Imagine spending your whole life in a fire-lit cave, believing the shadows displayed on the wall are the images of real objects. What if the world you live in is a computer based software program designed to distract your mind from the true nature of the world? Could you handle the truth? These are the respective problems that confront Neo of The Matrix, and the faceless prisoner from Plato’s allegory of the cave. In both stories each main character is faced with an unnerving life crises that suddenly alters the trajectory of their path. They both face the terrifying truth that the world they live in is an intentional deception to disguise the true nature of reality. Each character undergoes a series of trials and tribulations before accepting the truth, but each have dramatically different conclusions. Because the knowledge of truth is inherently powerful it causes a transformation in both Neo and the prisoner in Plato’s parable. Both characters develop an understanding of truth through an ordered sequence of stages that occur over a period of time.
If you enjoyed your life but discovered the world as you knew it was untrue, would you choose to learn the truth, or continue living as is? In The Matrix, Neo is given this choice, but in the guise of either choosing a red pill or a blue pill. As Morpheus presents these options to Neo he exclaims,”I am only offering the truth”. Neo chooses the pill that contains truth and the events that proceed prove to be very challenging to him. Once born into the real world, Neo is shown the true nature of reality and initially does not believe it. It is so completely foreign to him, it seems impossible to be true. A life aboard a ship eating soft mush is a much different life than his old desk job for a software company. His day to day life in the Matrix did not consist of having to hide and avoid sentinels, or rigorous training to become the savior of the human race. This eye opening experience of a radical new reality is ironically similar to the blinding one that was endured by the character in Plato’s allegory of the cave. Once the prisoner of the cave is removed from the chains and shackles that bind him, he is dragged to the outside world and is overwhelmed by the light of truth. Because his eyes were never exposed to the sun before, they are extremely sensitive and unready to bare witness. He is immediately blinded by this gargantuan solar force, and yearns for the safety of the cave. The prisoner truly feels he is being punished in this cruel new world, and is stricken by the fresh forces that confront him. This immediate, seemingly overwhelming burden of truth presses down on both Neo and the prisoner proving to be a test of character and fortitude, pushing each man to the brink of sanity.
Once the truth is revealed to Neo by Morpheus he refuses to believe it, and suddenly throws up. This involuntary action of vomiting illustrates the provocative nature of truth penetrating into Neo. In the cave parable, the prisoner is physically and emotionally stunned by the truth as he is pulled into the glaring rays of the sun. It is so awe inspiring that the prisoner must look away for he can not stand to bear such magnificence. These involuntary actions imply that once attempting to realize the truth, it is initially overwhelming and can be too much for an individual to bear at one time.
Even though each character gradually learns the truth, their individual paths are much different to get there. Neo fortunately has fellow comrades that instruct and guide him to understand the truth, but unfortunately the newly free prisoner is forced against his will to discover this new territory. Neo has the luxury of a mentor, his true love, and friends to accompany him on his journey, and they all prove very worthy, except for Cypher, in his quest. For the escaped slave in the cave parable, his journey to truth is one that is not of his own choosing or his own will. In the Republic, Plato describes “The prisoner being forced up the road to the opening of the cave.” This act of being dragged shows his path to truth is not the act of his own volition. However, in The Matrix, Neo was given a choice to learn the truth or to disregard it. Neo acts on his yearning to know the truth and eventually ingests the pill that would reveal all to him.
In their respective paths to learning the true nature of reality for the prisoner, and the truth of himself for Neo, they begin a series of stages that gradually increase each characters understanding of truth. The first stage for each character involves their mutual inability to perceive what the truth is. For Neo it begins when Morpheus reveals unto him the desert of the real. This cruel and strange world is so inconceivable he exclaims, “ I don’t believe it, its not possible!” The prisoner’s odyssey begins when he is relinquished from his chains. He is dragged up the path out of the cave into the glowing sun. The rays are so powerful they virtually leave him blind. “When he came to the light, would not his eyes be so full of glare that he would not be able to see a single one of the objects we now call true?”(198) In both these cases the harsh first experience of reality is so overwhelming it actually hinders both characters from understanding the truth. The reality that stares at them is perceived to be cold and bizarre leaving them in a state of shock and confusion.
