"Allegory of the Cave" Essay and Vocabulary Quiz all wrapped in one

Touch, smell, sight, and sound are the senses in which we, as humans, use to survive each and every day, but what about the usage of our minds? “The Allegory of the Cave” within the book called The Republic  by Plato is centered around the idea that our senses hide a deeper truth. Each of us rely on our senses rather than our analytical thoughts. Now, the figurative language within this piece alludes to this concept and also shows the purpose for which Plato wrote the book, The Republic , which was to show the people and the government that should abdicate or expurgate their gothic senses and understand the true reality of what is going on in order to make the best decisions for their society. 

The term allegory is defined as a story, poem, or picture that hides or alludes to a bigger meaning. “The Allegory of the Cave” illustrates the theme that our minds are the only tool we posses that will allow us to reach a true concept of reality or euphoria. That may have been brusque, but that is the reason why Plato wrote this piece of literature. He wanted to show the people about the importance of knowledge and expanding their horizons, which is why he uses the metaphor of the sun. In addition, Plato wrote to the people for his mentor Socrates, who was killed by the government since they didn’t like how was asking others within the community to question the government’s and their own authority or integrity. What we believe to be the truth or correct may be completely incorrect within the eyes of another. Looking past what we see, hear, or touch will open the doors of our mind and allow a deeper understanding to develop in which we can use to make our lives and the lives around us better. 

Figurative language and vivid imagery bring the allegory to life. The images of shackles binding the characters down expresses how each of us are allowing ourselves to be controlled by our senses rather than our thoughts or beliefs. In addition, we must be willing to accept the real reality in which we discover through knowledge. Our point of views will go through a metamorphosis in which will cause our old point of views to become impossible to relive and those who remained at an impasse with their senses will not relate to your new analytical ideals causing a dichotomy. For example, the remaining individuals in the cave see their old friend as a new shadow instead of who he truly his once he returned to cave. The true reality may not be what was expected, but that doesn’t mean its incorrect. That is up for the individual to decide through their mind. The usage of figurative language and imagery expresses Plato’s belief in mind over matter.

The involvement of our senses is a sine qua non within our daily lives, but that does not mean that we must live by them. Questions, idea, and thoughts are the senses in which we should look to on the parlous quest for the ultimate truth. Plato wrote the “Allegory of the Cave” to express that to the public and to keep Socrates’s beliefs alive through imagery and figurative language. Now, it’s up to us to decide whether to gain the knowledge in order to discover the true reality or to remain attached to our physical senses.