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the truth is a complicated thing, and sometimes frightening in its undeninable honesty. it is a human instinct to try and hide yourself from the sometimes inevitable brutality of facts that can't be ignored. but the question is, how far will we go to hide the truth from ourselves? what will we do to create a habitable false reality for our self-protection? the entire concept of truth vs. false reality is prominent in plato's "allegory of a cave." in this story, there are people chained to the floor of a cave. they know only what they are told, and believe in the shadows cast on the wall by puppets and flames as if they are definitive, solid concepts. they know nothing but darkness and ignorance. this is a common theme, explored throughout many works, where the characters are struggling to either hide from or embrace the truth -- to shrink into or step out of the shadows.

in "the love-song of j. alfred prufrock", T.S. eliot expores truth vs. false reality in terms of social classes and elitists: "in the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo." this quote discusses women who talk of michelangelo, but are they showing sincere appreciation, or simply showing off their knowledge of an artist who happens to be accepted by their elite group? this brings up the question whether everyone puts on a show to impress others, to an extent. is anyone ever completely honest with others, or is there something we are always holding back or suppressing? we guard our secret selves; sometimes the only thing we hold sacred.

the concept of protecting our secret selves is questioned in the short story "this blessed house" in "the interpreter of maladies", by jhumpa lahiri. one of the protagonists of the story wonders, "why does it matter so much what other people think"? (pg. 147). this woman is creating a shrine to christianity, using objects found in her new house. her husband is ashamed of her enthusiastic display of a religion they don't practice and constantly wonders how other people will react. why does he care so much? it's almost like he's afraid to have people accept his wife's quirky personality and open mind. he keeps his secret, protected self under lock and key, like much of us. we are afraid of being rejected. he's afraid. all of us are afraid. if our favorite part of ourselves is held unacceptable by people or societal expectations, we feel like we have nothing left to offer and close our minds to any thought of being accepted. this is essentially creating a false reality – we sacrifice ourselves to be noticed, appreciated, or loved, and push the truths of our identities and self-worth, to the back of our minds, where they lose their meanings and gather dust.

sacrificing our identities is an idea used in “a doll’s house” by henrik ibsen. after the blackmail being held against nora is revealed, nora and her husband torvald have a particularly painful exchange. due to some fortunate circumstances, things are resolved through torvald’s eyes, but nora still remains unhappy. the truth about a financial situation she had held from torvald uncovered her true feelings about her marriage: nora: "that's right. now it is all over. i have put the keys here. the maids know all about everything in the house - better than i do. tomorrow, after i have left her, christine will come here and pack up my own things that i brought with me from home. i will have them sent after me." / torvald: "all over! all over! nora, shall you never think of me again?" / nora: "i know i shall often think of you and the children and this house." / torvald: "may I write to you, nora?" / nora: "no - never. you must not do that." / torvald: "but at least let me send you - nora: "nothing - nothing." / torvald: "let me help you if you are in want.” / nora: "no. I can receive nothing from a stranger" (pg. 71). nora had trapped herself in a glass box of societal expectations – a picture-perfect marriage; children; a wife with a passive disposition, eager to please her superior despite their marriage pledge of equality. how far will we go to conform to societal expectations? to fit in with the “normal”, what everyone desires to achieve? we are willing to dispel truths to create a false reality, a matrimonial paradise. nora sacrificed her self-worth and any sense of individuality to suffer in an oppressive household. she stepped outside herself and realized she had to get out immediately, but so few of us have the courage to do so…to get out and live on our own, away from what we considered to be true.

an idealistic false paradise is also created in the play "a streetcar named desire" by tennesee williams. the main character, blanche, is slowly losing her mind. she has been ostracized by the town where she used to live, and by her very own family. in this exchange between blanche's brother-in-law, stanley and herself, blanche's delusions are uncovered. she had invented a millionaire who was coming to save her. this was her last attempt at creating a perfect life, where she is appreciated and wanted and loved. stanley calls her out on this fantasy, and she can't defend herself any longer. stanley: "there isn't no millionaire! and mitch didn't come back with roses 'cause I know where he is -" / blanche: "oh!" / stanley: "there isn't a goddamn thing but imagination!" / blanche: "oh!" / stanley: "and lies and conceit and tricks!" / blanche: "oh!"/ stanley: "and look at yourself! take a look at yourself in that worn-out mardi gras outfit, rented for fifty cents from some ragpicker! and with the crazy crown on! what queen do you think you are?" (pg. 127). this addresses an important question: it okay, or socially acceptable, to invent new personas and identities as a form of self-protection? or is it healthier to face the facts, no matter how terrible they may be -- shielding yourselves from truths and blissfully inhabiting a false reality?

