Allegory Of The Cave Summary

In “The Allegory of the Cave”, Plato persuades the reader to escape their own inner imprisonment in the pursuit of knowledge by using symbolism, credibility, and emotional appeal.
In this piece, everything has a deeper meaning. Plato compares life to a cave to illustrate one’s self imprisonment. In this cave, the people that are imprisoned represent those who have not, or will not, seek enlightenment. For this reason they remain stationary, unable to move forward or see any truth. By using this analogy, Plato suggests that very few people are actually aware of the world around them because they are confined in their own cave. While the reason behind these caves can vary from person to person, the thing holding them in generally stays the same;
Plato uses this possible encounter to explain how the inability to believe in the unknown can lead these prisoners to act out. By describing this scene and posing this question the reader can imagine what it is like to be a prisoner. Once they are in this state of mind, Plato can help the reader see what they see, feel what they feel. Plato explains their fear and how it could lead them to do anything in their power to stay where life is comfortable. With the reader in this mind frame, Plato can use that fear and contrast it to the enlightenment that will follow their escape. Plato describes the realization of this world outside the cave to be, although an adjustment, an all around life changing experience. When one breaks free of their cave “... the brilliance would fill his eyes and he would not be able to see even one of the things now called real” (Plato, 2). With this Plato describes the experience of the new world to be overpowering. The brilliance and clarity that this new world brings is so immense that it takes time to adjust. However if one does manage to find the reasoning