NEXT HE WOULD SEE THE REFLECTIONS OF MEN AND THINGS IN THE WATER AND THIS WOULD REPRESENT A MAJOR ADVANCE IN HIS KNOWLEDGE, FOR WHAT HE ONCE KNEW ONLY AS A SOLID DARK BLUR WOULD NOW BE SEEN IN MORE PRECISE DETAIL OF LINE AND COLOR. A FLOWER MAKES A SHADOW WHICH GIVES VERY LITTLE, IF ANY INDICATION OF WHAT A FLOWER REALLY LOOKS LIKE, BUT ITS IMAGE AS REFLECTED IN THE WATER PROVIDES THE EYES WITH A CLEARED VISION OF EACH PETAL AND ITS VARIOUS COLORS. IN TIME HE WOULD SEE THE FLOWER ITSELF. AS HE LIFTED HIS EYES SKYWARD, HE WOULD FIND IT EASIER AT FIRST TO LOOK AT THE HEAVENLY BODIES AT NIGHT, LOOKING AT THE MOON AND THE STARS INSTEAD OF AT THE SUN IN DAYTIME. FINALLY, HE WOULD LOOK RIGHT AT THE SUN IN ITS NATURAL POSITIONS IN THE SKY AND NOT AT ITS REFLECTION FORM OR THROUGH ANYTHING ELSE. THIS EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE WOULD GRADUALLY LEAD THIS LIBERATED PRISONER TO CONCLUDE THAT THE SUN IS WHAT MAKES THINGS VISIBLE. IT IS THE SUN, TOO, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR, AND FOR THAT REASON THE SUN IS THE CAUSE OF LIFE IN THE SPRING, NOW HE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT HE AND HIS FELLOW PRISONERS SAW ON THE WALL, HOW SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS DIFFER FROM THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE IN THE VISIBLE WORLD, AND THAT WITHOUT THE SUN THERE WOULD BE NO VISIBLE WORLD. HOW WOULD SUCH A PERSON FEEL ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS LIFE IN THE CAVE? HE WOULD RECALL WHAT HE AND HIS FELLOW PRISONERS THERE TOOK TO BE WISDOM HOW THEY HAD A PRACTICE OF HONORING AND COMMENDING EACH OTHER, GIVING PRIZES TO THE ONE WHO HAD THE SHARPEST EYE FOR THE PASSING SHADOWS AND THE BEST MEMORY FOR THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY FOLLOWED EACH OTHER SO THAT HE COULD MAKE THE BEST GUESS AS TO WHICH SHADOW WOULD COME NEXT. WOULD THE RELEASED PRISONER STILL THINK SUCH PRIZES WERE WORTH HAVING, AND WOULD HE ENVY THE MEN WHO RECEIVED HONORS IN THE CAVE? INSTEAD OF ENVY HE WOULD HAVE ONLY SORROW AND PITY FOR THEM. IF HE WENT BACK TO HIS FORMER SEAT IN THE CAVE HE WOULD AT FIRST HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY...
