i just spent 3 1/2 hours
Thread Starter
ch1x0r
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 18,629
Likes: 0
From: PA
i just spent 3 1/2 hours
handwriting a 1,500 word paper and then typing it.
and if you're bored, you can read it :thumbup:
i would skip over the overview of the matrix part, crappy cliffs notes version of it.
The Meanings Behind the Matrix
Jessica Goedtel
ENGL151C W4
The Matrix has become a staple in modern movie culture. Its combination of history, philosophy, and mind-boggling plot lines have enthralled audiences since 1999. Yet there are many hidden references to an array of topics that only an educated eye can catch. From Plato’s writings to the coming of Christ, this movie can be viewed as a collective interpretation of human history and their thinking.
A Brief Overview of the Matrix
The movie begins with a man named Thomas Anderson who is looking for someone or something. It is unclear in the beginning who or what he is looking for. He goes by the name Neo, his hacker alias. Neo goes through a series of events which lead him to a man named Morpheus. Here Neo expresses what he is longing to know: What is the Matrix?
Neo is given a choice by Morpheus. To know what the Matrix is, he must take a red pill. Or he can take a green pill, and go back to living life as normal, never knowing the truth. Neo chooses to take the red pill, and immediately finds himself awakening in a strange place, completely naked and with wires attached to his body. A machine flies up to him, removes his wires, and he is flushed down a tube into a pool of liquid. He is immediately picked up by a spaceship. On board, he is greeted by Morpheus and his crew.
Here Neo learns that the world he grew up in was a false one. A hundred years ago, humans had created machines that had artificial intelligence. Eventually these machines began to take over the world. To help stop this, humans blocked out the sun, believing that it was the machines only unlimited source of power. But the machines learned that the human body could create enough energy to sustain them, and they began to essentially “farm” humans. The Matrix was a computer program created to keep all of the humans minds in tact, giving the machines energy, and preventing them from knowing the truth.
Morpheus believes that Neo has special abilities that make him able to control the Matrix. He thinks that Neo can bring down the Matrix, and will save humankind from a destiny of bondage and unwilling servitude.
The Allegory and the Matrix
Plato’s, “The Allegory of the Cave,” tells a similar story. It is a part of The Republic, Plato’s blueprint of what he thinks an ideal government should be like. “The Cave” deals with what kind of ruler Plato believes should be in control of the Greek government.
The story begins in a cave where a group of men sit. They are bound to chairs by their hands and feet, and they have been blindfolded. They sit facing the cave wall. Behind them is a blazing fire, and in front of it a bridge. Animals and other things travel over this bridge, casting shadows on the walls, which the men can see vaguely through their blindfolds. They have been born this way, and this is what they believe to be the real world as it is.
Then one day, one of these men is set free from his bondage. He leaves the cave and goes out into the light. At first he is blinded by it, as his eyes have never seen such brightness before. Then, as his eyes adjust, he begins to see all the color and the life in the world. He loves what he sees, and indulges in the beauty around him. When he returns to the cave to let the others know what he has seen, they mock him and call him a liar. They choose to stay where they have always been and to what they know. The man that is set free is referred to by Plato as the philosopher king.
This concept of reality is a large part of what the Matrix is all about. Undoubtedly the movie has its basis in the Allegory of the Cave. Even though Neo is not the first to be freed from the Matrix, like the philosopher king is from the cave, he is the one that is destined to hand humankind they key to being freed. The “real world” in the Matrix is not a beautiful one like it is in the Cave, but they are both the reality and not everyone has seen it. Neo, is essence, is the man that Plato describes as his philosopher king; the man with the ability to rescue humanity.
The Matrix and Religion
Throughout the movie, there are many references to Christianity. Often when Neo enters a scene, other characters will say “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” underneath their breath, alluding to the idea that Neo is their Savior. Also, other characters are named after Christian concepts, like Trinity, whose name represents the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The concept of salvation can also be applied to Neo’s destiny of rescuing the people from damnation. The bondage of the humans in the Matrix could be considered sin and the entrapment of the devil. Neo in this case would be Jesus, whose goal is to teach everyone about God’s love and turn them away from sin. He is leading his followers to “the truth.”
