In the Plato’s parable of the cave, Plato talks about prisoners who were shackled in a cave with their necks tied in one position. He explains how difficult the conditions in the cave are so that the prisoners cannot even see the sunlight. In this case, the prisoners are not allowed to turn their heads, hence cannot see what is happening behind their backs.
Plato explains the presence of bright light that is visible during the day as a huge fire hanging from a fixed point. This is probably sunlight, which enters the cave via its opening. The prisoners perceive the light as fire since they are in a cocoon where they have no freedom to access the sunlight.
Augustine’s confessions
According to Plato (516a-516c), the prisoners observe the luggage carried by people passing along the low built wall ranging from carvings made of stone and wood with other artifacts made by people as puppets. This symbolizes the inability of these prisoners to see beyond the wall and compares it with the low curtain that puppeteers put as they demonstrate their puppets.
In his confessions, Augustine illustrates the imagination of Plato as related to God and the creation of humankind. In his thought, people do not really understand the demarcation between men and God. Plato (1909-14) describes the shadow cast by objects as a misery. Saint Augustine, on the other hand, tries to explain that objects created by God are always in doubt. Augustine wonders if the existence of these composite objects can be considered according to their doubtful character in science.
The perception to this is that there are so many objects created by God, which are of doubtful character. These include the Earth itself, the Sun, the Moon and more, so the shadow is cast by objects, which lack full scientific explanation. It has been difficult to belief in the all-powerful God, which makes the story of creation look like a dream.
The Saint Augustine’s confession VII (10) describes the presence of God as light that is cast by sun. In his arguments, Augustine describes the ability to doubt the creation of humanity either by consequents or by fate as similar to the being of sun.
This is because under any circumstances, one can prove or disprove where the Sun comes from either scientifically or by the story of creation. In fact, the same doubt is found in the Plato’s parable of the cave where he illustrates the sunlight as huge fire perceived by the prisoners in the cave.
Augustine believes that no one can ascertain the Mighty being or believe that there is nothing certain. He rather foresees everything what is found on the Earth as deity and fabulous in comparison to the creation of God. Augustine says that whatever is in God’s mind, it touches our own mind like the light of the sun.
This is in reference to the parable of the cave by Plato who describes the prisoners in the cave as if they just see the shadow but not the sun itself. This context is an explanation of how it is impossible to see God just like how the prisoners can only see the light during the day and not the sun, but believe that there is a huge fire, which produces the light. Human beings can only imagine the existence of a mighty power but cannot see it since it can destroy their eyes.
Light is regarded as the correct knowledge of what exactly the mighty being, God, is. It might be quite impossible to conclude if the following belief is right, and there is God. As Augustine suggests, it is not easy to distinguish the moments when one is dreaming and when he/she is awake. While thinking of some of these composite objects, one can be confused as being asleep or awake due to the nature of the thoughts.
Conclusion
According to Descartes’ meditations, the fact of not knowing is as important as knowing. This is as important since the story of composite beings on the Earth remains a point of research by scientists to determine what is not clear. The meditations describe the knowledge as light, which lacked explanation.
In his parable of the cave, Plato describes that it is not important to free the prisoners to discover what they do not know. The prisoners feel comfortable when they can not explain where the light is coming from. When the prisoners are set free from the chains, they experience the ‘fire’ that is so devastating. That is why, if the prisoner remained in the cave, the glare could not make him see the artifacts casting the shadow.
Perhaps, in such a case, It would be better not knowing what is out of our knowledge for it can subject some negative impacts on us. The meditations clearly show ignorance to knowledge as a tool of sleeping well without illusions. They demonstrate the need for an individual to gain objective truth that will help him to have a different view of the world.
Works Cited
Saint, Augustine, Confessions. Henry Chadwick, trans. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Print.
Chadwick, Henry. Augustine. New York: Oxford University Press, Past Masters Series, 1986. Print.
Similarities between Allegory by The Cave and The Six mediations on the First Philosophy. Plato and Descartes are by far the two most renowned philosophers amongst others of their age and era. These two individuals, despite being born in two different time scales, had the same perception of reality as it is. Plato was born earlier, compared to Descartes, in the third century BC; while Descartes was born much later in the late sixteenth century.
However, the two share one thing, that is—they both were philosophers who sought to find out the ideal being within them. Plato was an old philosopher and is credited for publishing books and other philosophical articles. Allegory by the Cave is one of the widely read and used books of Plato. On the other hand, Descartes had much to do with his surroundings and thus mediated on philosophies that had been stated by earlier philosophers, such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. By so doing, he came up with the popular book Meditations on the First Philosophy. Despite the difference in time, reading through the two sets of writing shows that there are similarities in them.
To begin with, the two principles believe in a benevolent God. Descartes’ view of religion acknowledges that there is a supernatural being present when one is born. As the child grows, those in their surroundings pass the information and religious beliefs down to them. This process recurred from one generation to the next. As a result, the matured child is in a position to believe in the same notion as the elder generation believed. A similar view is also seen in Plato’s perception of religion. Plato carries on the knowledge that he attained from his teachers, such as Socrates, to his students.
Descartes and Plato also share a view on the idea of a Utopian society. Descartes’ view is that the best means of acquiring knowledge is by perceiving clarity. He also goes further and describes his idea of a Utopian society as that which allows imaginations, senses, and thinking to improve despite the physical state of the mind. He also states that there should be consistent encouragement of mental faculties to improve one’s thinking, imagination, and senses.
Plato’s view on a Utopian society is slightly different in the sense that it is aligned more towards religion compared to Descartes’ view, which is a rationalized sort of thinking. Plato states that in an ideal society, there are laws but no lawyers for offenders. This may seem to be practically impossible in real life. To bring his point to conformity with real life, he argues that the human soul is bound by God to do only that which is good. Thus, society is only composed of people whose will is to take good actions.
