Plato's Allegory of the Cave

     Plato’s “Allegory of The Cave”

 Davio Rubino                    Period A                 September 3rd, 2014        

In my opinion I feel this article was written solely about how people in general base their perception of the world on the environment that they live or have been introduced to. Adjusting to certain environments can definitely be affected by how one views this certain environment. If they are introduced to the environment and view it as an unpleasant place, they will have a harder time adjusting to it and being able to work or interact there. If one is introduced to a certain environment and views it as a pleasant place, they will have a much easier time adjusting and it will be more enjoyable to work and interact there while the time it takes to do this is much less. I believe this because throughout the story, it has become a fact that the prisoners, only being exposed to the shadows that were cast across the wall from the fire behind them, had led them to believe that the shadows were the most real things in the world. This goes to show how the environment you live in has a major effect on your perception of the world. I can relate to what the prisoners had to go through and how their environment affected their view of the world by growing up in the suburbs. Life as I know it is pretty simple with minimal hardships, friendly neighbors, and little to no violence (or guns). Up until most recently, my world revolved around the suburban lifestyle, but traveling to the city of Providence most recently and being introduced to the urban lifestyle has changed my perspective on things.

Through the ongoing experiences of visiting urban neighborhoods, you tend to see more violence, more people disobeying the law, and in reality almost have the exact opposite lifestyle that I have become accustomed to. Over the course of time it took me to understand the difference in lifestyles, I was amazed at how much more there was to the world just like the prisoner felt when he was released from his bonds and was stunned as he found out that there was more than just shadows and he finally accepted that. In conclusion, my most recent exposure and observance of urban life has transformed my perception of reality and I now view my daily interactions and surroundings through an altered lens.  I can actually say the blinders have been taken off and now have an enlightened perception.