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Allegory In Shaun Tan's The Water Buffalo

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In the measured, scientific world we live in today, it is often forgotten that life should be more about the marathon itself than the finish line. Shaun Tan, author of graphic novel Tales from Outer Suburbia, and, by extent, “The Water Buffalo”, conveys this theme in a cunning and artistically ingenious fashion through a powerful allegory concerning youth, life, and the significance of striving for success. An allegory, in terms of literature, is a story that can be interpreted on more than one level. The depth and relevance of the ideas addressed in “The Water Buffalo” heavily imply that it is beyond any doubt an allegory. On the surface, it is a story about a disgruntled and unappreciated water buffalo who guides a group of children on the

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