"Allegory of the Cave"

In this short fable, Plato seems to strike the reader with the main theme of perception being reality. From the above picture depicting Plato's short story, the audience is able to draw a mental image of what the actual story is illustrating. From the story along with the picture above, it appears that the "slaves" are being taught inanimate objects from the "real" world. The world that is known to most individuals. It is from this process that the audience is able to relate to the story so well. Because we as individuals have a pre-conceived notion of the real world, we are able to commiserate with the slaves. This relevance along with the emotional aspect of the cave makes the story what it is. The reader is able to relate to the slaves on a more emotional standpoint. This gives the reader the opportunity to make the story his/her own in terms of the meaning. In the end, most readers come to the conclusion of the meaning being perception is reality. The slaves are perceiving reality through images cast about on a wall. These images are of great significance because it is the only thing that the slaves know to be true. After witnessing the "real" world, though, they begin to perceive everything through a new light. It is this notion that brought me to my conclusion of the theme being perception is reality.