Allegory of the Cave Practice

What is the central idea of the 'Allegory of the Cave'?

• Most men live chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall, and trying to guess the nature of objects reflected by a fire.

• An enlightened person is like a prisoner freed from the cave that comes to understand that the shadows are not reality, rather he understands reality by his experience.

• Men who allow their experience to be shaped by perceptions and shadows do not know a better life.

• A philosopher must return to share the news of enlightenment with others who will not necessarily accept his good news.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What quotation from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "Imagine some people are living underground in a cave. The cave stretches a long way up towards the entrance and the sunlight. Those people have been in that place since childhood, shackled by the legs and neck. . ."

• "From the beginning, whether on their own or with the help of another person, the prisoners have never been able to see anything except the shadows that are projected on the wall in front of them by the glow of the fire."

• "And having done all that, by this time he would also be able to gather the following about the sun: (1) that it is that which grants both the seasons and the years; . . . and (3) that it is also the cause of all those things that the people dwelling in the cave have before [their] eyes in some way or other."

• "And now, I responded, consider this: If this person who had gotten out of the cave were to go back down again and sit in the same place as before, would he not find in that case, coming suddenly out of the sunlight, that his eyes were filled with darkness?"

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

Who do the prisoners in 'The Allegory of the Cave' represent?

• Ordinary people living in the world not realizing that what they see as real is an illusion.

• Philosophers and those who see the world as an illusion.

• Philosophers who help other seekers to understand ideas of truth, perception, and reality.

• People who want to break free to experience truth and reality but are bound by their own chains.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What statement best summarizes Part 2 of 'The Allegory of the Cave' by Plato?

• One prisoner is unchained and slowly pushed towards the mouth of the cave. As the prisoner is dragged from the cave, he resists leaving and staring into the light.

• Prisoners are chained in a cave, shackled by their necks, unable to see anything but shadows projected on the walls of the cave. All the prisoners have ever known are the shadows in front of them, and the sounds they believe the shadows make.

• One prisoner is unchained and forced to stare into the light. After his eyes adjust to the sudden glare of light, he slowly comes to realize that the shadows were not as real as he had formerly believed.

• The prisoner leaves the cave and realizes that the world is not as he has previously believed. He then comes to understand truth, perception, and reality and returns to the cave to share with others.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

What is the meaning of 'occupied' as it is used in the excerpt?

• captured

• distracted

• inhabited

• conquered

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CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

What does this excerpt reveal about Plato's attitude towards perception and reality?

• It is far better to have experienced reality and to understand the world as it is, having sharpened one's own perceptions to develop truth.

• It is sometimes worth the struggle to understand true perception and reality, but other times one might gain no advantage from understanding the world as it is.

• It causes guilt and pity for those who were left behind, so it is better to be ignorant of the outside world.

• It is neither better nor worse to experience reality, but to truly understand truth and perception one should just accept what is presented as reality.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How do the ideas in the story 'The Allegory of the Cave' compare with ideas presented in 'Flowers for Algernon'?

• Both stories explore the concept of enlightenment and the struggle to understand reality.

• While 'The Allegory of the Cave' focuses on the journey from ignorance to knowledge, 'Flowers for Algernon' explores the consequences of gaining intelligence.

• 'The Allegory of the Cave' emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge with others, while 'Flowers for Algernon' highlights the isolation that comes with increased intelligence.

• Both stories depict characters who are trapped in their own perceptions and struggle to break free.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7