Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave" Modern Comparison Essay Example

“The Truman Show” and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” writings were astonishingly similar in theory. Even though these two writings were written almost 2500 years apart, there were many key concepts alike. In both writings there was an imprisonment of a man from childhood to adulthood. Both of these men had a series of events occur as they grew older, which allowed their eyes and mind to see and process the truth of the world and to forget their ignorance. “... I proceed to say, go in to compare our natural condition, so far as education and ignorance are concerned, to a state of things like the following.” This statement from Plato truly states the theory of mind in which is portrayed in both “The Truman Show” and Plato.
As stated in Plato’s writing, “Imagine a number of men living in an underground cavernous chamber, with an entrance open to the light, extending along the entire length of the cavern, in which they have been confined, from their childhood…” This quote gives the setting of the men’s position and where the world begins. Truman was in a slightly different confinement, where he was adopted by a producer and put in a “bubble world” from birth. In both situations these men were hidden from reality and truth. These men were only shown what someone else thought should be shown. Their lack of education caused them to be ignorant to the truth that was all around them and to not ask questions.
A compelling statement which integrates both pieces of writing, “… like the screens which conjurors put up in front of their audience, and above which they exhibit their wonders.” In Plato this was the shadows that the men could see in front of them, never knowing what was really causing them. This could only lead to what the imagination would create. Truman was shown a type of “shadows” as well. Truman was shown a city, people, a sky and a life which his mind could only believe was real; but this was far from real. Truman was unknowing watched by