Similarities Between The Matrix And Allegory Of The Cave

To find the answer to the metaphysical question ‘What is real?” has been a philosopher’s intention for years. The Matrix, directed by Andy Wachowski and the written text, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave revolves around the concept of replying to this question. These two mediums share more similarities than differences. The Matrix as well as the Allegory of the Cave shares the concept of acceptance and broadening ones senses, the desire to learn, and having the knowledge to realize when one is in control versus when one is being controlled. The two equally also share the difference of how much help one is given to achieve a truer life. Nevertheless, both Wachowski’s movie and Plato’s writing surround the universal question of reality.
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave implies the idea of the real world as a deception. Socrates invites his listeners to picture a great multitude dwelling within a cave where people are trapped and reside in as prisoners since birth, (Spencer, 25). These captives are chained in such that they can only see what is right in front of their eyes and not what is behind or to the left and right of them. As the wall I front of them projects shapes and images they conceive these to be real because it is all they have ever known. At some point one of the prisoners escape, and when they look behind them they see the images they thought to be real are just shadows and puppets, (Allen, 54). Once …show more content…
The division lies in how both Neo and the Prisoner achieved the real world, how they were given a sign that a higher world even exists. Plato’s prisoner must fend for himself and be given a way out of the cave to the real world, whereas Neo is given the help of Morpheus to help reach the Matrix. Neo is the chosen one the one who must fight to protect the real world. Morpheus who is known to be the most evil reveals that he has been looking for Neo of quite some time. “You are the