Allegory of the Cave
Socrates asks Glaucon to imagine an underground cave where prisoners have been chained since childhood, able only to see shadows on the wall cast by a fire behind them. These shadows are all they know of reality. One prisoner is freed and dragged up into the sunlight. At first he is blinded and confused - the light hurts. Gradually his eyes adjust: first he can see shadows, then reflections, then objects themselves, and finally the sun. He understands that the shadows in the cave were mere illusions. This is Plato's image for the nature of reality and education: most people live among shadows of shadows, taking appearances for truth.
The Text
What You'll Learn
Comprehension
Describes the cave: prisoners chained, fire behind them, shadows on the wall
Cause & Consequence
Explains why the freed prisoner is blinded: eyes adjusted to darkness cannot handle light
Meaning
Takes a position on whether Plato's allegory captures something true about human knowledge
Evidence
Cites a specific image or phrase from the allegory
Defense
Maintains or thoughtfully revises their position under challenge
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- 1.Read the text carefully
- 2.Answer the tutor's questions in your own words
- 3.Progress through each stage as you demonstrate understanding
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