A group of prisoners are held in captivity. They lay still, transfixed by the shadows dancing across the walls. The shadows are the only proof of what lies beyond, so they savour the image, devoting their entire lives to fantasy and theory about it.One of the prisoners is released, makes his way outside the cave and is immediately struck by the blinding light of the sun. Their eyes adjust and they set out to explore.The prisoner finally sees the world for what it is; the world cast in its full glory, beauty and wonder. They come to understand that the shadows are nothing but refractions of light. Once they return to inform the others, to their dismay, no one believes them. Taken aback, the freed prisoner returns to the world, leaving the cave behind and the prisoners to their fate.
by at Plato’s allegory of the cave juxtaposes reality against appearances, curiosity against ignorance, and light against darkness. The prisoners are entrapped in ignorance as they continue to adopt a superficial understanding of their…