the concept of living in a false reality is also used in the movie "memento." the main character lenny has developed short-term memory loss after a tragic occurence. in this quote,
is explaining how he will continually lie to himself to prevent lifelong bitterness and unhappiness. "i'm not a killer. i'm just someone who wanted to make things right. can't i just let myself forget what you've told me? can't i just let myself forget what you've made me do. you think i just want another puzzle to solve? another john g. to look for? you're john g. so you can be my john g...will i lie to myself to be happy? in your case teddy...yes i will." is it justifiable to redefine your surroundings to remain in a suspended state of ignorant bliss? does wanting to be happy give you the right to abandon the concepts of truth and honesty? does anyone have the right to carefuly construct a false reality, to hide and remain shielded from all unpredictable outside factors?

it is a human desire to hide from the truth, in a perfected, pretend paradise. in this false reality, we are capable of hiding from social classes; our secret selves; struggling marriages and social expectations; families; mental illnesses; and unhappiness. this concept of concealment is shown in plato's "allegory of a cave", where the people trapped in the cave know nothing but ignorance and the absence of light. the truth ominously awaits them outside of their constraints -- the darkest shadow of all. if they choose to seek the truth, it will be painful and unlike they have ever experienced, because once the truth is faced, everything you've ever known or thought to be true is completely redefined or restructured. for some, it is so much easier to hide from the unknown -- safety is infinitely preferable to shaky possibilities. they will remain forever trapped in their solitude, shielded from the shadows.

Part II

Twelfth Night:
This quote reflects Viola's decision to dress up as a man so it would be easier for her to travel around Illyria. If such deception is discovered, is it forgivable, even if it's used for self-protection?

"I prithee - and I'll pay thee bounteously -
Conceal me what I am, and be my aid
For such disguise as haply shall become
The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke" (pg. 13).

The Sound And The Fury:
Jason Compson's thought brings up an interesting point from his very cynical perspective. Do we create battles so we can develop a false sense of pride? What is a real fight? What defines a real loss? A real win? Do we go out of our way to cause controversy so we can put ourselves on victorious pedestals of false claims and beliefs?

"No battle is ever won. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools" (Jason's chapter).

The Love-Song of J. Alfred Prufrock:
This quote from T.S. Eliot addresses societal expectations. It discusses women who talk of Michelangelo, but it is sincere or to show off their knowledge of an artist accepted by their elite group? Does everyone put on a show to impress others, to an extent? Are we ever completely honest with others, or is there something we are always holding back or suppressing?

"In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo."

A Doll's House:
A particularly painful exhange between Nora and her husband Torvald takes place after the blackmail being held against Nora is revealed. Torvald is furious with this information, but after the situation is resolved, Nora still remains unhappy. The truth about where she had gotten the money to take Torvald on vacation uncovers her true feelings about her marriage to Torvald, which addresses this question: does each lie have multiple layers? Can one be used to uncover another? Or are some lies more simplistic and black-and-white than others?

Nora: "That's right. Now it is all over. I have put the keys here. The maids know all about everything in the house - better than I do. Tomorrow, after I have left her, Christine will come here and pack up my own things that I brought with me from home. I will have them sent after me."
Torvald: "All over! All over! Nora, shall you never think of me again?"
Nora: "I know I shall often think of you and the children and this house."
Torvald: "May I write to you, Nora?"
Nora: "No - never. You must not do that."
Torvald: "But at least let me send you - "
Nora: "Nothing - nothing."
Torvald: "Let me help you if you are in want."
Nora: "No. I can receive nothing from a stranger" (pg. 71).

