"I know that I know nothing" The Oracle and The Matrix



     People have always had an interest in finding out the future. This desire to know things comes with the assumption that through knowing, one may be able to change or help prevent a bad occurrence. However the future never really changes, it’s the action we alter to get to our future that bring about the differences. The only solution to arrive at some sort of answer would be to seek a “medium” which has the ability to predict what’s to come. In many cases this “medium” is known as an Oracle. An Oracle is a person believed to foresee what the future holds for anyone who seeks their advice. An Oracle is thought to be very trustworthy and their predictions are always without fail or falsity. In The Matrix, the oracle plays a vital part. She is the one they all go to in order to seek guidance for the difficult task they are presented. The Oracle is the one, Morpheus has the most faith in and the person he sent Neo to in order to get answers. In The Matrix, the Oracle has answers about Neo in reference to himself and his surroundings.

     The Matrix is entirely about the subject of knowing. It depicts the challenge Neo faces of knowing if he is “the one” and  the distinction Neo attempts to make of knowing what is reality verses what is the projection of reality. The movie even shows the wish Neo, along with Trinity and Morpheus, have of knowing their own futures in order to feel the ability and strength to face their challenge. It is as if they felt that by knowing the outcome of their task then they would find the strength and confidence in the steps they were going to take. The point of the Oracle in The Matrix is simply to provide wisdom, her purpose was not to give anyone the answer to their futures but instead to provide them with the path to obtain what they wish to fulfill. By telling Trinity that she would be in love with “the one”, Trinity arrives at the conclusion that Neo must be the one because she is in love with him.

     The Oracle is depicted as wise and insightful. She has witty remarks throughout the conversation she has with Neo. She presents ideas that are meant to make people think and question what is the normality of everyday existence. The Oracle in the movie is helps Neo find his strength. It is a strength Neo has, not so much in the physical sense but in the mental sense. Both Morpheus and Oracle emphasize the idea of the mind being the  controller of all things. The mind is the very thing that makes Neo stronger and allows him to believe in who he is and what he is capable of doing. By visiting the Oracle, Neo is shown new ways or theories on how to look at life. He sees the incredible ability the mind holds and how his belief in his own abilities can truly hold the key to his own future. The Oracle makes a prediction of the future for Neo, which later proves to be untrue.. As depicted in The Matrix,  the Oracle tells Neo that he is not “the one” and maybe he would be “in his next life”( The Matrix). She also tells him that both Morpheus and Neo will not survive and one must die. Neo feels helpless and overwhelmed by the news he receives. He feels as if it is a unfortunate burden placed upon him . Yet he comes to realize that even though the Oracle says he is not “the one”, he begins to believe he is “the one” . Neo uses his mind to provide him with the strength to believe in his “gift”. He later gains power through this confidence and is able to succeed in fighting the agents while both he and Morpheus remain alive.

"Know Thyself"

This is one of the most important themes of The Matrix. The Oracle tells Neo that only he can truly know whether or not he is "the one" because no one has the ability to know us better than ourselves.

         Throughout Greek mythology the Oracles are often mentioned. They were the ones that people saw when they wished to know the outcome of their futures. The word Oracle means a god who predicts the future or a priest who hears the message (History for Kids). The Greek’s believed that you could communicate with the gods at certain places, through certain people and at certain times.(History for Kids). It was thought that the gods were able to provide you with some advice or possible future outcome. The Greek’s strong belief in fate and prophecy brought about their strong beliefs in Oracles. These individuals, priest and priestesses were thought to be the closest to the gods and therefore have the best connections. The Oracle’s were thought to be the messages of the gods and the mouthpiece of their wisdom and knowledge. It was believed that In Greek mythology the oracle’s held great importance in the stories told. It is as if they were always foreshadowing a later event or telling the outcome of the story before it even happens. The Greek’s often seek advice of oracle’s with questions that involved the comparing of one person or thing to another person or thing.

