The Allegory of the Cave with the Matrix.

Essay by -=wc=-University, Bachelor'sA, April 2003

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Write a journal entry comparing the Allegory of the Cave with the Matrix. What are their similarities? What is the message in the Matrix and what does it have to do with the Allegory of the cave

Back in 1999 when I first saw The Matrix, I liked it for its great cinematographic achievements and the action packed fight scenes. But after studying Plato's allegory of the cave, it brought in a whole new dimension to the movie. Although the movie is set in a relatively futuristic environment, it is based on a philosophy which has been available for thousands of years.

One of the most obvious comparison between the two is Neo and the freed prisoner. When Neo chooses to take the red pill, that is like the prisoner leaving the cave. And when Neo is removed from the pod that keeps him in the virtual reality of the Matrix, his eyes start to hurt him just like the freed prisoner.

"He would suffer sharp pains; the glare would distress him, and he would be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows....he'd be at a loss and believe that what was seen before is truer than what is now shown." as Plato says, is also presented in Neo's character when he throws up after being confronted with the truth. This philosopher also conveyed to us that the prisoner at first would want to go back to the cave because it is less painful to him and more familiar; just like Neo, when he says "I can't go back, can I?".

Another aspect that is present in both the Matrix and the allegory of the cave is the presence of the so called "Puppet-Handlers". In the allegory of the...