Myth Of The Cave

Johnathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is a book about a seagull that wants to fly and “The Myth of the cave” by Plato is a short story about prisoners in a cave that can only see what is in front of them, yet they have a lot of allegoric, can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, concepts that are comparable. The story of Johnathan Livingston Seagull and “The Myth of the cave” are similar in allegory because they can both be interpreted to be about kindness, truth in perception and how that truth is used to change the world. First, both stories had a character that showed kindness by teaching and forgiving those that would condemn others for being different. “Fletcher Lynd Seagull, do you want to fly so much that you will forgive the flock, learn, and go back to them one day and work to help them know.” (Bach 63). “Moreover, I said, you must not wonder that those who attain to this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs” (Plato 3).

In Johnathan Livingston Seagull, this quote states “Till you can fly the past and the future. And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, and the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the meaning of kindness and of love.”(Bach 58). He stated that kindness and love are the virtues that change the world. Plato spoke about knowledge changing perception. “In the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right”(Plato