Attaining the deepest state of spirituality and peek of good is a factor that both Descartes and Plato concur. In the same view and reasoning as Plato, Descartes understands that there is a need to go through perception and reason out one’s understanding before reaching out for the right conclusion. Simply put, one should not come to a conclusion before thinking critically about the repercussions of the decision. Reasoning is the best way of making sound conclusions according to both Six Meditations on First Philosophy and Allegory by the Cave. Without prior reasoning before coming to conclusions, one can be misguided by their decisions.
The repercussions that follow are just but a result of the decisions people make. Descartes and Plato agree that without reasoning and cautiously analyzing the effects of the decisions that one makes, then it will take as much more time to repair the damages incurred. Reasoning, they claim, is a major source of building up knowledge. Without reasoning, knowledge cannot be developed or advanced.
There is also an agreement based on Descartes’ view of imagination and perception and Plato’s view on the same. Descartes states that imagination is what one can see with the eyes inside their mind, whereas, perception is one of the several options of things one sees in their mind when one imagines an object that has been mentioned yet does not know it. Plato also shares this view but in a different way.
He says that perception is what one thinks is the form of something, whereas, imagination is the actual form of something, that one is aware of, yet you cannot physically see it. Descartes explains imagination by using a triangle; the three-sided object whereas Plato explains it using the shadows of prisoners. Descartes explains perception using a chiliagon, while Plato explains it using the names the prisoners give to the shadows of the puppets.
From the two scholarly materials by Plato and Descartes, it is evident that the two philosophers share the same views on human perception and knowledge in general. Their books show a similarity in their opinions but a different way of expressing the shared line of thought. Despite the difference in their time of existence, Descartes and Plato share the same reasoning and understanding largely. However, when critically thought of, readers can realize that Descartes offers a new way of thinking considered modern philosophy.
Plato’s representation of the cave in “Allegory of the Cave” Republic Book VII is shown as an analogy for the condition of mankind–for their being educated or dearth of it. In “Allegory of the Cave” Plato explains us clearly the way to take out some of its details: the cave is the place available to view or insight. The world outside the cave is the logical place; which is reachable to logic but not to insight; the voyage outside of the cave into daylight of the world is the soul’s inclination to the logical territory. (Valleau, Finnbogason, 341) The mentor’s job is to turn the souls around instead of inducing the knowledge into a soul that does not contain it. This reorganization of souls has working dimensions as well as mental ones.
In “Allegory of the Cave” Glaucon believes that the cave is an odd image, and the people are weird prisoners. However, Socrates thinks that these people are just like us. Socrates believes that no doubt we are not actually chained and do not look powerlessly at shadows created by those intended to mislead us. Nonetheless, according to Plato many things regarding our state make the cave an appropriate image. The prisoners see the shadows and only, relic, likenesses of animals and people, shed these shadows.
Therefore, according to Plato, the prisoners are far away from truth or reality–however, they do not recognize this and would not accept it if the advise was given to these people. The prisoners would be temporarily deprived of sight and incapable to distinguish the objects that cast the shadows on the wall. (Valleau, Finnbogason, 349) If the prisoners were untied and asked to turn and face the flashing light, it would hurt their eyes, and they would perhaps prefer to return to their contented and known gloominess of the prison. (Plato, 195)
In the “Allegory of the Cave” Plato gives us a clearer view of the image drawn from the cave. Plato is of the opinion that the cave is the place that is reachable to insight. Furthermore, Plato differentiates between the perceptible realm and the logical realm, among things understood by perception and those understood by logic. (Plato, 197) The insight realm consists of common observable things; the logical realm consists of ideas. The chained prisoner or in other words, the ordinary unqualified person does not have any opportunity to reach to logical ideas. Indeed, a common person does not even have a clue that such a thing exists. Moreover, such a person has access to shadows of the perceptible instead of the perceptible things themselves. He might be able to recognize these shadows but still he would not know what to do next because his knowledge is inadequate. (Valleau, Finnbogason, 356) Thus in “Allegory of the Cave” Plato explains that the world exterior to the cave is the logical place reachable to rational but not insight. The things in the actual world are factual than the images in the cave, in view of the fact that they are the originals of which the images are similar.
Works Cited
Plato. The Republic. Book 7. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. New York: Vintage, 1991. 253–91.
Valleau , Al; Finnbogason, Jack. The Nelson Introduction to Literature. Second Canadian Edition. Published by Nelson Education Ltd. 2004. ISBN/ISSN: 0176415505.
The “Allegory of the Cave” is among Plato’s philosophical writings that are presented in the form of allegory. The definition of an allegory writing is given as “the type of writing having two levels of meanings: literary and allegorical meaning…where a literary meaning is the content or the subject matter and allegorical meaning is the symbolic or metaphorical suggestion “(BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, para 1).
In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, there is much darkness in the cave and only very little light can be found in this place and it is so hard for a person who is in the cave to see the objects around. In the cave, we have people, around which chains have been tied on their feet as well as their necks, making them unable to move freely. They are prisoners (Cohen, 2006).
This cave forms one world and there is another world outside the cave and between the two, a tall wall has been erected. A large number of people move on the wall carrying various things and their shadows are cast in the cave. Those living in the cave are unable to fully raise up their heads to see clearly but are only able to see the shadows about which they hold a believe that they are real. However, as much as they believe that the shadows are real, this is just their own illusion (Cohen, 2006).
On the other hand, in the outside world, there is adequate light and everything can be clearly seen by people who live their. In case one of the cave prisoners is let out of the cave and allowed to join the outer world, this person is unable to see even a single thing initially because his eyes are not used to the bright light.
However, as time goes by, the person gradually gets used to the light and starts to identify all things in the outer world. Following this, the person comes to a realization that the cave world is not a real world and it is the outer world that is real. He gets to appreciate himself and the memories of those who live in the cave come to him.
He becomes sympathetic and pitiful to those who live in the cave because he realizes that they are living in darkness. What comes to his mind is that is far much better to be under bondage while living in the outer world than being someone honored or a leader while living in the cave.