This link provides interesting information on Oracles;who they are, the process of consulting them as well as the influence they had over the ancient Greeks.

http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Cr-Dr/Delphi.html

     This kind of question is shown in the story of “Oracle of Delphi”. In this story “Chaerophon visit’s the Oracle of Delphi and asks if there is anyone in Athens is wiser than Socrates” (Hyper history). The Oracle answers that no one is wiser than him. When Socrates receives this news he is said to make it his mission in life to understand what the Oracle said. He proceeds to seeks those who claim to be knowledgeable and find that many of their claims prove to be false and that no one has genuine wisdom. He comes to find that the Oracle was right about Socrates’ wisdom. Socrates discovered that he was not the wisest because he obtained knowledge that no one else had but rather that he was wisest because he understood his own lack of knowledge. The story of the “Oracle of Delphi” is much like that of The Matrix, where Neo is told he is “the one” ( The Matrix) and is trying to find what exactly makes him ‘the one”. It is not enough for Neo to be told this but to understand  why he can be seen as “the one”. Neo appears to be confused by this idea because others  seem just as capable, if not more capable, yet are not viewed in that same light. Neo is much like Socrates in that he doesn’t fully understand the prophecy the Oracle has presented to them.

     The ability to fully know how your life will pan out is impossible. The point of “living life” is accepting everything life has to bring. Life is all about the obstacles and struggles people constantly face in order to make themselves stronger. The concept of knowledge is extremely broad because it is impossible for one person to know everything. Socrates had the wisdom to know that but as the story of  “Oracle of Delphi”; many fail to understand that idea. To really be knowledgeable, is not to know everything but instead to have a range or variation of how to face a problem or situation in order to obtain a particular outcome. Throughout The Matrix this can be seen by both Neo and Trinity. There fear of what the outcome may bring is clouded and  guided by the prophecy of the Oracle. They both whole heartedly believe in what she says, that it makes them stronger. This is a true example of “mind over matter” and that “power is truly within”. Neo found the strength within himself because he believed he is “the one” and therefore he has the ability to make anything and everything happen. Oracle’s have always had the ability to sway people’s thoughts and viewpoints because they were viewed as higher beings. The thing many people fail  to realize is that we are truly in charge of our own futures and no one has the skill to tell us the outcome.

     All people have the skill to help sway or convince one another. Oracles were not really different from anyone else except that they were thought of highly and therefore believed to be true and wise. The only real truth behind Oracles were that they could sometimes help people see what they have failed to see. As individuals we have the ability to change and grow, forcing our futures to change and evolve along with us. The Matrix displays this ability in a very interesting way; Neo created his own future through his fate within himself  instead of allowing his fate to be told to him. “[We] all  know that [we] know nothing”(Socrates) but our knowledge is often the strength we find within ourselves. The power doesn’t come from the aspect of knowing but instead in the aspect of believing in ourselves and what we believe to be true.

How does imagination lend meaning to our lives and experiences?

     The imagination is a very powerful thing. It has the ability to change our environment  and live out our dreams or fears. We all have the skill to create mental images and perceive situations in various ways. The way we perceive things as being becomes the way they are to us. In other words the mind makes us believe that what we live out in our minds is what occurs within our own realities. In both stories; “Handsomest Drowned Man In The World” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”, we see how the imagination plays an important role within our lives.
     In the story “Handsomest Drowned Man In The World” we see how multiple individuals experience the finding of an extremely tall, big and handsome man in the same way. The story depicts the finding of this drowned man and how the people of the village react. It shows how collectively the people of this village name this man Esteban and begin to create a story behind his image and projection. “Handsomest Drowned Man In the World ”exhibits the imagination giving meaning to the villagers experience of finding this man.
      “The Tell-Tale Heart” is another perfect example of how the mind gives meaning and truth to our realities despite the falsity that may be behind it. It depicts a man who has committed a murder and is seemly haunted by his victims heartbeat . He continuously  hears the heart beat of the hidden victim and proceeds to give himself up to the detectives. He does this out of fear that they too hear the old mans heart and know that it was him. “The Tell-Tale Heart” shows how the imagination is so strong that it forced the man to believe that the heart beat could actually be heard out loud. It shows how his imagination leaked into his experience of murdering the old man and proceeded to give meaning for the need to turn himself in.

