In “Allegory of the Cave” by Plato, the theme is ignorance which compares to the ending of “The Metamorphosis”. First off in “Allegory of the Cave” one of the prisoners goes out into the real world for the first time and when he comes back and tells his mates they get angry at him for believing other wise and seeing more as if it is a crime to be optimistic. In “The Metamorphosis” Gregor whom has gotten comfortable with his new transformation,but his family who didn’t care to ask what happened, weren’t . Instead of accepting him his family wants him gone. “You just have to put it from your mind any thought that it’s Gregor.” (pg.238). So this indicates what the family is trying to tell themselves, they know its Gregor but they choose not to see it. Just like the prisoners who have the truth right in front of them and choose not believe it.
-Bintou Samura
Plato’s “Allegory of a Cave” argues the physical world is merely a shadow of the real world and suggests life is not what it seems. One of the prisoners escapes the cave and discovers the real world is more than just the shadows cast on the cave walls. He explains that “if [the prisoner] again recalled his first dwelling, and the “knowing” that passes as the norm there, and the people with whom he once was chained, don’t you think he would consider himself lucky because of the transformation.” By achieving enlightenment and transforming into an aware person, the prisoner is able to appreciate the real world. By contrast, Gregor is aware of the real world but does not appreciate his life or his role in it. “The Metamorphosis” details the transformation of a man into a revolting beetle. Gregor realizes how valuable his life and family is after it is too late, and he is not as fortunate to get a second chance at life as the prisoner in the cave.
-Joseph Morreale
Towards the ending of “The Metamorphosis” and “Allegory of the Cave”, they are same in the aspect of awareness of their surroundings and how it relates to themselves. In “The Metamorphosis” we know that Gregor wakes up as an insect and that causes a great disturbance in the family. So when Gregor decides to kill himself, the family is relieved. It’s like a dark cloud has been removed from over their heads and their future began to look brighter. When they decided to go out for the first time in months, the mother and father begin to notice a change in Grete. They became aware of her own transformation, which is an adult. “While they were talking in these terms, almost at one and the same time Mr. and Mrs. Samsa noticed their increasingly lively daughter…they thought it was about time to find a suitable husband for her.” Now compared to “Allegory of the Cave” when the prisoner escapes and runs out of the cave and sees the real world he gets excited. He’s suddenly aware that there is more to his world than just shadows on the cave walls.
-Keauna
3 responses so far ↓
n.mazza1 // Apr 6th 2017 at 2:08 pm
Bintou, I loved your response and how you compared the metamorphosis to allegory of the cave. My response was similar but took a different turn. It’s interesting that you compared the perceptions of the outsiders of each story and found a common ground between both. We realize that the cellmates are very similar to Gregors family when they struggle to come to terms with reality. Joseph describes Plato’s Allegory of a cave as the physical world being “a shadow of the real world and suggests life is not what it seems.” This was interesting because it is a deeper approach to the story. Shadows were not just shadows, Gregor was not jus ta cockroach he was their son.
j.devine // Apr 6th 2017 at 10:44 pm
Keauna, I think your comparison between Kafka’s story and Plato’s allegory makes a lot of sense. Although I wrote about the differences between the two works, I support your idea, “It’s like a dark cloud has been removed from over their heads and their future began to look brighter.” I can see how both the family in “The Metammorphosis” and the man in “The Allegory of the Cave” see the light of truth at the end of the stories. However, I wonder if you feel the same about the other men that are held prisoner in the cave, and whether or not they follow the same path as the Samsa family.
j.han6 // Apr 7th 2017 at 1:00 am
I completely agree with Keauna when she stated “they are same in the aspect of awareness of their surroundings and how it relates to themselves”. She focused on the family, not Gregor. After Gregor’s dead, the family felt happy by being aware of a bright future from their daughter. Also, when the prisoner escapes from the cave, he comes to know that what he had seen on the cave walls is not the truth and there is definitely the real truth and he was happy by that. Therefore, it is very appropriate to say that both the family in “The Metamorphosis” and the prisoner in “Allegory of the Cave” certainly have the awareness of their surroundings.
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