One of the most compelling fables by a renowned author is Animal Farm. Published in 1945 by George Orwell, this satirical story revolves around farm animals who attempt to take over a farm and manage it collectively. They successfully drive away the exploitative humans but eventually fall under the dictatorship of the pigs.

In 1947, Steinbeck's novel, The Wayward Bus, was also published. Much like The Pearl, this allegorical tale focuses on characters who must rid themselves of the evil they have acquired. Unlike Kino and Juana, they are far less successful in their efforts.

Steinbeck delved into mythology once more with the family saga of the Trask family in the Salinas Valley. East of Eden narrates their story as a modern retelling of the biblical tale of Cain and Abel. Steinbeck considered this novel his crowning achievement, though critics have been somewhat hesitant to agree with this overt allegory.

Ernest Hemingway's short novel from 1952, The Old Man and the Sea, tells the story of a Cuban fisherman named Santiago. After weeks of catching nothing, he finally hooks a massive fish. His struggle to keep the fish leaves him too exhausted to do anything but tie it to his boat. Sharks then devour the fish's flesh, leaving him with nothing but a skeleton and an incredible tale.

Fable telling has never gone out of style, but recently, old tales have been retold through various ideologies, retranslations, and rediscoveries. Angela Carter reimagined several fairy tales in her 1979 collection, The Bloody Chamber. Her versions of these well-known stories are realistic and feminist, often featuring heroines in place of traditional heroes.