The Matrix also incorporates other religions, particularly Greek mythology. For example, Morpheus is names after the Greek god of dreams. In the movie, Morpheus is the dreamer. He believes that it is prophesized that Neo is coming, and he will see to it that these are fulfilled, but he is almost blind in his beliefs. Yet his character is an essential part of the pot, for without dreams, we are nothing. Almost every name and place in the movie is derived from important people and locations. One example of this is Morpheus’ ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, is named for the Babylonian king who captured the Jews from their Promised Land back to his country.
The Essence of Humanity
So where does this all come together? It all boils down to choice. In all of these possible meanings, choice is the key element. What will humankind coose? To learn the truth, or to stay in the dark? In the Allegory of the Cave, the philosopher king chooses to embrace the real world, while the others do not, preferring to stay with what they know best. In the case with the followers of Jesus, some choose to follow God and reject all sin, while the others would rather live the life of indulgence, even though it is impure.
Throughout history and legend, the essence to every pivotal moment was a decision, whether good or bad. Like Neo’s chose to take the red pill, Eve in the Garden of Eden ate the apple, destining humanity to an impure life. And in Christianity, one must choose between that life of sin, or a life with God.
We, as humans, are defined by choice. This is what separates us from all other living creatures. We choose how we want to live our lives, how we affect others around us, and what we wish to do. In the Matrix, what will humankind choose to do? If history has taught us anything, we know that not everyone will make the same decision. It is in our nature. Some people refuse to uproot their lives and see what the truth is, whatever it may be.
It is obvious that the directors of the Matrix are trying to prove a point with their movie. Since they do not make it clear to the viewers, there are many interpretations on its meanings. Some believe it is a correlation with God and Christianity, and that God is the truth. Others believe it is the exact opposite; that the Matrix represents brainwashing by religion, and that people should open their minds and branch away from it. Some believe it is simply a statement that our intelligence and advancement will be our downfall.
What the true meaning of the Matrix really is may never be revealed. Maybe it is meant to be up for interpretation, and does not have on true meaning. But what it does do is encourage people to think outside their personal box and reevaluate their beliefs. Whether they take that red pill or not, it is each person’s choic
and if you're bored, you can read it :thumbup:
i would skip over the overview of the matrix part, crappy cliffs notes version of it.
The Meanings Behind the Matrix
Jessica Goedtel
ENGL151C W4
The Matrix has become a staple in modern movie culture. Its combination of history, philosophy, and mind-boggling plot lines have enthralled audiences since 1999. Yet there are many hidden references to an array of topics that only an educated eye can catch. From Plato’s writings to the coming of Christ, this movie can be viewed as a collective interpretation of human history and their thinking.
A Brief Overview of the Matrix
The movie begins with a man named Thomas Anderson who is looking for someone or something. It is unclear in the beginning who or what he is looking for. He goes by the name Neo, his hacker alias. Neo goes through a series of events which lead him to a man named Morpheus. Here Neo expresses what he is longing to know: What is the Matrix?
Neo is given a choice by Morpheus. To know what the Matrix is, he must take a red pill. Or he can take a green pill, and go back to living life as normal, never knowing the truth. Neo chooses to take the red pill, and immediately finds himself awakening in a strange place, completely naked and with wires attached to his body. A machine flies up to him, removes his wires, and he is flushed down a tube into a pool of liquid. He is immediately picked up by a spaceship. On board, he is greeted by Morpheus and his crew.
Here Neo learns that the world he grew up in was a false one. A hundred years ago, humans had created machines that had artificial intelligence. Eventually these machines began to take over the world. To help stop this, humans blocked out the sun, believing that it was the machines only unlimited source of power. But the machines learned that the human body could create enough energy to sustain them, and they began to essentially “farm” humans. The Matrix was a computer program created to keep all of the humans minds in tact, giving the machines energy, and preventing them from knowing the truth.
Morpheus believes that Neo has special abilities that make him able to control the Matrix. He thinks that Neo can bring down the Matrix, and will save humankind from a destiny of bondage and unwilling servitude.
The Allegory and the Matrix
Plato’s, “The Allegory of the Cave,” tells a similar story. It is a part of The Republic, Plato’s blueprint of what he thinks an ideal government should be like. “The Cave” deals with what kind of ruler Plato believes should be in control of the Greek government.
