Martha wanted to know whether there's a name for a character in a book who represents something, such as allegory or symbol.

Neither Todd Madison, an English teacher at East High School, nor Eleanor McNees, an English professor at the University of Denver, could find a literary term for such a character.

Madison uncovered a source referring to a relationship in a play as an allegory, but he said that term generally is used for the work itself.

McNees said such a character usually is referred to as an allegorical figure if he stands for a single abstract idea, such as Mr. Gradgrind in Dickens' Hard Times or Vice or Virtue in a 15th or 16th century morality play, or is called a symbol if he represents a range of possibilities.

And, yes, there will be a test later.

Here's a new challenge:

If you're standing on a beach looking out at the horizon, how far away is the horizon? - Ellen

Know the answer? Post it on the Ask! blog, blogs.RockyMountainNews.com/denver/ask, or e-mail rudeenm @RockyMountainNews.com. While you're on the blog, check out the other questions on the Ask! home page, or post one of your own by clicking on the link to the right on the page.