The second stage of understanding truth comes soon after the first. Once the initial shock of the magnanimous sun wears off for the prisoner, he is capable of learning more. “At first he would most easily see shadows, then the reflections in water of men.”(198) As described in the story, the shadows and reflections are the first things seen for the prisoner because they are the “easiest” to view. His eyes are still far to sensitive to view any other objects. The second stage for Neo consists of participating in the training programs. As he spars with Morpheus in this virtual battle combat training program, he begins to understand the nature of the matrix. As Morpheus asks Neo, “How did I beat you?” Neo responds, “You...you’re too fast.” Morpheus continues,”Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place?” By internalizing this knowledge of the nature of the matrix, Neo is able to connect a blow against Morpheus displaying the initial signs of his understanding.
As time passes both characters are elevated to a third stage of understanding truth. The prisoner, now capable of seeing reflections and shadows, soon is ready to take in the sight of objects themselves. As shadows and reflections are mere residual images of the objects themselves, to be able to see the actual objects as they are is an upward movement on the ladder of understanding truth. Comparably, Neo is forced into a life defining decision. As Morpheus risks his life to save Neo, he is captured by the Agents. While in their custody he is constantly tortured for the purpose of extracting information. Neo courageously decides to travel back into the matrix and reciprocate risking his life to save Morpheus from the Agents. This decision is of extreme significance as it represents a turning point in Neo’s development. Earlier in the film Neo met with the Oracle who was to give him advice as to who he was. The Oracle asks Neo about being the one, “What do you think?” Neo replies, “I don’t know.” She then tells him what it is like to be the one,”Being the one is a lot like being in love. No one can tell you you’re in love, you just know it. Through and through, bone to bone.” Unlike Morpheus, Neo does not believe he is the one, and due to his lack of faith it causes him to interpret the Oracle’s message to mean he is not the one. Despite Neo’s interpretation of the Oracle’s message, his autonomous act to travel back inside the matrix to rescue Morpheus symbolizes the growth of his belief that he is the savior of the human race.
As the third stage slowly slips away, gradually each character reaches the next stage in their development of understanding the true nature of reality. In Plato’s allegory of the cave, the prisoner goes through a sequence of stages learning the powerful truth of the outside world that was hidden from him since birth. In the fourth stage of his progression he gradually is capable of viewing the night sky. “After that he could look at the heavenly bodies and the sky itself by night, turning his eyes to the light of the stars and the moon more easily than to the sun or to the sun’s light by day.”(198) By now one is sensing a certain pattern developing with the prisoner’s sight. As his eyes become desensitized to the true nature of reality, his ability to understand it increases exponentially. The brightest objects of the world which were initially too overwhelming to him, soon become clear gradually over time. As Neo reenters the matrix in hopes of saving his beloved mentor, his ability to bend the rules of the matrix increases. Neo and Trinity are battling the Agent on the rooftop of the skyscraper, when the Agent begins to fire his weapon at Neo. When the bullets speed toward Neo he proceeds to dodge them watching them whiz passed his body. He has never performed such a skillful ability before, displaying this amazing talent for the first time. Trinity amazed asks him,”How did you do that?... You moved like they do, I’ve never seen anyone move that fast.” This comment affirms Neo’s unique ability to bend the nature of reality that is only replicated by the Agents. The Agents possess an inherent understanding of the nature of the matrix, which allows them to manipulate it to such a high extent. Neo displays his growth of understanding when he dodges the bullets, moving like the all powerful Agents.
The fifth and final stage of the development of understanding truth completes the transformation of each character. It marks the finished process of each character’s painful, and rewarding quest. The newly enlightened prisoner has discovered much of the world around him after evacuating the cave, but yet one key element is missing. After seeing the stars and the moon of the night sky, the prisoner is ready to view the last of what he could not comprehend initially. Plato writes, “Then, last of all, I fancy he would be able to look at the sun and observe its nature, not its appearances in water or on alien material, but the very sun itself in its own place.”(199) The sun was the first force of the outside world the prisoner felt, and it is the last element he is able to understand. It caused him to shelter his face from the shock of the rays, yet gradually through a process of steps he is able to look at the magnificence that one blinded him. Neo’s last stage of understanding himself and the matrix finally comes to a close as he successfully defeats the Agents in battle. Up to this point Neo has shown momentary signs of full understanding, but it is not until he chooses to fight Agent Smith face to face that the missing link is put into place. As Agent Smith battles Neo in the underground subway, he forces him onto the train tracks. While the oppressive agent holds Neo in a tight headlock he exclaims, “You hear that Mr. Anderson, that is the sound of your death. Goodbye Mr. Anderson.” Neo then emphatically responds, “My name is Neo” and soars into the sky with the agent on his back smashing him against the ceiling, then crashing back down onto the subway tracks. This declaration made by the main character is a verbal recognition of the completed transformation. It signifies his firm belief that he is indeed the one, the savior that Morpheus believes him to be. After disposing of Agent Smith, Neo is chased by more agents through the city streets. Neo finally reaches a room where a ringing phone will grant him access out of the matrix when suddenly, Agent Smith appears and unloads a clip of his firearm into the chest of the stunned protagonist. Neo is dead at this point, but is miraculously brought back to life by a kiss from Trinity. Neo slowly rises to his feet with a strange look on his face. The Agents begin to fire rounds at him simultaneously, but an enlightened Neo places his hand in front of the bullets and they all inexplicably stop in place. After being brought back to life, Neo is fully aware of the true nature of the matrix. He is capable of performing imaginable feats due to his vast understanding of the workings of this illusionery world.
