Compare and Contrast the Allegory of the Cave and Letter From the Birmingham Jail Term Paper

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King and Plato

Both Martin Luther King Junior's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," and Plato's allegory of the cave discuss how to find truth and how to teach others. King's letter suggests that all people can learn. He says as long as people are willing to listen, learning can free all people unlike Plato's allegory of the cave that suggests learning possible is for only a few people in society. Both authors suggested that what people considered 'reality' was wrong. King stated that the idea that the civil rights movement should hold back was incorrect. King did not take into consideration most of American history from the past. King wrote his letter in hope of changing the minds of the Birmingham ministers who criticized him, and to change the mind of his fellow Americans. Plato's allegory of the cave suggests that all human beings are born under a delusion that what they see is reality. Some people are more of the 'spirit' and thus are able to see reality or truth than other people.

The methods chosen by the two men to write their letters reflect King's democratic approach to learning. In contrast, Plato has an anti-democratic approach. King writes a persuasive letter to a group of ministers whom he believes are well intentioned, are misguided. King believes the ministers are wrong to say that King should hold back. King believes he can convince the ministers that his efforts to help people of color have equal rights and equal access to facilities across the city of Birmingham are correct. In strident response to what he sees as a foolish call for moderation to achieve social ends, King writes that "we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was 'well timed' in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity.

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This "Wait" has almost always meant 'Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied." My people have waited for more than 340 years, King cries! The White clergy, King suggests are blind to the truth of human and Negro history and reality, although he hopes that by listening to his persuasive plea, they may open their minds.

King calls the ministers as blind the citizens of Plato's cave. Plato says most people are like prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their chained heads. All the people can see is the wall of the cave. In the allegory, people behind the prisoners show them puppets that make shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see the real nature of humanity. Some people, through learning, can see reality but most cannot.

King's attackers are also under an illusion. They see only Birmingham not the larger scope of Negro oppression in America. But King hopes to educate the ministers and change their minds. Plato simply hopes to create an aristocratic society that educates those cave dwellers 'able' to learn and see the truth of the cave. King unlike Plato has hope that all may be set free through education, while Plato believes control of the majority of the people by those able to learn is the answer to create a perfect society. Thus Plato's work is an elitist, while King's is democratic.

Both Plato and King strive for truth and a true vision of reality. But King's work is a work of democratic political persuasion. King's major desire is to describe human life to achieve justice. Plato only teaches 'some' people through his cave fable, he does not care if those people who are 'fit to learn' listen, unlike King. Plato only wants to teach certain minds, King wants to teach all of society in his words and actions. King wishes to change the world, on earth, while Plato wants….....

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