Study Questions for

PLATO'S CAVE

(from The Republic, Bk VII)

What is the story about? What is it saying?
Who are the people in the cave?
There is one person in the cave who is different than the others, "the philosopher." What is different about that person? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.)
Why does he leave the cave? What moves him to go out?
What does he find is outside? What are some of the differences between what is inside and what is outside the cave?
Why does he return to the cave? What moves him to return?
When he returns, he says something (in Greek) to the others. What do you suppose he is saying? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.)
Why do the people in the cave attack him? What provokes them to attack him? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.)
"They beat him to death with their own chains." What does that sentence mean, as you understand it? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.)
Why do you suppose their chains have no locks on them? What does that mean?


Homepage Requirements Weekly Schedule Lectures Research Project Study Questions Discussion Qs Self Evaluations Business Stuff	Dr Tom Kerns North Seattle Community College Study Questions for PLATO'S CAVE (from The Republic, Bk VII) What is the story about? What is it saying? Who are the people in the cave? There is one person in the cave who is different than the others, "the philosopher." What is different about that person? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.) Why does he leave the cave? What moves him to go out? What does he find is outside? What are some of the differences between what is inside and what is outside the cave? Why does he return to the cave? What moves him to return? When he returns, he says something (in Greek) to the others. What do you suppose he is saying? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.) Why do the people in the cave attack him? What provokes them to attack him? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.) "They beat him to death with their own chains." What does that sentence mean, as you understand it? (This question refers to the movie version of the story.) Why do you suppose their chains have no locks on them? What does that mean?
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