Research Reflection

     When writing a research paper I have always known that there is a particular set of rules or guidelines that need to be followed. I was always taught that a paper needs to contain a thesis along with body paragraphs that are meant to support that thesis. However what I have come to learn by taking this class is that preparation is important. I have learned that what makes a great paper is the “prewriting”. Through the use of brainstorming, free writing and outlining, I have come to write and create more fluid and well written papers. This process or method has helped me come up with even better ideas. Another method that I have also learned helps a lot is writing drafts. Drafts allow for less procrastination and a paper that is more put together and edited. They also provide me with the time to make revisions such as grammar, punctuation and spelling.
     This class has also helped me to understand the importance of doing research in order to provide a valid and well argued thesis. Doing research helps to create a paper that is more interesting to read because its uses connections from various sources. One way to show these connections is by using quotes throughout the paper. I have come to learn that it is unnecessary to always use long quotes but that short or one word quotes are just as useful and helpful in proving your thesis. Learning these methods have allowed me to become an even better writer and they will stay with me forever.

First Draft: The Oracle and The Matrix

    

      People have always had an interest in finding out the future. This desire to know things comes with the assumption that through knowing, one may be able to change or help prevent a bad prediction. However the future never really changes alone, it is the actions we alter to get to our futures that bring about the differences. Many individuals seek these answers, however to get these answers, they are unable to do it alone. The only solution is to seek some sort of “medium”(wikipedia) that has the ability to predict what’s to come. In many cases this “medium” is known as an Oracle. An Oracle is a person believed to foresee the future holds for anyone that seeks their advice. The Oracle’s are thought to be very trustworthy and their predictions are always without fail or falsity. These  people were often viewed to have a higher power, a gift that allowed they to view the world differently. However their wisdom or gift often presented themselves in a incomplete way. The Oracle’s often gave advice without the means of how to fulfill that prophecy. They presented ideas that were somewhat vague because it is as if they presented the answer without the question. In The Matrix, the oracle plays a vital part. She is the one they all go to in order to seek guidance for the difficult task they are presented.

     The Oracle is depicted as wise and insightful. She has witty remarks throughout the conversation she has with Neo. She presents ideas that are meant to make people think and question what is the normality of everyday existence. The Oracle in the movie is assumed to help Neo find his strength. It is a strength Neo has, not so much in the physical sense but in the mental sense. The mind that is the controller of all things. It is the very thing that makes us stronger and allows us to believe in who we are and what we are capable of doing. In the movie, Morpheus brings Neo to go see the oracle. He does so to allow Neo to see what his future holds. Neo is shown new ways or theories on how to look at life. He sees the incredible ability the mind holds and how his belief in his own abilities can truly hold the key to his own future. The Oracle makes a prediction of the future for Neo, which proves to be untrue. However with the astronomical amount of wisdom she holds, it is thought that there was an intention behind this prediction.  as depicted in The Matrix, she tells Neo something that doesn’t come true. The Oracle in the movie and throughout history the oracle presents wisdom and insight. This wisdom allows those who come across the Oracle’s to think differently about their lives. Neo feels helpless and overwhelmed by the news he receives. He feels as if it is a unfortunate burden placed upon.
     Throughout Greek mythology the oracle’s are often mentioned. They were the one’s that people saw when they wished to know the outcome of their futures. In Greek mythology the oracle’s held great importance in the stories told. It is as if they were always foreshadowing a later event or telling the outcome of the story before it even happens. The Greek’s often seek advice of oracle’s with questions that involved the comparing of one person or thing to another person or thing. This kind of question is shown in the story of “Oracle of Delphi”. In this story “Chaerophon visit’s the Oracle of Delphi and asks if there is anyone in Athens is wiser than Socrates”. (hyperhistory) The Oracle answers that no one is wiser than him. When Socrates receives this news he is said to make it his mission in life to understand what the Oracle said. He proceeds to seeks those who claim to be knowledgeable and find that many of their claims prove to be false and that no one has genuine wisdom. He comes to find that the Oracle was right about Socrates’ wisdom. Socrates discovered that he was not the wisest because he obtained knowledge that no one else had but rather that he was wisest because he understood his own lack of knowledge. This story is much like that of The Matrix, where Neo is told he is “the one” ( The Matrix) and is trying to find what exactly makes him ‘the one”. It is not enough for Neo to be told this but to understand why he can be seen as “the one” while others who seem just as capable, if not more capable, are not viewed in that light.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" Rough Draft

