The prisoner’s freedom from the dark cave of shadows and lies, then into a world of light reflects Montag's awakening from his society of ignorance. The awakening, the unwilling moment of realization that the life they have been living was merely a lie, leads both Montag and the prisoner to question their surroundings in search of the truth that’s been hidden from them their entire lives. Montag relates to this freed prisoner in many aspects. Plato describes this particular captive as “a man who is released and suddenly compelled to stand up, to turn his neck around, to walk and look up toward the light; and who, moreover, in doing all this is in pain and, because he is dazzled, is unable to make out those things whose shadows he saw before” (Plato 194). …show more content…
He first rejects Clarisse’s views, unable to comprehend why someone would think the way she does. Similar to the prisoner, he was “at a loss and believe[d] that what was seen before [was] truer than what [was] now shown” (Plato 194). Clarisse’s unrelenting personality acts as a mirror to Montag, forcing him to realize the truth. Unhappily, Montag soon discovers his entrapment in the cave, “He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out. Darkness. He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to