The Importance Of Being Earnest:
One of the final conversations between Jack and his fiancee Gwendolen reveals that the importance of truth and the weight it carries varies from person to person. Jack and Gwendolen clearly don't hold truth to be crucial for the health of their relationship, or for anything else. Is this healthy? Can you form solid relationships with this nonchalant attitude toward truth?

Jack: "Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?"
Gwendolen: "I can. For you are sure to change" (pg. 54).


A Streetcar Named Desire:
In this exchange between Stanley and Blanche, Blanche's delusions are uncovered. She had invented a millionaire who was coming to save her, since she couldn't face that fact that her town and her family were ostracizing her. Stanley calls her out on it, and she can't defend herself any longer. Is it okay, or socially acceptable, to invent new personas and identities as a form of self-protection? Or is it healthier to face the facts, no matter how terrible they may be?

Stanley: "There isn't no millionaire! And Mitch didn't come back with roses 'cause I know where he is -"
Blanche: "Oh!"
Stanley: "There isn't a goddamn thing but imagination!"
Blanche: "Oh!"
Stanley: "And lies and conceit and tricks!"
Blanche: "Oh!"
Stanley: "And look at yourself! Take a look at yourself in that worn-out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for fifty cents from some ragpicker! And with the crazy crown on! What queen do you think you are?" (pg. 127)

Wit:
This line reveals Vivian's shock at what her professor told her: life and death are merely separated by a comma in the sonnet of John Donne, showing how closely the two are linked...which brings up the question: are truth and scholastics connected? Or is one used to discover the other?

"I, ah, went outside. The sun was very bright. I, ah, walked around, past the ... There were students on the lawn, talking about nothing, laughing. The insuperable barrier between one thing and other is ... just a comma? Simple human truth, uncompromising scholarly standards? They're connected? I just couldn't..." (pg. 15).

Interpreter of Maladies:
A Temporary Matter:
In these two quotes, the game the two main characters invented is revealed. They began to tell each other secrets of their pasts that they had kept entirely to themselves. In the end, this game is the final straw that breaks their marriage (see the second quote). This brings up the question -- is complete honesty bad when it can hurt a marriage, or anything at all? Is it better to be quiet and prevent hurting anyone?

"Somehow, without saying anything, it had turned into this. Into an exchange of confessions - the little ways they'd hurt or disappointed each other, and themselves"(pg. 18).

"They wept together, for the things they now knew" (pg. 22).

This Blessed House:
In this quote, one of the main characters is questioning her husband. Why do we care so much about what other people thing? It connects to keeping our secret selves guarded. Will we be dishonest about who we are to please other people? Or will we be completely honest about our idenities and then wait around for their approval?

"Why does it matter so much what other people think?" (pg. 147).

Memento:
Here, the main character Lenny is explaining how he will continually lie to himself to prevent lifelong bitterness and unhappiness. Are such lies just when it comes to making yourself happy, or is it better to be depressed and completely honest?

"I'm not a killer. I'm just someone who wanted to make things right. Can't I just let myself forget what you've told me? Can't I just let myself forget what you've made me do. You think I just want another puzzle to solve? Another John G. to look for? You're John G. So you can be my John G... Will I lie to myself to be happy? In your case Teddy... yes I will."

Part I

the main point of plato's "allegory of a cave" is the concept of reality, and how we decide and defend what we consider to be our own realities. in this tale, the people featured know nothing but ignorance. they are stuck in a cave, with “their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads”. they watch pictures being cast on walls by fire and shadows. this is all they know - their world is being dictated to them. truth is painful, as they will find out when they venture from their cave. but truth is everything.

when you're stuck in a false reality, you know only what you're told. therefore, you know nothing. the most important life lessons and knowledge you gain come from your own personal life lessons and experiences. you struggle, you fail, and you know so much more than you did to begin with. these are lessons that only you can teach yourself. after all, you are your most powerful teacher, and “the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual.” if you don't leave the cave, or your emotional and intellectual limits, you won't gain any knowledge that is concrete and crucial, and most importantly, real.

reality is subjective, as is opinion. you can create your own; maybe for change, maybe for escape. but the question is -- if reality can be defined by anyone, is there a standard definition for reality? and is truth incorporated into this definition? or is reality just a concept we created to keep us guarded and feeling safe, while we hide every truth we ever learned?