Basically, what this metaphore is trying to show is that, the cave is what stops us from growing as a person. In this cave, the fire is the limited truth we know, the puppeteers are what alter the truths we know, and the shadows on the wall are what we are lead to believe. The prisoners are chained there, and have no choice but to stare at this wall. This is trying to show that our chains are what prevent us from getting up and turning our back on the lies (shadows) and going into the light. Thats' where the sayig "to see the light" comes from.
My Cave
Your cave is supposed to be something that holds you back and prevents you from growing as a person; something that interferes with you becoming who you truly are. For me, that’s my fear of failing and of disappointing not only others, but myself as well. People usually forget the times they were mad at you if it was something small, but they always remember the times you let them down. “I’m disappointed in you,” four words that can break my heart faster than any others. Because of this, I began to make all my decisions revolve around what others want, rather than around myself. For me, success became making others happy, which I often thought led to me being happy, but it was all an illusion.
My interpretation of the cave is that the fire is our limited truth, the puppeteers are the things which alter those truths, and the shadows are the lies we are then lead to believe.
My fire would be the good things I see in myself. For example, I sometimes believe that I am good at writing poetry and photography. But then, when I actually write a poem or take a photo, I never feel proud about my piece, even when people compliment me on it. I always feel like I could have done so much better and that I should have done so much better.
In my opinion, all that would be the result of my puppeteers. In my cave, they are represented by my much too high expectations of myself. I set the bar so high for myself that it has come to a point where it is almost physically impossible for me to succeed in my eyes. Sometimes, I push and I push and I push to the point where I am utterly beat, and there is nothing more I could possibly do at that moment to make my work better, and yet, I still feel it is inadequate.
All of the above creates my shadows, which are my views of myself. When I look at myself, I don’t seem to see the same person as others do. I tend to feel insignificant and unworthy of what I have; I always tend to feel not good enough. It’s like every single thing I do is always insufficient. Even if others approve, even if others think it’s wonderful, in my eyes it never is, and never will be.
The chains are what hold me in the cave, what stop be from getting up and going into the light, going to see what so many others see in me.
For me, my chains would have to be my negative thoughts, the ones created by the shadows I see. By thinking negatively of myself, it causes me to become hopeless and just give up on myself. In my mind, I’ve failed so many times, success seems almost impossible to me; as if it’s just some myth others get to experience. The thoughts are always “No, I can’t do it” or “I’ll never be able to do this!” and after a while, I just begin to believe them more and more until I reach a point where “I can’t”s are all I know. It seems I’ve adopt the saying “A lie becomes truth if told often enough,.”
If ever I managed to break free of my chains, finally stand up and turn my back on the wall of shadows, I believe I would be able to see myself as so many others do. If ever I walked away from those images and out into the light, I think I’d be able to achieve much more, and grow a lot faster as a person.
But, how I will do so is still a mystery to me; yet if it wasn’t, what purpose would there be to continue living?
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