Allegory of the Cave

Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” is one of the most widely read and taught pieces of philosophy/literature in western civilization. It’s written as a dialogue between Socrates (Plato’s mentor) and Glaucon (Plato’s older brother). Philosophy was often recorded in these dialogues. After reading the dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon concerning the allegory of the cave, respond in 250 words or more to the following questions:

• An allegory is a story , poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. What meaning does the allegory of the cave have? What can it be applied to in life?
• Why does Bradbury use “Allegory of the Cave” in Fahrenheit 451? (roughly page 70 when Montag says “Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They might just stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes!”).