The mind’s imagination has the ability to influence much of life’s actions and thoughts. Imagination is often said to be simply the creative thought process of a person. The way people live their lives is made up of a system of rules or guidelines that they feel is the correct way of being or living. Most of the time these rules are based on what is right and wrong, what is the moral verse the immoral way of living. Often individuals derive at these thoughts based on the influence of others, influences that can be sometimes established from cruel or ill-mattered intentions. Influences that are meant to bring about more harm than good. In “The Picture of Dorian Gray” these influences are presented throughout the story; it is left to Dorian as to which path he will choose based upon what his mind arrives at being justifiable. Lord Henry Wotton also plays a huge part in tampering and somewhat controlling of Dorian’s mind and thoughts. Lord Henry uses his own imagination as to what creative aspect he feels life should take and become and proceeds to create or form a different imagination for Dorian.
     “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, has an occurring theme of imagination, it is the imagination that forces the choices made throughout the story. The story depicts the constant struggle between good and evil and right and wrong. Dorian in the beginning of the story is shown as a nice and innocent boy, an individual that chooses the moral things to do in life.His unbelievable beauty is thought to coincide with his goodness, it the concept of appearance being tied or somewhat apart of choices made in life. It is as if to be physically appealing, you are expected to be good and wholesome. However in the story this idea is proven wrong, despite the way Dorian looks, he began to do cruel things. Cruel things that began after Dorian had met Lord Henry. Lord Henry not only has a vivid and somewhat distorted imagination in the thoughts and ideas he presented but his ideas sparked the imagination and thought process of Dorian as well. It is as if Dorian’s first encounter with Lord Henry gave rise to many of Dorian “fresh impulses”. Ideas and concepts that Dorian already contained within his mind but never came across a person to verify his thoughts.
     Lord Henry had the ability to alter Dorian greatly in allowing Dorian’s thoughts to prosper and grow. His imagination left a lot to be desired, his outlooks on life’s many events was against all the perspectives most had on the same events. Lord Henry’s theories on life seemed appealing and tempting to any weak minded or vulnerable individual. He had the ability to not only present a theory but to also provide a aspect as to why his theories hold truth. Lord Henry as the temper to Dorian by introducing him to concepts he never really thought of prior to haven met him.
     The imagination is a very strong source in life. It has the ability to control everything we do on a daily basis. Imagination is so powerful that it can sometimes create a distortion as to what we view things as being. Imagination can also be seen as having a connection to morality. The temptations and attraction to sinful behaviors is panned out within our minds, the choices we make are left up to being selfish and being more concerned with self pleasure. Dorian is constantly presented this idea in the story, he listens to the advice of Lord Henry and lives life to its fullest or the way in which they felt life should be lived. Both felt life should be filled with the divulging of sin and temptation because without such things life is boring and uninteresting. Dorian and Lord Henry had a creative or different approach on viewing life. Their imaginations helped to verify the concepts of evil and sin being fulfilled in the attempt to give their lives meaning and purpose.

A Beautiful Mind

     The movie, A Beautiful Mind represented the concepts of genius, insanity and madness in the mathematician John Nash. It was as if the movie meant for us to see how some of the most brilliant people lacked in other areas of mental ability. I am not saying that all genius’s are insane or mad but it has been said that there is a fine line between the two. In my opinion to be a genius means you are extra-ordinary meaning a genius is far beyond an ordinary or “normal” person. In the movie John Nash is depicted as being brilliant in the way he chooses to solves various equations and problems. This sort of use of the mind only comes with being a true genius. Most genius’s like John Nash think in a way that no one else thinks, they think in ways that are so far “outside of the box” most fail to even comprehend. It is as if to be a genius one must truly be somewhat “insane”. It has been said that “true genius requires insanity” not in the sense of being crazy but simply thinking like no other. A genius, just like John Nash; has the ability to solve a problem or arrive at a conclusion with an approach that no everyday individual would use. A Beautiful Mind presents genius, insanity and madness in a very interesting and intriguing way.  It depicts both the struggle and hardships John Nash encountered in securing his genius and extraordinary knowledge from the instability of his own madness. He, despite having a better grip of reality; never seem to truly overcome his paranoid schizophrenia. John Nash always saw the characters his mind created’ despite his lack of acknowledgment toward them. A Beautiful Mind depicted the remarkable realization that no matter how intelligent or unintelligent a person may be, our mind truly controls us, we do not /can not fully control our mind.