Although this person does not have the willingness to return to the cave, in case this person is returned to the cave, he can not be able to count anything in the cave because the dazzling of his eyes increases even more. In case he makes some efforts to convince those living in the cave that the cave world is not real and the outer world is what is a real one; these people will have to take away his life because they are ignorant (Meyer, Scheibel, Munte-Goussar, Meisel and Schawe, 2007).
The allegorical meaning is also attached to the “allegory of the cave” since a large number of symbolic ideas are employed in the writing. In symbolic terms, the cave full of darkness and chained prisoners stands for the contemporary world which is filled with ignorance. The tall wall that has been erected between the cave world and the outer world is symbolic of the limited thinking that people in the contemporary world have.
In addition, “the shadow symbolically suggests the world of sensory perception which Plato considers an illusion” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, Para 3). Basing on Plato’s opinion, “the appearance is false and reality is somewhere, which we can not see” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, Para 3).
Plato being a perfect philosopher suggests that the world that can be seen is a photocopy of the “real world” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d,). A photocopy like this is represented by the shadows and there is only a possibility to know the reality when the spiritual knowledge can be employed. The chains is a symbol of “our limitation in this material world so that we can not know the reality to know the reality; we have to break the material wolrd” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, Para 4).
Spiritual reality is symbolized by the outer world which is filled with light and achieving spiritual realized can only be realized by “breaking the chains that are used to tie us” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, Para 4). In addition, lack of being able to see initially when one comes to the outer world is symbolic of the hardships of denying the material wolrd.
The dazzling of the yes when one is returned to the cave is symbolic of a person’s hardship to agree to ignorance after one coming to know the reality. Therefore, it can be said that in “the allegory of the cave”, there has been criticizing by Plato of “our limited existence in the material wolrd” (BachelorandMaster.com, n.d, Para 4).
Overview of the Truman Show Film
The “Truman Show” film is a TV show that focuses on the life of a man known as Truman Burbank. Truman was lawfully adopted immediately after birth by a major TV network “to be the unknowing star of television series, in which his entire life is watched by an audience of millions through an intricate series of hidden cameras” (Philosophical films, 1998, para 1). The main person behind the whole of this idea of the “Truman Show” is someone by the name Christof.
This person sets up an “artificial world”, given the name as Seahaven, in which Truman starts to live. In the actual sense, this artificial world is only a quite big TV set. The dwellers of this artificial world are all actors and it is only Truman who is not aware of this fact (Philosophy and Truman Show, 2010). Truman is the only genuine person in the artificial world; the people he believes to be his mother and father as well as his spouse are people those who are being paid to engage in acting.
All through Truman’s life, the TV network is determined to accomplish the mission of keeping Truman in the dark about the reality by controlling the environment in which he dwells (Clark and Cook, 1998). Even after Truman eventually comes to a realization of the reality and runs away from the “constructed world”, the film as well follows these events (Brearley and Sabbadini, 2008; Castle, 2011).
How fears experienced by prisoners in Plato’s Allegory of the cave and by Truman in Truman Show similar
It can be clearly seen that the “Truman Show” film bears significant similarities with Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The film is full of ideas that are borrowed from “ancient philosophy”. The main themes that can be identified in the film and Plato’s allegory are such themes as total control, deceptive appearances, and looking for truth.
The fear experienced by the prisoners in the cave was similar to the fear that Truman went through in some ways. For instance, in the case where Plato talks of a Freed Man from the cave; this man gets to know the reality when he gets accustomed to the outer world. Though he has no willingness to go back to the cave, the desire and willingness to deliver the others who still stay in the cave out of darkness eventually drives him back (The Hidden Lighthouse, 2011).
On getting back to the cave, the freed man would join the prisoners and narrates to them his experience while in the outer world. The Freed man may encounter much hardships of making the prisoners to actually understand what he is talking about, in regard to the real world.
He would be dismissed by the prisoners and they would proclaim him as having gone mad. As a matter of fact, if this freed man goes on insisting on holding on to his new belief or went on persuading them to leave the cave to go to the outer world, the prisoners would turn out to be hostile to the man (The Hidden Lighthouse, 2011).
The possibility that the idea they have in mind about reality might be a mistaken one makes these prisoners to experience fear. More so, much fear is experienced by the prisoners following the idea that if they left the cave to go to the outer wolrd, they would turn out to be blind and will not be able to see the “reality” they have always known. Plato points out that,
men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that is better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death (Plato, 2008, pg 140).
This explanation clearly illustrates that the people in the cave would prefer killing over accepting to be taken out of the cave to the outer wolrd. They would have to do anything possible to ensure they won’t go out of the cave and this is for the reason that, to them this is the real world and it is a place they feel comfortable and at peace to stay (Linstead and Linstead, 2005).
Considering the case in the film “Truman show”, Truman is absolutely unaware of realities around him. He is not aware that his entire life is under someone’s control. Relating Truman’s situation to Plato’s Allegory, in symbolic terms, chains have been tied around Truman and he is living in a cave and there is the appearance of shadows that he believes are real.
Everyone around him are mere actors that are being paid to act and these people represents the shadows that appear on the wall, seen by Truman which are manipulated by Christof. These actors are being used by Christof to manipulate Truman’s life and to bar him from knowing the truth (Papathanassopouloulos, 2011).
An element of fear comes in when Christof uses one of the actors, which Truman believes he is his father, to instill fear in Truman to prevent him from going away from the “island”. Through his manipulation, Christof assigns the role to Truman’s “father” in which this father pretends to drown.
This event makes Truman to become fearful of water and fears coming closer to water, and thus remaining on the “island city”. By engaging in the manipulation of the world around Truman, the ability to have control over the belief held by Truman of what the reality is, is attained by Christof and he is now able to control him fully (Papathanassopouloulos, 2011).