The story begins in a cave where a group of men sit. They are bound to chairs by their hands and feet, and they have been blindfolded. They sit facing the cave wall. Behind them is a blazing fire, and in front of it a bridge. Animals and other things travel over this bridge, casting shadows on the walls, which the men can see vaguely through their blindfolds. They have been born this way, and this is what they believe to be the real world as it is.
Then one day, one of these men is set free from his bondage. He leaves the cave and goes out into the light. At first he is blinded by it, as his eyes have never seen such brightness before. Then, as his eyes adjust, he begins to see all the color and the life in the world. He loves what he sees, and indulges in the beauty around him. When he returns to the cave to let the others know what he has seen, they mock him and call him a liar. They choose to stay where they have always been and to what they know. The man that is set free is referred to by Plato as the philosopher king.
This concept of reality is a large part of what the Matrix is all about. Undoubtedly the movie has its basis in the Allegory of the Cave. Even though Neo is not the first to be freed from the Matrix, like the philosopher king is from the cave, he is the one that is destined to hand humankind they key to being freed. The “real world” in the Matrix is not a beautiful one like it is in the Cave, but they are both the reality and not everyone has seen it. Neo, is essence, is the man that Plato describes as his philosopher king; the man with the ability to rescue humanity.
The Matrix and Religion
Throughout the movie, there are many references to Christianity. Often when Neo enters a scene, other characters will say “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” underneath their breath, alluding to the idea that Neo is their Savior. Also, other characters are named after Christian concepts, like Trinity, whose name represents the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The concept of salvation can also be applied to Neo’s destiny of rescuing the people from damnation. The bondage of the humans in the Matrix could be considered sin and the entrapment of the devil. Neo in this case would be Jesus, whose goal is to teach everyone about God’s love and turn them away from sin. He is leading his followers to “the truth.”
The Matrix also incorporates other religions, particularly Greek mythology. For example, Morpheus is names after the Greek god of dreams. In the movie, Morpheus is the dreamer. He believes that it is prophesized that Neo is coming, and he will see to it that these are fulfilled, but he is almost blind in his beliefs. Yet his character is an essential part of the pot, for without dreams, we are nothing. Almost every name and place in the movie is derived from important people and locations. One example of this is Morpheus’ ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, is named for the Babylonian king who captured the Jews from their Promised Land back to his country.
The Essence of Humanity
So where does this all come together? It all boils down to choice. In all of these possible meanings, choice is the key element. What will humankind coose? To learn the truth, or to stay in the dark? In the Allegory of the Cave, the philosopher king chooses to embrace the real world, while the others do not, preferring to stay with what they know best. In the case with the followers of Jesus, some choose to follow God and reject all sin, while the others would rather live the life of indulgence, even though it is impure.
Throughout history and legend, the essence to every pivotal moment was a decision, whether good or bad. Like Neo’s chose to take the red pill, Eve in the Garden of Eden ate the apple, destining humanity to an impure life. And in Christianity, one must choose between that life of sin, or a life with God.
We, as humans, are defined by choice. This is what separates us from all other living creatures. We choose how we want to live our lives, how we affect others around us, and what we wish to do. In the Matrix, what will humankind choose to do? If history has taught us anything, we know that not everyone will make the same decision. It is in our nature. Some people refuse to uproot their lives and see what the truth is, whatever it may be.
It is obvious that the directors of the Matrix are trying to prove a point with their movie. Since they do not make it clear to the viewers, there are many interpretations on its meanings. Some believe it is a correlation with God and Christianity, and that God is the truth. Others believe it is the exact opposite; that the Matrix represents brainwashing by religion, and that people should open their minds and branch away from it. Some believe it is simply a statement that our intelligence and advancement will be our downfall.
What the true meaning of the Matrix really is may never be revealed. Maybe it is meant to be up for interpretation, and does not have on true meaning. But what it does do is encourage people to think outside their personal box and reevaluate their beliefs. Whether they take that red pill or not, it is each person’s choic
Thread Starter
ch1x0r
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 18,629
Likes: 0
From: PA
Originally posted by AcuraFanatic
You just condensed three movies into a little more than four paragraphs. :eek3:
:thumbup:
You just condensed three movies into a little more than four paragraphs. :eek3:
:thumbup:
i haven't seen the third. did i guess well?
oh and neo will probably die if we follow the jesus thing.