Although Plato and Sartre had different
intentions in writing each of their respective pieces ("The Allegory of
the Cave" for describing effective leaders and "No Exit" for
describing the existentialist vision of a true "hell") they
illuminated very similar limitations on human thought.
Both Plato and Sartre used a form of symbolism to demonstrate the power that a fear of the unknown possess over the mind. For Plato, this was manifested graphically by shackles chained around the cave-dwellers bodies, physically limiting the men's abilities to ascertain new knowledge. The fear was also shown in the men's rejection of the free man's assertions. They were so comfortable with their own sense of reality that the would-- and did-- kill to preserve that norm.
Sartre's example was much less graphic, yet so entirely conspicuous and blatant it could not be ignored. When Garcin and Estelle where given a chance to escape their hell they refused to walk out of the door. Even Inez was afraid to be thrown out. This was because they were all so desperately afraid of the unknown they would "rather bear those ills [they] have Than fly to otters that [they] know not of". (I couldn't resist...) This fear is the very same fear that shows up in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", and it also restricts the characters' abilities to think and act.
Both Plato and Sartre used a form of symbolism to demonstrate the power that a fear of the unknown possess over the mind. For Plato, this was manifested graphically by shackles chained around the cave-dwellers bodies, physically limiting the men's abilities to ascertain new knowledge. The fear was also shown in the men's rejection of the free man's assertions. They were so comfortable with their own sense of reality that the would-- and did-- kill to preserve that norm.
Sartre's example was much less graphic, yet so entirely conspicuous and blatant it could not be ignored. When Garcin and Estelle where given a chance to escape their hell they refused to walk out of the door. Even Inez was afraid to be thrown out. This was because they were all so desperately afraid of the unknown they would "rather bear those ills [they] have Than fly to otters that [they] know not of". (I couldn't resist...) This fear is the very same fear that shows up in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", and it also restricts the characters' abilities to think and act.
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