How humanity relate to the message
As it has been considered above, both Truman and the prisoners in the cave experience some fear. This fear comes about as a result of some manipulation that is carried out by unseen forces by the victims (Truman and the prisoners). The prisoners have been put in darkness and are not able to see the light. Truman is under the manipulation of Christof and is made to believe that there is no any other wolrd. They are under control and made to be fearful to discover any other world other than the one they know as a real one.
Humanity relates to this message very closely. In the real world in which we live, people are used to the world they have been used to and brought up in.
It has to be believed that there can be a better world where there is light since one may be currently living in darkness. Basing on the religious standpoint, we have a group of people who believe very much in material things and do not consider changing their lifestyles to follow spiritual knowledge.
They are in darkness and may stay holding on to the belief that there is no any other world, which can be a world full of light and happiness. They are under the bondage of sin and are not ready to seek out for deliverance because they lives are controlled by some evil powers that they can not see.
Is fear dangerous?
As it has been established above, fear can be very dangerous. This is because, by fearing, one can remain in darkness and fail to see the light or fail to discover the “real world” because he has mistaken the unreal one for the real world. It is good to understand that, it is out of courage and taking a bold move to exploit the outside world that an individual is lifted to a higher new level. The fear experienced by cave prisoners makes them to remain prisoners and to stay in darkness.
The fear experienced by Truman makes him to remain in island “city” without realizing that all people around him are mere actors and outside, there is a whole big world full of opportunities. Therefore, it is important to realize this fact and make the necessary effort to overcome fear and go out to explore. By doing this, one can realize that the current world in which he is living in not a real world and the real world is out there and it is full of light.
References
Bachelorand Master. Plato (Allegory of the Cave). Web.
Brearley, M. and Sabbadini, A. (2008). The Truman Show : How’s it going to end”. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 89 (2): 433–40.
Castle, R. (2011). The Truman Show Sociology. Web.
Clark, L. and Cook, L. (1998). The Truman Show: Curriculum guide. Web.
Linstead, S. and Linstead, A. (2005). Thinking organization. London: Routledge.
Meyer, T., Scheibel, M., Munte-Goussar, S., Meisel, T. and Schawe, J. (2007). Education within a new medium: Knowledge formation and digital infrastructure. New York: Waxman Verlag.
Philosophical Films. (1998). The Truman Show. Web.
The disclosure of the State’s nature, rules and guardians is considered to be centralized in Plato’s theory reflected in the work Republic. It is necessary to underline the fact that the thinker strived to clarify common features of his Divided Line and the allegory of the Cave; the analysis of his philosophy gives an opportunity to realize and investigate Plato’s vision of the path experienced by human beings on their way to knowledge and truth realization; the thinker managed to underline the unity of Divided Line and the allegory of the Cave on the basis of ‘education place’ reflected through the Good perception.
In accordance with Plato’s divided line, the world consists of two parts, intellectual and the one of visible objects. The Good is considered to be at the top of everything; it illuminates and sustains the res. Plato’s tried to demonstrate the idea that the objects’ forms help human beings to obtain ideal understanding, intelligence and knowledge. The lowest level is based on reason and thought reflected through axioms; this aspect is presented on the basis of various mathematical principles. So, Plato’s idea was to show that seeing the objects is followed by information perception about these objects, leading to the formation of certain beliefs on the basis of sound, sights, etc. As a result formed beliefs get people from one place to another being supported by axiomatic thought and reasoning. Plato’s stated that one more element was concentrated on imagination presented through reflections and dreams, and stimulating our creativity.
The theory of divided line is closely connected with Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, through which the thinker managed to underline the fact, that humans cross the line from ignorance cave, to reach the steep path leading to the light, allowing us seeing the shadows of the objects, and the objects themselves. One addresses the top, that is the Good, reasoning about it and making certain conclusions, resulting in realization that the Good is the true cause of everything in the world.
‘When we turn our eyes to things whose colors are no longer in the light of day but in the gloom of night, the eyes are dimmed and seem nearly blind, as if clear vision were no longer in them, yet when one turns them on things illuminated by the sun, they see clearly and vision appears in those same eyes.” (Plato, VI, 508)
The person trying to avoid the cave limitations, is on the way to true reality realization, being able gasping the forms. Plato stated that visible objects were only shadows of the truth; it is necessary to stress that the philosopher’s theory is based on the principles of getting knowledge about the objects on the basis of personal learning focus. The analogy of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Divided Line can be characterized by realities and shadows of education. (Plato, VII, 518)
In accordance with Plato’s beliefs, the invisible truths really exist and are covered by things which can grasp. It is necessary to stress that the divided line can be interpreted as the descending path from beliefs to imagination.
The Good allows your mind to see the forms just as the light of sun allows you to see things. (Plato, VII, 518)
Plato strived to demonstrate the idea that education is the central element in turning human soul towards the Good contemplation, rather then producing a soul vision on the objects.
Divided Line and the allegory of the Cave appeared to be related through the education aspect and its elements on the soul way to truth realization. It is necessary to stress that Plato’s basic position appeared to be based on the Good centralization being the cause and the reason for everything in the world.
References
Plato. The Republic. Translated by Jowett, B. Oxford University Press. Web.
The cave represents the physical world that humankind lives in at present. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave provides descriptive scenarios equivalent to practices in a human being’s ordinary physical world (Altman, 2018). In that cave, human knowledge grows upon getting closer to reality aided by light from the fire and the sun.
The sun represents the realm of knowledge illustrated by Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The excerpt notes that if one of the chained men accessed sunlight, their perspective on shadows would change (Altman, 2018). As illustrated by Plato, values, and morals of truth should guide the right decisions for accurate justice delivery.
The cave-dwellers react to the freed prisoner as an outcast of their community (Altman, 2018). Ideally, the former see the freed prisoner as an outsider who opted to leave their inherent and conservative surrounding that determined knowledge.
Personally, social media resembles Plato’s cave in my world. Online activities have overwhelmed the need to search for knowledge by getting distracted by digital media platforms. Long hours of online activities have inhibited the perfect scheduling of knowledge-seeking activities away from digital sources.
