Cave Assignment 3/15

Compare and contrast what Socrates says in “The Simile of the Cave” with Fahrenheit 451. How are characters like Mildred similar to characters in “Simile of the Cave”?

I wanted to do this question before I had even read your blog because the relationship had been brought up to me by my friend who had you last year and by Justin. At first I didn't agree, but then it became clearer and clearer as I read on in the text and kept on finding more and more interesting passages in The Allegory.

The whole metaphor of the cave was actually litterally brought up during Fahrenheit. Montag compared being enlighted to those who were still inside of the cave (people like Mildred, his wife, who were contempt with being inside their own bubble or cave.) But not only was it literally referenced to, but the whole book was a metaphor to the cave metaphor. The people who were stuck inside a cave, unable to move their bodies or heads were the majority of citizens who believed the anti-book propaganda. By following everything that society tells them they are unable to reflect on their own opinions or question if the bunny rabbit is really a bunny rabbit. These thoughts are not only blocked out from their conscience, but thought to be rediculous and an offence against society that could get you arrested.

Basically to sum up the relationship between the two metaphors. The people making the hand puppets could be society as a whole or the government (but I don't want to make that connection because we never learned much about Fahrenheit's government) and the individuals are sitting just staring at the shadows believing that the dancing lack of light is a bunny rabbit because the ones in the cave percieve reality to be whatever is right in front of them rather than questioning it.