The Cheshire-Cat: Sign of Signs

     In the article The Cheshire-Cat: Sign of Signs, M.S. Ashbourne talks about Charles Dodgson a.k.a. Lewis Carroll and the birth of two of the greatest children books; “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass”. The article starts with the depiction of Dodgson’s life, who was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on January 27, 1832. As a child he was said to have quite a creative mind and way of being. Dodgson was said to have entertained himself along with his seven sisters and three brothers by inventing toys, games and puzzles along with writing poetry and essays among other things. At the age of twenty-four, Dodgson had his first encounter with Alice Liddel, the girl that gave life to two of his most famous stories of all.
     The creation of “Wonderland” came about on July 4, 1862. On that day Dodgson along with friend Robinson Duckworth and his three young daughters; Lorina, Alice and Edith took a boating trip. On the trip the girls demanded a story be told and as a result Dodgson created a tale about a girl named Alice and the adventures she encounters after haven fallen down a rabbit hole. Alice who of course had been the character of the story, wished for Dodgson to write it down. So one Christmas he complied titling it “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground" later the title was changed to “Alice Adventures in Wonderland”. The story sparked the interest of many due the questionable relationship both Dodgson and Alice shared, along with much of the stories meaning. The story was thought to represent aspects of real life just as in the past Dodgson had wrote stories that contained the element of “self-reflection”.
     The article speaks about how much of the story characters are thought to represent something real in relation to Alice or Dodgson or both. One character in particular was the Cheshire-Cat; that although serves as a minor character among many, leaves one of the greatest impressions of all. It is said to believe that the Cheshire-Cat was created to remind Alice of the wonderful times she spent with Dodgson. The article than continues to talk about the various signs or connections between  the Cheshire-Cat and the real life of  Dodgson. These connections or signs included the Cheshire-Cat representing the birth place of Charles Dodgson, along with much of the characters actions being a manifestation of Dodgson himself. Such things as the grinning can be seen to be his happiness when he was with Alice and the Cheshire-Cat’s concerned ways toward Alice can be thought to depict Dodgson’s real love and care for her. The Cheshire-Cat unlike any of the other creatures Alice comes across in “Wonderland” was interested in her well-being unconditionally, much like Charles Dodgson unconditional love and care for Alice Liddel in real life.

Self Review

1. I feel the first paragraph is clear on introducing both the story and psychological theme I choose. Although I do feel I need to elaborate and provide more detail. The first sentence is definitely relevant in giving a quick synopsis of the story.
2. The thesis statement is obvious in that it refers to Alice from “Alice in Wonderland” along with theme I will write about. Thesis: Throughout the story Alice can be seen to have a poor self-image. Despite the fact that the thesis can be identified it definitely needs to be further supported. If I provide that support, any reader would be able to see why I made that observation and came to that conclusion.
3. I feel like each opening statement helps to provide a brief introduction of what’s to come in the paragraph that follows. The main concepts I choose to write about was self-image as well as its relation to both personality and self-perception. Each paragraph somewhat helps to further those main concepts but I definitely need to add more details.
4. I need some work or better reviewing my paper to find run on sentences and lack of punctuation in necessary areas. However I do find the usage of certain words and style of sentences to be helpful in proving my point.
5. I need a lot of work on citing my references.
6. The papers strengths are that it serves a strong argument about the theme I have chosen and how that theme is seen throughout “Alice in Wonderland”. Also it provides an interesting perspective on how self-image can be tied to other themes.