I would want to be freed from Plato’s cave through the path leading to the outside world. The act of reasoned judgment based on truth and the idea of well represented by Plato would mark access to real knowledge (Altman, 2018). Ideally, this would include the strategic identification of useful content that enhances good knowledge in the modern world.
I think that an individual has the power to shape their ideas and perspective of knowledge. The change is inherent and must be intrinsically motivated from within an individual’s interest to transform. Taking charge of one’s power of shaping ideas and beliefs is useful in ensuring consistency in perseverance throughout the change process.
Reference
Altman, W. H. (2018). Ascent to the good: The reading order of Plato’s dialogues from Symposium to Republic. Lexington Books.
Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle complements the history of the U.S since 1877 by further accentuating the impact of the industrial revolution that commenced in mid nineteenth century. This was a period of intense development which saw the U.S ascend to greater echelons of capitalism. The industrial revolution facilitated America with massive provisions like mass production of goods through manufacture, rapid growth of cities, and a greater demand for human resource.
The nineteenth century was a period of brilliant technological inventions and practical science that provided a foundation for the expansion of industry. Inventions such as the steam engine, the telegram, photography, the telephone and the Trans Atlantic cable, the airplane, electricity, gas lighting and the electric bulb provided industries with a basis as to how to model their operations.
The iron and steel refinery mill established by Andrew Carnegie was largely responsible for the rapid expansion of the railroad and the emergence of multiple storied buildings. The vast railway network expanded the market for manufactured goods and the emerging buildings led to the growth and expansion of cities (Sinclair 1936, 21). The utilization of refined oil rather than steam to run engines created an extensive market for the oil products. Subsequent industrial machinery was designed to run on oil since its combustion provided more power increasing the output of the industries.
Late nineteenth century engulfed a period of extreme unrest from workers who held strikes occasionally to protest or demand better wages, treatment or working conditions. Accidents in the work place occurred frequently and some were fatal. Workers were of the view that their efforts were not respected considering the poor pay they received (Sinclair 1936, 52).
Hence, by going on strike there was a greater chance for their grievances to be addressed bearing in mind that no body including the Socialist Labor Party advocated for most of the workers since unions were of limited membership(Sinclair 1936, 38). Most of the strikes ended up in riots which bore casualties, for example the Haymarket Massacre where a confrontation between the workers and police left 7 fatalities and more than 60 casualties.
Of similar detrimental consequences were the 1892 Pennsylvania Homestead Strike and the 1894 Pullman Strike in Chicago. The successive governments of late nineteenth century an early twentieth century were marred with controversy and massive corruption (Sinclair 1936, 64). Several paradigms support this fact for instance the 1884 controversial election rivalry between Grover Cleveland and James G. Blaine.
Summary of the plot
The novel begins on a high note with the presentation of a Lithuanian wedding party celebrating the union of the main character Jurgis Rudkus and Ona who is the bride. The mood is toned with joy and excitement as the newly weds’ family invites passers by to join them in the festivities and even provide food, drink and entertainment (Sinclair 1936, 81). The hosts are however apprehensive on whether the guests will be courteous enough to give a donation which is customary in Lithuanian tradition.
Rudkus together with his family travel to America at the end of the 19th century hoping that Rudkus will soon acquire a job and support the family. When they arrive at their abode in Chicago, Illinois, the reality finally dawns on them that they will have to struggle and work hard in order to make ends meet (Sinclair 1936, 127). The fact that they will have to work hard just to get minimum wage instills within them a sense of desperation and urgency to acquire their own house in order to save on rent.
The search for an ideal house that is within their budget leads them to a vicious lending scheme that takes away their savings under the pretence that the money is a down payment for a house in the slums. Consequently, Rudkus together with his family lose their new home as well as their money (Sinclair 1936, 144).
All family members including the children are compelled to seek employment in order to sustain themselves. Working conditions in the Chicago Stockyards are harsh and the workers are required to submit to their employers regardless of the underpaid wages. “They will certainly be over two hundred dollars and maybe three hundred; and three hundred dollars is more than the year’s income of many a person in this room.” (Sinclair 1936, 6).
Everyone they encounter in the chain of command is corrupt and the exposure to corruption gradually corrupts members of the family as well. Rudkus’s predicament is further compounded by the death of his wife during labor as well as the death of his son who mysteriously drowns in a mud puddle.
Other family members also succumb to death due to malnutrition and treatable diseases associated with poverty. The prevailing circumstances become too overwhelming for Rudkus and he decides to leave the city (Sinclair 1936, 200). After all, he perceives that he can never accomplish his goals in such a capitalistic setting where people are hostile, deceptive and selfish.
Rudkus decides to go to the countryside but soon runs out of work and returns to Chicago. He takes on odd jobs like digging tunnels and also becomes a con man. One evening, he involuntarily ventures into a lecture presided over by an eloquent socialist supporter and he immediately decides where he belongs (Sinclair 1936, 158). A fellow socialism supporter offers him a job as the socialist party goes on to gain immense popularity.
Messages in The Jungle
Sinclair has a number of issues he tries to reveal through his novel The Jungle. The first and most dominant message in the novel is the demerits associated with capitalism. Sinclair uses the suffering of Rudkus as well as his family as a mirror image of the poor living in a capitalistic society. The novel portrays the American society as ruthless and discriminative to the poor.
Furthermore, the industrial revolution is viewed as counterproductive due to the fact that the introduction of machinery was largely responsible for the exploitation of workers both in the working environment and in remuneration. Most jobs did not require intensive training and therefore these posts were always on demand. With industry owners aware of that, they took advantage and underpaid the laborers who would be threatened with dismissal or blacklisting if they complained.
Sinclair also reveals the intricate corrupt practices that are adopted and widely accepted by the rich and political classes (Sinclair 1936, 112). Such practices could also be used as veto points to deny the poor access to a good job, medical services or council.
