The Allegory of the Cave

TRACIE BIRCH
ENG. 231 SECTION 1802
PROF. LAING
FEBRUARY 27, 2017
Introduction

During The Allegory of the Cave, Plato uses an example of

allegory to explain his views on education and emphasize
the importance of seeking wisdom. Plato believes that in
order to become an intelligent person, you must constantly
strive for knowledge. The more knowledge you gain, the
crazier you look to the people who are unenlightened,
which makes it crucial to educate these people. Platos goal
to create a more enlightened society starts with a person
gaining knowledge until they are able to share this
knowledge with the unenlightened people remaining in the
world and is the central idea of The Allegory of the Cave.
Platos Cave
Why does Plato use a cave as an allegory?

Plato is using the cave as an allegory to compare

uneducated people to prisoners within the cave. The
prisoners are chained, unable to move their heads and are
forced to look at shadows. The prisoners are unaware of
the life that is occurring outside of the cave are while the
uneducated people are unaware of the knowledge they are
missing. Platos allegory is effective because he uses the
prisoner who escapes the cave as an example of what can
happen if you seek out education and enlightenment. The
hidden meaning of the importance of education is
executed perfectly throughout The Allegory of the Cave.
Contextual Analysis

Political Context
Plato lived from 427-347 B.C. was an aspiring politician
He turned to philosophy and opened the first Western University , The
Academy, after the death of his mentor, Socrates in 399 B.C. (Kreis)
The Allegory of the Cave was written as a call to action for the reader to
further their education in order to search for wisdom
Economic Context
The prisoners in the cave are similar to people who are economically well off
Both are content in their own, sheltered world, and ignore people who are
different from them
Plato wants people who are wealthy and enlightened to help out people who
are unenlightened
Economically wealthy people should be helping the poor leave their situation
rather than ignoring them and allowing them to live in their own ignorance
Theme of Sacrifices Bring Rewards

The theme of sacrifices bring rewards is evident throughout The Allegory of the
Cave. Plato used the allegory of the cave to explain the process of gaining
knowledge. An unenlightened person is sitting in the cave and can only see
shadows. Throughout the story, a person is able to sacrifice the comfort of the
cave and receive the reward of expanded knowledge. For example, Plato says,
And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged
ascent and held fast until he is forced into the presence of the sun itselfWhen he
approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled and he will not be able to see
anything at all of what are now called realities (Plato 2). This person is
sacrificing the comfort of the cave and familiar surroundings and makes a journey
to see the sun. He is sacrificing all of the knowledge that he once knew to gain
new knowledge that will transform his life. The purpose of The Allegory of the
Cave is for the reader to understand the importance of sacrificing the knowledge
you currently have to gain new knowledge and advance in the world.
Quote

The best minds must attain that knowledge which we have already
shown to be the greatest of all- they must continue to ascend until they
have arrived at the good. But when they have ascended and seen enough,
they must not be allowed to remain in the upper world (Plato 4).
This quote stood out to me because the author is describing the
importance of striving for knowledge. A person must be able to search for
knowledge of how the world works, but they also have to work within
limits. When they reach a certain level, the knowledgeable person must
give back and teach the people who are in need of this information. If the
knowledgeable person decided to keep important discoveries to
themselves, our society would never move forward and would continue to
live in the cave of the unenlightened. Knowledge is the key to the
continuous evolution of society that needs enlightened teachers to lead
the way.
Connection to My Life

The Allegory of the Cave relates to my quest of becoming a teacher. My goal is to

expand my own knowledge in order to teach these lessons to others. Within the
story, the prisoner who escapes the cave discovers that the world is bigger than
the shadows of objects that appear within the cave. As he travels out of the cave,
he discovers that the sun, the moon, stars and all of the living things that live
outside of the cave. Once the prisoner gains this knowledge, he is required to
reenter the cave and participate in their lives. Being able to learn knowledge and
be humble enough to return to your roots and help others is my goal. The
children are in the cave and I have to return to the cave to guide them and impart
wisdom. I hope to use the knowledge I have gained throughout my schooling and
give it back to children who are just starting their education.
Conclusion

After reading Platos Allegory of the Cave, I agree

with Platos emphasis on the importance of education.
Platos belief that a person should constantly expand
their knowledge to become enlightened is a goal that I
have for myself. Platos emphasis on an enlightened
person returning to their roots and help guide
unenlightened people matches my goal to become an
educator and inspire children to expand their
knowledge. Education is the key to building a
successful society and is the central message of Platos
The Allegory of the Cave.
Works Cited

Cohen, Marc. The Allegory of the Cave. 2006. University of

Washington, Seattle. Accessed 24 February 2017.
Kreis, Steven. Plato, The Allegory of the Cave. 2000. The
History Guide: Lectures on Modern European Intellectual History.
Accessed 23 February 2017.
Plato. The Allegory of the Cave. The Republic.
Accessed 22 February 2017.
Teaching Profession Path. 2016. Auburn Career Center,
Concord. Auburn Career Center. Accessed 22 February 2017.
Teaching Programme. 2016. UCL Clinical Psychology
Dclinpsy, London. University College London.
Accessed 22 February 2017.