Platos Allegory of the Cave - Essay Example

People stay in the same place so that there is only one thing for them to look that whatever they encounter in front of their faces. But because they are shackled, they are unable to turn their heads around.

            Some light, of course, is allowed them, namely from a fire that casts its glow toward them from behind them, being above and at some distance. Between the fire and those who are shackled that is behind their backs, there runs a walkway at a certain height. Imagine that a low wall has been built the length of the walkway, like the low curtain that puppeteers put up, over which they show their puppets.

This opens up to us that these prisoners are viewing shadows of the objects and that what’s they believe in not the real objects. Later on, one of the prisoners is released and what he encounters is the fire whose light hurts his eyes, the same happens when he is dragged out of the cave the sun’s rays do only intensify his pain. This indicates a change in the environment. He still doesn’t believe in what he sees but with time he adapts and this is a result of gradual interaction with the new environment that he was introduced to. He comes to the realization that all that he has been seeing during his stay in the cave were mere shadows and the echoes didn’t necessarily signify the projection of what the passing shadows were engaging in; actions such as footsteps and the conversations they held as they passed by.

            Finally, the prisoner has come to the realization that reality is based on frequent and deep exposure to the environment. According to the Allegory of the Cave by Plato this freedman should go back to the cave and shade light that they truly lack; those prisoned in the cave.

            In today’s life, the Allegory of the Cave is a true reflection of man’s life and the way he does carry out himself in his daily activities. We are very stubborn and don’t want to let in reality, we do claim that we are learned and need no one to disapprove of us whenever we think about what we have finished undertaking, be it an exam, be it a task in the working industry is perfect (Plato, 1941). We don’t want to be criticized to be able to identify our mistakes and correct them. Most of what we dwell on are illusions, we hear and believe we see reflections, images, and even shadows and believe without even digging into these matters to identify and prove whether what we have encountered is a reality or fiction (Elliot, 1967).

            For instance, we claim that we love one another when it comes to a man and a woman which turns out tragic since it wasn’t love in the first place rather than taking our time and discovering ourselves. Since we have the knowledge to do the discovery and the freedom to decide whether to carry on or be into the love (Elliot, 1967).

            Another example is we who are being governed; we are usually sure that our systems of governance are corrupt and rotten; am not talking of a country's government alone here but also putting in mind the individual structure of government that we have imposed on ourselves (Watt, 1997). We are not honest to ourselves and that is the root of all the challenges that we are facing daily. Let the self-initiative be the trait manifest in us so that our intellect is nourished and develops.

            We that have gotten out of the cave after being unchained, should always go back to where we began and shed light on our friends, fellow world citizens that they are prisoners and they should quit their caves and unchain themselves, turn their heads, and analyze whatever they encounter. Through that, they will easily realize what they lack is a mammoth (Watt, 1997).

            Plato in one way or the other has a point to prove when he presented this piece of art from Socrates. I concur with his ideas.