First Draft

     Alice in Wonderland is a story about a young girl’s vivid imagination being set free in her dream world. Throughout the story Alice can be seen to have poor self image. She has a negative view of who she is and what’s she all about. She can be seen as constantly questioning who she wants be and what she thinks she can be.
     Self-image is simply the vision or view one has of his or her self. This can include an assessment of personal qualities and self worth, sometimes in a negative way. In the story Alice is often seen as having this problem, she questions whether or not she is good enough and who she really is as a person. This can be seen in various ways; physically, mentally and even emotionally. Physically Alice is constantly struggling with her size in both the literal and figure sense. She is said to frequently grow and shriek, at first unintentionally and then later by choice. This can be seen as her struggle between a child and adult, a struggle between a certain amount of maturity or immaturity. Does Alice she herself grown up or as a kid? Alice begins to question herself mentally. She begins to be unaware of her knowledge and whether she is in fact very knowable or lacking in wisdom. The story shows her failing or unable to recite various poems/phrase/verses she once know indicating to Alice that she has become “stupid”. Emotionally in the story goes hand and hand with Alice’s feelings of strength and weakness. When Alice felt strong she was confident and acted a certain way but when she felt weak she would feel nervous or scared even fearful.
     The big question in the story asked to Alice by the caterpillar is “Who are you?”. Normally when asked this question an individual would reply with their name, but Alice didn’t. Instead she choose to give a indecisive, almost confusing answer of her inability to truly know. She replied “I can’t explain sir because I am not myself you see”.
Alice didn’t know how to see herself.
     Personality can be seen as tied with self-image. When a person has a positive outlook on who they are or feel they have great self worth, they display that socially. In the story Alice constantly feels intimidated by the creatures she meets. She is depicted to allow them make her feel unknowledgeable through their discussion of things she knows nothing about. Alice’s ways are that of a child because she is a child. She is unaware of appropriate conversation and interaction with those around her. She says the wrong things and often offends the creatures throughout the story, even causing one to leave.
     Self-image may also have a relation to self-perception although the two are not the same; self-image involving more of a personal opinion while self-perception being a actual vision of oneself,  they can sometimes intertwine. This can be seen in a disorder called Alice in Wonderland syndrome or AIWS as known as Todd’s syndrome. A person who has this can often view themselves and the things around them disproportionately. The syndrome got its name from its relation to Alice in Wonderland where Alice is very big and then very small. Alice self-image may be what causes her self-perception. Her view of herself internally can actually become the way she physically views herself externally. The concept of growing and shrinking is linked to Alice feeling of superiority verses inferiority. 
      Louis Carroll is thought by many to have written one of the greatest stories. A story that although meant for a younger audience is relatable to a lot of adults. It’s a story filled with various physiological themes and hidden meaning. Alice in Wonderland will forever be one that fascinates many adults in their quest to find its true meaning and interests children for its outlandishness. For this reason it will forever be a classic.

Perception and "Alice in Wonderland"

I am going to write about the psychological theme of perception in “Alice in Wonderland.” Throughout the chapters Alice is constantly questioning herself as a person. She becomes unsure of herself in a physical, emotional and even mental way. Physically Alice continuously grows and shrinks, the variations of size are joined together by her maturity level. Is she ready to accept “adulthood” or remain “child-like”? Emotionally she jumps between feeling secure and insecure of herself in what she is saying and doing. She is fearful of the Duchess yet stands up for herself to the March Hare. Mentally Alice is questioning her knowledge of things she once knew. This is depicted by her certainty of herself, in that she couldn’t possibly be the “know very little” Mable yet her inability to recite various poems/ phrases/rhymes. The big question for Alice is “Who am I?” as asked by the caterpillar, her answer is so indecisive that it indicates she doesn’t truly know.

     The first few chapters of "Alice inWonderland" are interesting. Louis Caroll depicts an imaginary world in a different way. So far I enjoy the uncertaninty of whether or not she is sleeping or is truly awake, creating her own world of fiction and make believe. I also find the challenges Alice is facing  in order to get to Wonderland to be funny.