A Series of Unfortunate Events is an allegory for the Jewish diaspora.

The Baudelaires are Jewish orphans who wander from place to place after their home is destroyed in a fire (implied to be arson). They& #39;re persecuted everywhere they go, followed by a man trying to steal their fabled fortune, while nobody in a position to stop it believes them.

They meet other orphans along the way, people like them whose homes have been destroyed in suspicious fires and who& #39;ve been wandering since. They& #39;re part of a group that& #39;s held together by their love of books and commitment to justice.

There& #39;s generational schisms, a Yiddish-speaking baby, bitter herbs (unsweetened tea, horseradish), and a prequel book (part of a series) called Why Is This Night Different From All Other Nights?