Plato explains the meaning of his allegory "The Cave" in the last paragraph:
This entire allegory, I said, you may now append, dear Glaucon, to the previous argument; the cave is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world according to my poor belief, which, at your desire, I have expressed whether rightly or wrongly God knows. But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public or private life must have his eye fixed.
What do you think Plato means by the "world of sight?" In your own words, what is the soul's journey upward? What is the idea of good, and how is it related to the soul's journey upward?
Finally, explain Lord Henry's reference to Plato and how it relates to the story thus far. Do you think Lord Henry shares similar opinions to Plato on the soul's journey and the idea of the good? USE TEXTUAL SUPPORT TO RELATE THIS TO CHAPTERS 1-3.
To read Plato's Republic Book VII ("The Cave") in its entirety, read this link: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/platoscave.html
To me I feel the world of sight is seeing the world differently and being free like the soul's journey upward is the prisoner being free and going towards the light and beeing blinded the reason this is compared to TPDG because in the book Dorian Gray feels free when Lord henry talks to him and he feels awakended and free but Lord Henry is a bad influence on Dorian Gray and and he is blindeded by his kindess and and his romantic colored face cause Dorian Gray has never met someone like this in his lifetime this is just like the prisoner being blinded by the sun light because the prisoner has never seen the sun before
ReplyDeleteDevonta Streetman
-I believe the world of sight refers to like Devonta said seeing the world differently in your own logical way, Somewhat like your own awakening. The soul's journey upwards could refer to your own progressing further into becoming more knowledgeable in the intellectual world. The idea of good, I think, is intellectual ideas itself and once you have became more knowledgeable in the intellectual world, your soul's journey will progress upward.
ReplyDeleteIn the story, Lord Henry Influences Dorian Grey basically telling him he should open his eyes and look at life differently. This is the first time Dorian feels this way and thinks the way he does. This is related to Plato because Dorian is like a prisoner,(as Devonta said) and Lord Henry is the source who helps Dorian become more awakening at the way he looks at life and how his soul should journey upward. At the same time, Lord Henry's conversation with Dorian could always create a negative outcome.
In Plato's Republic Book 5 ( The Cave)it is people that has been trapped in this cave since they were born.yhey were locked in chains and couldnt go any were they can only look straight so they did not know who they really were.So one day one of them got loose an saw the light. they finally found out who they were. Dorian Grey is just like that in TPDG because he doesnt really know who he really is. This man named Lord Henry is older than him and done already saw the light so lord takes him into the garden and tries to tell him what to do with his life. Dorian Gray listens to some thing that Lord Henry say and it chanes his view on life,just like when the first person saw the light in the cave. he had a different perspective on his life.
ReplyDeleteExcellent comment, Devonta! Very well thought out. I like that you draw a comparison between The Cave and TPDG, but you make the distinction between the enlightening sun light in the cave and Dorian merely "feeling awakened" by the Lord Henry's influence. Perhaps Lord Henry's influence is the opposite of the spiritual awakening that Plato talked about. Remember, Plato said that spiritual awakening leads people towards what is "good." Lord Henry's influence seems to lead in the opposite direction.
ReplyDeleteHow do you think your observation is similar to chapter 2's allusion to the Garden of Eden? (Consider which characters are represented as Eve and the snake.)
Mykala,
ReplyDeleteNot bad, for having missed "The Cave" lecture. Now that you've had a chance to read it on your own and talk about it with us in class, reconsider whether or not Lord Henry is at all interested in Dorian's spiritual or intellectual awakening. Find some examples proving that he expressly wishes for the opposite! What is important to Lord Henry? Spiritual and intellectual matters, or something else?
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ReplyDeleteVery good, Alphonzo!
ReplyDeleteYou're right to point out that Lord Henry's words caused Dorian to change his view on life, just like the prisoner in "The Cave" changed his view after seeing the light outside of the cave.
The prisoner who saw the light outside of the cave actually experienced reality for the first time. It wasn't at all like the false reality he was used to seeing when all he experienced was the shadows on the wall. The prisoner seeing the light was actually seeing the TRUTH and what is REAL. Do you think Dorian is seeing the truth and what is real now that Lord Henry is influencing him?
I'm really interested to see what you think!
I feel that when you said a world of sight you meant that the peolple have different views of the world and The soul's journey upwards means that its a path that you take to gain more knowledge. IN TPDG it seems like Dorian is being lead down the right path by Lord henry b/c dorian thinks that since lord henry is older and has been being nice to him that he is leading him in the right direction. Dorian is like the second person in the cave to see the light, so basically he just a followe.
ReplyDeleteCorinthians Brown
PD.1
In my opinion Plato means the world of right and wrong, the world of sins and good doings when he says the "world of sight", as in knowing what is right and what is wrong in ones own point of view. The first thing that comes to my mind when i hear "the souls journey upward" is heaven. When a person dies and their soul goes to heaven and they begin a new journey "upward". The idea of good is sort of like a ticket to living upward. In the book the Duches said that good americans die and go to paris, and Lord Henry inquired that the bad americans go to america. He was in favor of both countries. Yes, Lord Henry does share some similar opinions to Plato. Lord Henry reffered to Plato as the artist of thought and i think they both shared the thought or fascination of "Love and death"
ReplyDeleteShaneal Simpson Prd. 1
I agree with Devonte and Mykayla, saying that the world of sight referring to everyones way of seeing the world in their own point of view. Lord Henry was tring to tell Dorian to open his eyes and view the world a little differently. With the soul's journey upward means people becoming wiser in the intellectual world and seeing things as they really are. It is really like sort of an awakening basically. Dorian is a prisoner of his own thinking, while Lord Henry is the one who breaks the shackles and wants to help Dorian break free as well.
ReplyDelete