April 22, 2010 Archives

(Originally assigned for Apr 20; discussion moved to today.)

In this excerpt from The Republic, Plato spins an extended metaphor that uses the fuzzy shadows cast from firelight to stand for the imperfect way that we comprehend our world when we do not use the light of reason. Without the light of reason, we are like prisoners chained in a cave, who never see daylight, and never look at objects themselves. As prisoners, we base all that they know on their understanding of the fuzzy shadows of things, rather than the direct observation of things themselves. (How can we apply this story to our own exploration of media?)

• The Allegory of the Cave
• Here is one artistic representation of the allegorical scene Plato describes.

Focus on a passage that you consider to be comprehensible (or accessible, etc.), and a passage that you consider to be challenging (or confusing, or difficult, etc.). 

What makes the passages different?

As a student who has been asked to demonstrate an ability to engage with this text, what are some good strategies that can help you make sense of advanced material?