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Essay on Allegory of the Cave/Truman Show Analysis

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Allegory of the Cave/Truman Show Limited Knowledge, truth (or revelation), reality, and idealism are some of the common themes expressed in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and the film “The Truman Show.” The differences can be found in the way Plato allows some of the prisoners to remain unknowing, by giving them an almost fear-like stance involving the truth of their world, and how to free themselves. Another is that the “false” world is created on different premises, either to create a safe an ideal environment, or merely to only allow the characters to think their world is ideal (both treat those involved like a science experiment). Both of these stories, however, have a similar plot in that they keep the subjects having very limited …show more content…

Both of these works suggest that truth must be sought out and proven, and only accepted by the recipient if they actually believe in them. Devices such as the media control how much truth we are able to receive, further limiting our knowledge. The media was one of the main contributors in keeping Truman ignorant of his false life, and was primarily manipulated by Christof, the show’s director, who took himself to be almost like a God to Truman and his life. The prisoner’s guards in the Allegory were also similar to this, since they too seemed to play God, by subjecting the prisoners to the false images of what life and its occupants are like. The media that was used to create the “set-up” involved the faux TV programs, radio stations, weather reports and its mechanisms, and the actors and actresses themselves, since they were meant to keep up the charade of Seahaven. Due to the media being controlled by the “elite” (the wealthy, privileged, and overall more opportunistic class), what we know is constantly subjected to a lack of accuracy and truthfulness. This, to some, is almost like a salvation from carrying on the burdens of

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