The exploitation of women and children to work in the industries was unethical because children were being exposed to the same harsh industry conditions similar to the adults yet the children were paid less (Sinclair 1936, 245). Women and children were also more likely to experience an accident in the industries especially if it was their job.
The novel also shows the outcome of a lax or corrupt system of government to society. A government that encourages unethical practices is solely liable for the detriment of the society it governs. By only taking care of the rich the government does not fulfill its pledge to serve all its citizens and this can breed animosity between the rich and the poor.
Conclusion
The Jungle was set in the early 20th century specifically to examine the struggle that the working class and laborers went through. From a historical perspective, the novel provides candid and insightful information regarding the social structure of America during the late nineteenth century.
The novel differs from other historic material in that it analyses the life of a few individual relative to the prevalent circumstances allowing for more detailed results rather than a generalized perspective. This allows a reader to better understand how people thought and acted through the study of dialogue. The depiction of the types of architectural structures, houses and fashion provides additional information to historians regarding the American culture during the stipulated period.
The novel is of similar importance to the literary field since it bears language that might have evolved with time. The examination of past English narratives from different timeframes provides literary scholars with a sequential pattern that may help them discern the exact period when the language progressed. This is important when categorizing the different classes of English to specific eras.
Further, the reference to Jungle is indeed an allegory which refers to the state of America during the late nineteenth century. This is because people were self centered, dishonest and greedy thus those in power took advantage of the weak and poor to accomplish their own selfish interests allowing for their comparison with animals in the jungle.
Reference List
Sinclair, Upton. 1936. The Jungle. New York: Babylon Dreams.
Paradise Lost is a classic poem written in the late 17th century by English poet John Milton. It was first published in 1667 in 10 books and revised in 1674, this second edition being redivided into 12 books with slight revisions all through the books. A great deal of Paradise Lost was written after Milton had lost his eyesight, and was written down for him.
The poem is a rendition of the fall of man as written in the Bible The author’s purpose, as stated in the book, is to expound on the conflict between man and God. Milton incorporates a number of literary styles in the book, however, this paper will focus on allegory as used in the book.
Allegory in Paradise Lost
Brightness and Light
Allegory is used in many instances throughout the book. He uses brightness and light to signify God’s presence. The audience never really gets to see God throughout the book; the only thing the author says about Him is that He is very bright, or that He is a huge light, hidden away in some far off place.
Milton uses a number of ways to illustrate a person’s virtue, and one of them is by showing how ‘bright’ they are. For instance, Satan mentions the ‘bright confines’ of Heaven (Milton, Book, 2.395), and the author writes that “God is light,/ And never but in unapproachèd light/ Dwelt” (Milton, Book 3.305). Various sections of the book mention God’s “glorious brightness” (Milton, Book, 2.395, Milton, Book 3.375).
Many sections of the Paradise Lost refer to angels as bright creatures. For instance, the author writes that the angels “Stood thick as stars” (Milton, Book 3.61) in reference to the brightness of the stars. Adam sees Raphael coming from the east and imagines it is another sunrise (Book 5.309-311), illustrating the brightness of Raphael (similar to that of a rising sun).
Milton uses allegory to illustrate Satan’s position before and after his banishment from Heaven. He writes that Satan was “Clothed with transcendent brightness” (Milton, Book 1.86) and “didst out-shine/ Myriads” (Milton, Book 1.86-87). Following his fall from Heaven, Milton writes that “his form had yet not lost/ All her original brightness” (Book 1.591-592), making the audience guess that Satan had lost some of his brightness due to his sin, indeed, Raphael confirms this by saying that that Satan was “brighter once” (Milton, Book 7.132).
The Fall
This poem is about the banishment of Adam and Eve from Paradise after they tae the forbidden fruit, regularly known as the ‘Fall’, hence, pictures of falling objects abound the book. When we first meet Adam and Eve, they are newly fallen both morally (having defied God’s command) and literally (thrown out of Heaven).
Satan’s first statement is “Awake, arise, or be forever fallen” (Milton, Book 1.330). Milton uses fallen (or fall) to signify sin or to go against God’s commands.
It is essential to note that in Paradise Lost, the characters make themselves fall; no force that throws any of the fallen character out of Heaven. Indeed, in Book 3, Milton writes that God created Adam “Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall” (Book 3.95-96). And later, God does not push Satan and other rebel angels out of Heaven, rather, they throw themselves. Milton writes, “headlong themselves they threw/ Down from the verge of Heav’n” (Book 6.864-865).
Besides these two falls, the author uses numerous linked images. Considering that an object that has fallen is no longer erect, Milton writes that “man’s woe” (Book 11.632) begins with “man’s effeminate slackness” (Book 11.634).
He implies that Adam was femininely negligent when he listened to his wife and ended up eating the forbidden fruit, hence his fall. Instead of standing up as a man, he allowed Eve to influence his thinking and disobeyed God’s command (Stone, pp. 38).
The Scales in the Sky
As Satan gets ready to battle Gabriel when he is found in Paradise, God makes an image of a pair of golden scales to show in the sky. On one face of the scales, God puts the results of Satan’s desertion of the war, and on the other, He puts the results of Satan staying to battle Gabriel (Frye, pp. 12).
The face that illustrates him staying to battle the angel flies away, symbolizing its weightlessness and irrelevance. The scales signify the fact that God and Satan are actually not on opposite sides of a battle; God is all-powerful, and Satan and Gabriel depend on Him. The scales compel Satan to recognize the futility of fighting against God’s angels again.
Adam’s Flowery Headdress
The wreath that Adam made for Eve (Milton, Book 9.86-87) has different meanings. First, it signifies his affection for her and attraction to her. Just as Adam is about to give the wreath to Eve, he is shocked on realizing that she has eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, this makes him drop the wreath to the ground.
This signifies that his love for Eve is fading. His view of her as a companion has been destroyed. The fallen wreath signifies the loss of love (Wheat, pp. 154).
Works Cited
Frye, Northrop, The Return of Eden: Five Essays on Milton’s Epics, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1965. Print.