The main characters of Plato’s allegory of the cave, and The Matrix each fully completed an arduous sequence of stages that ended in the understanding of truth. Although both characters endured much to reach this milestone, they are each judged by their peers very differently. Once Neo has fully understood the truth of the matrix and who he is, he becomes a source of encouragement and hope for the rest of his crew members. The savior of the human race has finally arrived, and is welcomed warmly. He eventually leads his shipmates to victory in the war against the machines in future movies. However, for the free prisoner, once he is exposed to the true nature of reality he soon wants to share this new knowledge and wisdom he has gained with his chained comrades back in the cave. As he descends back into the den, his eyes have difficulty adjusting to the darkness and he can not see with clarity the shadows he previously only knew. Because of the inadequacy of his new sight, the fellow prisoners mock him and forbid anyone to ascend into the light. They remark, “Up he went and down he came without his eyes; and it was better to not even think of ascending; and if anyone tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.”(200) In the film The Matrix, the protagonist is exalted as he completes his metamorphosis, and in the famous story of The Republic the main character is denounced for his finalized transformation. Each one with an understanding of truth, but each with radically contrasting consequences.
One of the antagonists in The Matrix is the character Cypher. Cypher, like Neo and the rest of the crew aboard the ship, chose to learn the truth. Cypher explicitly regrets this decision to Neo and wishes he was able to live inside the matrix again. He makes a deal with Agent Smith to continue his life inside the matrix, simultaneously wiping clean the memory of the real world. As he takes part in the bargain, he reasons, “Ignorance in bliss”. This line of reasoning is in direct contradiction of the truth. Cypher believes that a successful, and enjoyable life in a fabricated world is superior than the hardships dealt with in the real world. In prior scenes of the movie he openly expresses his doubts about their mission to Neo. He cries to Neo, “Don’t you wish you would of taken the blue pill.” His unrelenting doubt of their mission acts as an overpowering obstacle hindering his performance of will. It paralyzes his understanding of truth, and prevents him from fully dealing with the task at hand.
The truth may be perceived by some to be like a bully torturing the soul of an individual causing them to want to hide from this sensed threat. For others the truth is likened to the force of an earthquake, shattering the surface of the self and leaving the individual vulnerable and weak. For the prisoner from the allegory of the cave, and Neo of The Matrix the radical nature of truth penetrates into the heart of each character changing them from the inside. They only fully understand the truth, in their respective stories, over a period of time. For each the initial shock of truth proves too much to handle, but it eventually reveals to them what the world is like and who they really are. Acceptance of the facts at hand may take a longer time for some, but once internalized both stories show how it can produce great personal growth and development. For both main characters it takes much effort and fortitude to withstand the force of truth, but the results of their painful task is varied. Ironically truth is conceived to be of tremendous significance in society, but how is it that people react so harshly against it? The powerful nature of truth may lead one to tear down their established way of life; for some this proves too much to handle.
Works Cited
Plato. The Republic. Trans. A.D. Lindsay. London: David Campbell Publishers Ltd., 1992. Print Return to Source: Philosophy & ‘The Matrix’. Josh Oreck. Perf. Donna Bowman, David Chalmers, Peter Chung. Warner Bros Pictures, 2004. Film
The Matrix. Dir. Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving. Warner Bros Pictures, 1999. Film
Wartenberg, Thomas. “Beyond Mere Illustration: How Films Can Be Philosophy Mere Illustration:
How FilmsCan Be Philosophy”. Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism. Vol. 64 Issue 1,
p19-32. 2006. Academic Search Complete. 2006
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