“The Allegory of a Cave” is a dialogue between Socrates and Plato’s brother Glaucon, which the latter narrates, where Plato crafts a theory regarding the human perception. Plato strongly believed the fact that knowledge that is gained through the senses can be termed as an opinion only. He understood the school of thought that it was only possible to get real knowledge through the assistance of philosophical reasoning. This theory on human perception closely embodies the experience that Frederick Douglass faced in 1800’s America. In “Learning how to Read and Write” Frederick Douglass was able to personify Plato’s philosophical views on how concrete truth can alter one’s reality and propel them toward enlightenment.
Plato puts forth the effort, …show more content…
Douglass, a philosopher of his time, realized through a book entitled “The Columbian Orator” his full worth far beyond a mere slave and was bravely able to rebuke slavery. “…one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder.” Last, but not the least the return of the prison to the cave puts forth a bitter truth, and that is people are quite scared of believing the philosophical truth. While it is not recorded in the short excerpt of “Learning to Read and Write”, history depicts that the mid 1800’s was a time when the truth of Douglass’ experience would have been perceived as immoral. Slaves learning to read and write at the level, and beyond, of white slave-owners would disrupt the order and livelihood of every plantain owner.
Both the texts tend to present the constraints and the reality of human life. “The Allegory of a Cave” unveils the reality of the human perception. On the contrary Learning to Read and Write unveils the constraints that a slave had to face in his quest for attaining a better
Plato puts forth the effort, …show more content…
Douglass, a philosopher of his time, realized through a book entitled “The Columbian Orator” his full worth far beyond a mere slave and was bravely able to rebuke slavery. “…one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder.” Last, but not the least the return of the prison to the cave puts forth a bitter truth, and that is people are quite scared of believing the philosophical truth. While it is not recorded in the short excerpt of “Learning to Read and Write”, history depicts that the mid 1800’s was a time when the truth of Douglass’ experience would have been perceived as immoral. Slaves learning to read and write at the level, and beyond, of white slave-owners would disrupt the order and livelihood of every plantain owner.
Both the texts tend to present the constraints and the reality of human life. “The Allegory of a Cave” unveils the reality of the human perception. On the contrary Learning to Read and Write unveils the constraints that a slave had to face in his quest for attaining a better