Blog 2

The matrix is a film which was released in 1999 Written and directed by the Wachoski brothers. At first glance this might be a ordinary-sci-fi-fantasy-superhero Flick. I myself must of seen the matrix over 10 times since its release and never realized until recently, that the story itself is composed of some of the greatest stories ever told in history. You can find similarities between the matrix and Socrates, Plato, Alice in wonderland (follow the white rabbit), all the way to the story of Jesus. How did I miss this the first 9 times? Maybe you did too, so I compiled some similarities between these stories and the matrix. As it was pointed out in class, Neo and Socrates have a similar way of receiving guidance.
God-oracle-Chaerephon-Socrates
Architect-oracle-Morpheus-neo
Like Socrates, Neo was awakened by the word of a god and a oracle, they both want to seek answers and the truth. At first neo, like Socrates questioned himself. Socrates couldn’t believe he was the wisest person, and neo wouldn’t believe he was the one. But once they both realized their prophecy, they both set out to free people from their caves.
The similarity with Jesus is present in the film too. Like Jesus, Neo was the “one”. Like Jesus, he had a betrayer in his circle, Cypher (Judas). You can say the compare the devil with Agent smith who tempts neo to join him in bringing down Morpheus. I might have to double check but I believe Who ever put absolute faith in neo survived the film. Trinity and Morpheus seem to have believed in neo throughout the whole film, because of what the oracle told them, but tank also says he knew he was the one. Meaning at point in the film he thought about Neo's possibility of being the one and decided to believe in him. Maybe that’s why he survived the attack from cypher.
Like Jesus, Neo is reborn, when he awakens from the vat. Like Jesus, Neo rises from the dead after being shot dead by agent smith.
The film goes beyond these comparisons, and I think that might be the point of the film. It was made with all these different meanings tied in that at the end of the film, you can either feel enlightened or you can feel like neo was just one crazy guy. It’s sort of like choosing to accept your reality, or use the film as an analogy of Plato’s Allegory of the cave and feel like you’ve become enlightened to question your reality. It all just depends on your perception of the film, and that’s what makes the film great.