the spiritual quest of the individual heart. The unnamed narrator, who has a limited backstory, becomes a stand-in for all individuals who are seeking spiritual fulfillment, facing obstacles, learning from mentors, and ultimately achieving wholeness. Thus, the narrator is like “Pilgrim” in John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) or “Everyman” in the medieval allegorical play titled for him. Like these earlier character types, the narrator is striving to reach his version of heaven and understand his spiritual path.

Didacticism in literature refers to the practice of using a work of fiction to convey a moral or ethical lesson to the reader. Typically, didactic literature aims to instruct or educate its audience in a particular belief or worldview, often emphasizing the importance of virtuous behavior and ethical principles. Didactic literature can range from straightforward, moralistic stories designed to teach specific lessons to more complex works that use metaphor, symbolism, and other literary techniques to convey broader ideas about the human condition and the nature of the world. The Celestine Prophecy is within the tradition of didactic literature, as it seeks to instruct, in this case through the narrator’s spiritual journey. Today, the term “didactic” generally has a pejorative connotation, as the approach can seem ponderous and heavy-handed. In fact, one of the central criticisms of The Celestine Prophecy is that it sacrifices character and plot to spiritual instruction.