Allegory: The Suit And The Photograph By John Berger

Allegory is defined in lecture as a symbolic story which refers to a photograph called The Two Ways of Life. This particular photograph was produced in 1857 by Oscar Rejlander and is 17 inches by 30 inches in size and was first exhibited in Manchester England in 1857. This photograph represents two young men in the middle which seem to be heading in different directions. The young man on the left seems to be heading towards the pleasure side of life and the photo shows people eating, drinking, gambling, and lounging around nude. These people are giving into what the Victorians thought was wicked. Whereas the other young man on the right is heading towards the more practical side of life. People on this side are reading, studying, working, and giving charity to the poor. This photograph was made using

In this chapter Berger turned his attention to a German photographer named August Sander. He was a man who took lots of pictures of different types of people who lived in Germany. One of his main pictures was of three young men in suits on the way to a dance. Berger discusses how the suits don't fit the men and that they are wearing a costume that belongs to a different social class. He notes that the three young men are physical labors who are accustomed to hard work and repetitive labor tasks by looking at how large their hands are and how short their legs seem to be. Peasants back then didn't really have the luxuary of such fine suits. The typically clothing was much looser and allowed movement for the arms and legs. However, during recent years a German festival called Oktoberfest is held in Germany that showcases the lifestyle and clothing that Germans traditionally wore. Many Germans dress us in the traditional rustic garb that the three young men in the phtoto should be wearing but instead are confined to the restictions of a