寓言的文體特質是借故事表達寓意，而故事須有角色與情節，典型寓言（本真寓言）無論是角色形象的塑造或故事情節的鋪敘，因受篇幅的限制，常需運用各種修辭技巧，來使其內容醒目並凸顯寓意。寓言表達的修辭、技巧多端，但基本手法卻只有四種：譬喻、擬人、夸飾與象徵。寓言既藉寓體（故事）表達本體（寓意），寓體與本體之間必須具有類比或暗示的關係始能產生寓意，所以譬喻（類比）與象徵（暗示）為寓言「非彼即此」的基本手法。又寓言的形象包括動物與人物，以動物為形象者須用擬人化手法，而以人物為形象者須用夸飾手法，二者亦為寓言「非彼即此」的基本手法。擬人化與夸飾手法直接表現在故事的形象與情節之中，屬於顯性手法，它們使寓言展現「虛構性」的面貌；而譬喻與象徵手法則是間接表達的隱性手法，虛構的故事仍須類比或暗示現實事件，所以譬喻與象徵手法又規範了寓言的內容須源自於現實生活的「真實性」。這四種基本手法的並用，使寓言呈現「出人意表，在情理中」的特色。

The structure of Fable is expressed the implied meaning by a story. Both the Fable’s story and its related actual event must include the relation of analogy or hint, then the story can reveal its implied meaning; therefore, both simile and symbolization are Fable’s hidden basic techniques. Furthermore, the Fable’s story must contain a plot and roles which can be animals or mankinds. When roles are animals, Fable needs personification of rhetoric; and when roles are mankinds, Fable needs hyperbole of rhetoric in its plot, too. These two kinds of techniques directly appear in the story, so are of evident basic techniques. Whether the rhetoric is hidden or evident, both are Fable’s basic techniques. Personification and hyperbole bestow Fable with fictitious appearance, but simile and symbolization normalize its content with real life; therefore, the Fable’s plot provides the quality of “beyond expectation, but within reason” with these four basic techniques.