Comparing Matrix And John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

Likewise, in The Matrix, Neo, Cypher, and Agent Smith are all characters who heighten the atmosphere of delusion. Neo leads a double life: during the day, he is known as Thomas Anderson, a reputable programmer for a software company, but during the night, he is known as the undercover hacker Neo. However, Neo does not realize that he is also the “chosen one” (according to Morpheus) who is supposed to free humanity from their state of delusion. In spite of many other people (including the Oracle) doubting his potential, Neo proves to learn his power in the Matrix and consequently transcends everyone’s expectations. Neo’s character highlights the discrepancy between appearance and reality, as he is originally thought of as a “nobody,” but eventually comes to represent all of humanity’s hope in freedom. …show more content…
He is initially portrayed as a friendly man who opposes machines and wishes to free humanity like Morpheus; however, he proves to be treacherous when he kills some of the other crew members due to a selfish deal he previously makes with Agent Smith wherein Cypher would be brought back into the Matrix as a rich man. Despite the Matrix being fictitious, Cypher exclaims that “ignorance is bliss.” This starkly contrasts with the mindset of Morpheus and the others who wish to liberate people from their imprisonment and as such, Cypher’s cryptic character reinforces the characteristic concealment of reality. Finally, Agent Smith, along with the other agents, prove to be deceptive in appearance. The most obvious characteristic is the fact that he is not human; Agent Smith is merely a program created to carry out the dirty work of the machines in the Matrix. However, despite him looking like an ordinary human, he possesses extraordinary strength and power so that he can enforce the machines’ control over humanity in the Matrix