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. In The Norton Introduction to Literature. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays, eds. Portable 10th ed. New York: Norton, 2011. Print.
Stone, James W. “Man’s effeminate s(lack)ness:” Androgyny and the Divided Unity of Adam and Eve, Milton Quarterly 31 (2): 1997. 33–42.
Wheat, Leonarf F. Philip Pullman’s His dark materials–a multiple allegory : attacking religious superstition in The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe and Paradise lost, Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 2008. Print.
Through the Allegory of the Cave treatise, Plato describes a scene whereby a number of chained men are fixedly staring at a wall. Behind these men is a huge fire which illuminates the wall. Further, some other people – bearing various things – walk between the fire and the chained men. The fire casts shadows of the passing men onto the wall. The prisoners’ world only consists of the shadows since they are unable to see anything else. Likewise, through the A Lesson before Dying novel, Ernest James Gaines describes a scene whereby a man – Jefferson – is confined to a prison cell awaiting execution for alleged murder. This convict is at one time chained just like the men in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave discourse. Further, Grant – Jefferson’s cousin – usually finds the prisoner staring at the ceiling. This situation resembles the one found in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave discourse whereby the prisoners fixedly stare at the wall. The objects of their staring form the prisoners’ worlds. Further, power is evident in the 2 works. Plato’s chained prisoner is made to fixedly stare at a wall by some powerful entity. Similarly, Gaines’ prisoner is incarcerated by the racist White population. The 2 works also feature various Christian symbolisms. Whereas Gaines’ prisoner is a reflection of the Biblical Christ, the release of Plato’s prisoner from the cave signifies Christian salvation. Further, the 2 works explore the significance of justice. Gaines’ work represents a quest by Jefferson to obtain justice from the White -dominated society. Likewise, Plato’s prisoner’s situation indicates that justice – the lack of which makes the captive to remain chained – is indeed important. The 2 works also have various symbolisms. The images in Plato’s treatise represent the working of human minds. Likewise, food indicates friendship and appreciation in Gaines’ novel.
It is however notable that the imprisoned men in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave discourse differ from the prisoner in Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel in several ways. To illustrate, while what Jefferson sees are real entities (the ceiling), the men in Plato’s treatise only see representations of reality (images). Moreover, whereas Plato’s prisoner ends up being liberated after gaining knowledge, the acquisition of knowledge brings doom for Gaine’s prisoner. The effects that the foregoing eventualities have on the prisoners’ compatriots also differ. For instance, while Jefferson’s acquisition of knowledge and enlightenment indicates good times for the Louisiana Blacks, the enlightenment of Plato’s prisoner attracts scorn from the inmate’s colleagues. These 2 works thus explore the concepts of the subjectivity and relativity of knowledge. All in all, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave treatise and Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel describe prisoners who gain enlightenment with varied results both for the captives as well as for the captives’ colleagues, thus demonstrating the subjectivity and relativity of knowledge.
To illustrate, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave treatise indicates that the prisoners are chained and compelled to stare at a wall on which images of people are projected. These images are the sole prisoners’ subjective worlds. Consequently, the released prisoner holds real life entities as unreal. Their previous world only consisted of images. They cannot thus appreciate real things. The released captive therefore takes time before acclimatizing themselves to entities in the real world. This concept proves that knowledge is both relative and subjective. As such, the prisoner’s world in their bound state is their only subjective reality. This aspect explains their initial refusal to accept the authenticity of entities in the real world (Jacobus 452). The aspect of subjectivity of knowledge – which convinces the prisoner that there is no other world apart from their previous reality – thus comes into play.
Likewise, the issues of subjectivity and relativity of knowledge are explored in Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel whereby Jefferson is taken through the gradual process of enlightenment. At first, the prisoner thinks that the world only consists of the Whites torturing the Blacks. In other words, Jefferson is initially of the view that Black suppression under Whites is a timeless phenomenon. This idea explains Jefferson’s mockery of Grant’s efforts at enlightening the prisoner. Consequently, Jefferson derisively makes pig noises so as to fit into the anti-Black stereotype described by the prisoner’s lawyer. With patience, Grant eventually manages to convince Jefferson that the oppression of Blacks can end. As such, Jefferson demonstrates commendable courage that confirms that the yoke of oppression can be removed from the Blacks’ shoulders. Such a disposition challenges the lawyer’s derisive statement that Jefferson – representing all Blacks – is similar to pig. The prisoner thus dies a dignified and courageous man. This scenario proves that knowledge is relative and subjective. To expound, Jefferson’s initial knowledge consisted of the idea that the White’s oppression of Blacks is eternal. Finally, the prisoner learns that he – representing Blacks – can effectively challenges this idea. He thus demonstrates courage and dignity even as he dies. The subjectivity and relativity of knowledge is thus confirmed.
Consequently, Jefferson’s resolve to stand firms against the efforts of the Whites to break his spirit leads to a spiritual emancipation of his colleagues as well as revival for himself. Although the prisoner soon dies on the electric chair, his transformation proves to be very beneficial. It is notable that Grant, who is initially Jefferson’s mentor, eventually becomes inferior to the prisoner in terms of enlightenment. For this reason, Grant has to confess of his deficiencies before Jefferson. In addition, thanks to the prisoner’s transformation, his other relatives, namely, Miss Emma (his mother) as well as Tante Lou (his aunt); gain much hope (Gaines 214). Specifically, the mother is very glad and proud that her son has finally proven the oppressive Whites wrong. Jefferson’s calm disposition before the execution also proves that he has benefited from his enlightenment. The prisoner has beneficially learned that the world he has all long believed in is superficial, oppressive and deceptive. He thus seeks a higher world where he can enjoy human dignity. The author thus manipulates the subjectivity and relativity of knowledge to the benefit of the various members of the Black community.
