The Republic Quiz

Which statement best describes the scene that Socrates paints in the beginning?

• prisoners in a cave that can only see the shadows of things

• prisoners in a cave that cannot see anything in the darkness

• prisoners in a cave that can see everything faintly by firelight

• prisoners in a cave that can see one another, but not their captors

What do the people in the cave believe about their lives?

• They know that they are prisoners being shown false things, but cannot help believing them to be true.

• The prisoners believe that the shadows of the images are as close to reality as the prisoners can ever hope to know.

• The shadows of real objects paired with the voices of captors exist as the only real and true things in their lives.

• They do not know what the meaning of their life is, but they know there is more to life than shadows of images.

How would a prisoner initally respond to seeing the fire and objects in the cave?

• He would adjust quickly to the new source of light and realize that the objects are truer than the shadows of the objects.

• He would experience pain as he realizes that the objects are truer than the shadows of the objects.

• He would experience pain and continue to believe that the shadow sof the objects are truer than the objects.

What would happen when the prisoner leaves the cave?

• He would grow used to the light of reality all at once.

• He would grow use to the light of reality in stages.

• He would be pained by the light and unabled to see the truth.

• He would know right away that the sun is the source of truth because it emits light.

How would the prisoner act if he returns to the cave?

• He would begin to adjust back to life in the dark.

• He would try to fit in with the other prisoners, but fail.

• He would be tempted to return to the comfort of the dark.

• He would see the darkness as a hollow and untrue life.

How would the other prisoners view a peer who returns from outside the cave?

• The prisoners will mock the educated prisoner when he returns for his failure to thrive in false conditions.

• The clueless prisoners will admire the educated prisoner for his failure to thrive in false conditions.

• The prisoner who returns would ridicule the prisoners who never left and don't understand reality.

• The prisoner who returns would pity and try to enlighten the prisoners who never left and don't understand reality.

Socrates believes that…

• the sun in the story is the light of the fire that alters how people see their world.

• the sun in the story is the idea of good, which is the ultimate truth that all people ought to seek.

• people will never see clearly, but that does not mean they should stop trying.

• those who keep their eyes fixed on the light of truth will blind themselves.