Fahrenheit 451 and Plato's Cave

Plato was an ancient Philosopher whose ideas have had a major impact on the world we live in today.

One of his most well known teachings is "The Allegory of the Cave", a video of which we will be watching in class today. (above)

An allegory is a form of metaphor; a story that teaches a lesson by taking the main ideas and showing them as symbols instead of saying them in a straightforward way.

As you watch, try to answer the following questions on a sheet of paper:

1)   Who are the different characters in the allegory?

2)  Describe or draw the setting of the allegory, based on what you saw in the video.

3)  The story happens in 4 steps:

a.   The Prisoner

b.   The prisoner is freed

c.    The prisoner is dragged outside

d.   the freed Prisoner returns.

Describe what happens at each step.

4) How could this allegory connect to the story of Fahrenheit 451? Which characters might be which? What could the cave be in the book?