Breaking Free in The Matrix Essays -- Movie Film Essays

Breaking Free in The Matrix Eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau begins his infamous discourse The Social thin out by stating, Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they. both Platos Allegory of the Cave from The Republic and the Wachowski Brothers hit film The Matrix discuss mans efforts on his journey towards illumination to break free of his chains and then put out others imprisoned. While definite connections exist between the allegory and The Matrix, Plato and the Wachowski Brothers present different passs that one may take to achieve that end. The Matrix utilizes the symbolic figure of a hero, Nietzsches bermensch, who by dint of fate acquires the responsibility of enlightening all, while Plato presents an individual journey in which others may act as guides but one attains enlightenment through ones desire for knowledge. Throughout The M atrix, the Wachowski Brothers insert obvious hints of unusual skills that separate Neo from the other rebels. The film tells the story of the search for the One who will free the gentleman race from its enslavement by the machines. The One possesses unique abilities and can manipulate the Matrix in ways that no other human has been able. Despite Neos offer that Im nobody, he exhibits more superhuman qualities as the film progresses. Tank indicates, Hes a machine, able to spend hours learning kung fu, and Mouse notices while Neo fights Morpheus that his neural kinetics are way above normal. Ironically at the beginning of the movie Neos boss reprimands him for tardiness, saying, You think you are special, th... ...Plato and the Wachowski Brothers interpretations of the course to enlightenment differ greatly in their perspectives. As the bermensch, Neo must challenge the ingrained values of society, wake the sleeping human race, and free it from the grasp of the Matrix. Plato dismisses Nietzsches idea and instead describes a path similar to that of Hermann Hesses Siddhartha, who realizes that an enlightened one cannot enlighten others but merely lead the way. While sporadically man still follows the bermensch, Platos process has entered societys mainstream, serving as the to the highest degree frequently traveled path to enlightenment. Sources Cited Plato. The Republic. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. Mineola Dover Publications, 2000. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne. Videocassette. Warner Home Video, 1999.