Is Neo trying to escape Plato’s cave? It appears to be the case. The more I dismantle The Matrix, the more fascinating I find it to be. It isn’t enough to see it once; it takes a few times in front of the screen to finally digest everything the movie throws at you. At first, viewers might be overwhelmed with so many special effects and a some what complex plot. You have to choose: either pay attention to the visual effects or try to understand the story and catch some of its analogies. Once one gets passed the visual part and starts to explore the actual story, that’s when the real fun starts.
After researching Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, it was impossible to ignore the similarity between the two. The first sequences of the movie take place within the matrix. Keanu Reeves’ character Neo, whom by this time is still Thomas Anderson, is totally oblivious to the fact he is living a false reality. Just like the prisoners inside the cave he’s chained and unable to look anywhere but to the wall in front of him. His daily routine, from the simple act of sleeping to going to work, was a sham. But just as the prisoners believed the shadows on the wall were true, Mr. Anderson had no problem in believing in it either.
When choosing the Red Pill, Neo commences the process of his liberation from the matrix/cave. After the red pill sequence, we see Neo in a cocoon getting unplugged. This could be interpreted as Neo being unchained and finally ready to flee the cave and look at the sun. The real world in The Matrix could be interpreted as the Sun in the allegory. When opening his eyes for the first time Neo asks Laurence Fishburne’s character Morpheus why his eyes hurt, and he replies it due to the fact he has never used them before, the same pain is experienced by the prisoner when first looking at the sun.
The Sun is the truth, and when both Neo and the prisoner acknowledge the fact they were living a lie, the normal reaction is: be incredulous. How can something as surreal as the sun beat the shadows on the wall? Since birth shadows are the only truth they know, it’s preposterous to be told any different. And just like the prisoner, Neo gets accustomed to the idea little by little, until the sun becomes their reality.
Here's a link to a video inspired by the Allegory of the Cave, enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcS05TdeuYQ&feature=related
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
you definitely expressed yourself effectively, especially when you started talking about the matrix.
ur blog was perhaps the most original and enjoyable to read.very detailed and elequent.
Well, i have question in my mind. What if the sun (which you think is real in ending para) is also some kind of deception? What is next another wait of 100's year to figure out what is that sun all about?
I am really enjoying your blog, Ana! Great job so far. Keep it up!
An excellent read, Ana! I appreciated the fact that you explained the similarity between the emergence from the cave, following the prisoner's release from its bonds, and the adjustments that Neo (like so many others before him, especially the traitorous, Cypher) had to make when learning to use the muscles of his body. Furthermore, I LOVED the YouTube video! I've always enjoyed watching people use stop-motion techniques when making home videos.
Have you seen the entire Matrix series? The three movies really mess with the Cave idea.
Post a Comment