The ultimate situation in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave treatise is however different from the happy ending of Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel in that Plato’s prisoner’s enlightenment does not offer positive outcomes for the captive’s compatriots. To demonstrate, after Plato’s captive ultimately realizes that the world they have all along believed in is made-up and unreal, they disregard all that happened in this world. The prisoner’s newfound enlightenment does not however please their compatriots in the cave. The other still blinded prisoners are angry at the supposed idea that their colleague’s sight has been corrupted. Consequently, the ideologically blinded prisoners resolve never to venture out lest they experience the supposed corruption that their colleague has experienced. In addition, the captives resolve to violently defend themselves against any attempts at making them enlightened. It is thus clear that while the enlightened prisoner is rejoicing, their colleagues are very unhappy about such enlightenment. Here, Plato uses the subjectivity and relativity of knowledge to explore the concept of enlightenment. While the still blinded prisoners hold their knowledge to be superior, their enlightened colleague thinks that they (the enlightened captive) possess advanced knowledge. The subjective minds of the still unenlightened prisoners convince them that they are better-off than their colleague. The subjectivity and relativity of knowledge thus plays out.
Christian imagery plays out in the 2 works. Gaines’ Jefferson signifies Christ; his experiences bring enlightenment to other people. Jefferson’s enlightenment and victorious struggle imparts new vigor onto Miss Emma (his mother) as well as Tante Lou (his aunt). Grant also benefits by being close to the prisoner. Likewise, Plato demonstrates Christian imagery through the chained prisoner’s release. This release alludes to the Christian salvation.
Further, both works depict the use of power. To illustrate, in Gaines’ novel, the Whites use their power to abuse Jefferson by unjustly incarcerating the Black. Likewise, in Plato’s treatise, the prisoners are confined within the cave by an entity that wields power. Such power portrayals indicate tyranny.
Related to the concept of power is the quest for justice that plays out in both works. While Jefferson seeks to emancipate his fellow Blacks who have been historically mistreated by the Whites, Plato’s prisoner aspires to obtain justice from the powers that have incarcerated them. Such depictions prove that justice is indeed very significant.
Moreover, various symbols play out in the 2 works. Plato’s treatise uses the images that are displayed on the wall to refer to humans minds. The images determine the prisoners’ understanding just like the human mind determines one’s intellect. Likewise, food is used to indicate friendship and appreciation in Gaines’ novel. For example, Grant brings Jefferson some food to indicate the former’s love. Further, to show his displeasure with his family, Jefferson refuses the food that Miss Emma offers.
Conclusion
In summary, Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave explore the concepts of the subjectivity and relativity of knowledge through their respective prisoners’ experiences. The similarities between the 2 works are that the prisoners are initially bound and made to make contact with limited reality. Further, the prisoners are exposed to a different world whereby their earlier views of realities’ are challenged and subsequently changed. The 2 works are however different with regard to the outcomes of the prisoners’ experiences. While Allegory of the Cave treatise ends with the prisoner being enlightened, thus displeasing their colleagues, in Gaines’ A Lesson before Dying novel, the prisoner’s enlightenment pleases the captive’s compatriots. These differing viewpoints show that knowledge is relative and highly subjective.
Works Cited
Gaines, Ernest James. A Lesson before Dying. New York: Vintage Books, 1997. Print.
Jacobus, Lee. A World of Ideas. New York, USA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. Print.
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” is a well-known attempt to explain the nature of reality. Plato was one of the first philosophers who were thinking about the destination of all humankind. He developed his own theory of the understanding of reality. Plato considered that a person should pass several stages in order to achieve full understanding of phenomena and his thoughts are relevant up till nowadays.
Main body
Plato was an outstanding philosopher of Ancient Greece. He is famous for establishing Western philosophy. Plato had a great teacher —Socrates, and he became a teacher himself for Aristotle. Plato wrote his dialogues that became the basis for various subjects such as ethics, logic, philosophy, mathematics, religion, and rhetoric. His exceptional and genius ideas included the theory of forms, platonic realism, and platonic idealism.
“The Allegory of the Cave” is written in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Plato’s brother — Glaucon. It is a part of Plato’s prominent work “The Republic”. In the book, Socrates employs a vivid metaphor that describes the way education influences the person’s comprehension of the world.
In the first part, Socrates describes dark settings where people exist in a cave since birth. They are in chains and they are not able to move their necks and see anything behind them. They can look only forward. A wall is in front of them. There is the fire behind them. One more wall separates prisoners from the fire. There are puppeteers on the wall who show different figures and statues. Prisoners can observe only the shadows from the performance. They believe these shadows are the only real things in the world. Plato (n.d.) writes “From the beginning people like this have never managed…anything besides the shadows” (p. 1). That is the way Plato refers to the initial stage of human education — imagination. I can imagine that I have lived in a cave. I was thinking about success. On this stage, I understood success as something I was shown. It was the first step of my escape because I became familiar with the concept. For instance, I found James Bond to be a successful man. Then I realized that nothing could be so easy in real life. I faced a new factor. It was the second step when I decided that I had to start changing some of my habits and even traits of character to accomplish my aim. According to Plato (n.d.), this is the first stage of liberation when prisoners get free and can move their heads: “…prisoners are set free from their chains and, along with that, cured of their lack of insight…” (p. 2). In my experience, that is the stage when I have understood that success in real life differs from success in films. I read a story from life and came to the conclusion that I had to work hard and never give up in order to achieve something. On the next phase, prisoners leave the cave and see the sunlight. It is difficult and painful, but they get used to it. In my story, that is the period when I experience the failure in life. As a result, I have achieved the stage of cognitive thinking as far as I am able to define success. I have understood that success is a combination of frequent failures and victories. That was the third step of my escape. Thus, I achieved the understanding gradually.
Conclusion
That was the only logical order of escape; otherwise, I would not manage to succeed. In the last part, Plato writes that prisoners return to the cave and explain everything to others. In my life, that is the situation when I advise my friends that they should wake up early, be positive, and be creative to become successful. Such consideration of success can assist me in any area of life as far as it is a universal truth that works with all types of activities.