42 Tan, Ivy Kristine C.

September 3,
2014
3EPH PHL 4
What is ea!" H#$ %# y#& %e'ne $hat is rea!"
The (atri) m#vie #* 1+++, %ire,te% by the Wa,h#$s-i br#thers, has
been -n#$n as #ne #* the m#st phi!#s#phi,a! m#vies ma%e. This m#vie ha% a
!#t #* metaph#rs an% symb#!isms. This $as a!s# patterne% t# the $#r- #*
P!at# $hi,h is the .!!e/#ry #* the Cave $here there are pris#ners trappe% in
a ,ave sin,e their ,hi!%h##% an% $as never /iven a ,han,e t# /# #&t. They
#n!y per,eive the sha%#$ that they see an% they /ive meanin/ t# it. 0ne
pris#ner $as /iven the ,han,e t# /# #&t an% he $as e)p#se% t# the rea!
$#r!%. He $as in a %i1i,&!t str&//!e tryin/ t# ,#rre,t his be!ie*s in the ,ave.
.s time passe% by, event&a!!y he a,,epte% the tr&th in the rea! $#r!% an%
has /ain his se!*2,#ns,i#&sness ab#&t his s&rr#&n%in/s. 3#$, he ret&rns t#
the ,ave $ith ne$ be!ie*s an% as he /#es ba,-, he rea!i4e h#$ %i1erent his
ne$ be!ie*s are an% he rea!i4e% that he may never !ive !i-e h#$ he has !ive%
his !i*e be*#re.
The (atri) in ,#rre!ati#n t# the .!!e/#ry #* the Cave has 3e# that
si/ni'es #ne #* the pris#ners. He has /r#$n t# be!ieve in a *a!se rea!ity ti!!
he -ne$ ab#&t the (atri). .s (#rphe&s has sai% in the m#vie, 5It is the
$#r!% that has been p&!!e% #ver y#&r eyes t# b!in% y#& *r#m the tr&th6, this
states that 3e# !ives in a $#r!% that is n#t rea!. 3e# $as /iven a ,h#i,e #*
(#rphe&s $hether t# ta-e the b!&e pi!! $hi,h $i!! ma-e him stay $ith his
be!ie*s an% m#ve #n $hi!e the re% pi!! $i!! a$a-en him *r#m the tr&th an%
his !i*e $i!! never be the same a/ain.
3e# ,h#se the re% pi!! an% this in ,#rre!ati#n t# the .!!e/#ry #* the
Cave is the startin/ p#int #* the pris#ner /ettin/ *ree t# /# #&t #* the ,ave.
(#rphe&s sh#$e% 3e# ar#&n% the rea! $#r!% an% 3e# has a %i1i,&!ty in
a,,eptin/ the 5rea!ity6 that (#rphe&s has sh#$n him. He ha% %i1i,&!ties
!ettin/ /# #* the tr&th that he has !ive% *#r the past years #* his e)isten,e. .t
'rst he $as in state #* %enia! an% %isbe!ie* an% this $as sh#$n in the m#vie
by h#$ he v#mite% an% passe% #&t.
There $as emphasis #n the p#$er #* perspe,tive thr#&/h#&t the '!m.
.s 3e# as-s i* everythin/ that (#rphe&s sh#$s him is tr&e this is the rep!y
(#rphe&s /ives him, 5ea! is simp!y e!e,tri,a! si/na!s interprete% by y#&r
brain6 then h#$ may he -n#$ $hether $hat is tr&!y rea!. .n#ther e)amp!e
$#&!% be the ben%in/ #* the sp##n s,ene $hi,h sai% that 57# n#t try an%
ben% the sp##n that is imp#ssib!e. 8&t #n!y rea!i4e the tr&th, that there is n#
sp##n.6 This states that the sp##n is 9&st an i!!&si#n in #&r min%s, an% $e
have the *ree%#m t# ,han/e it #n h#$ $e $ant t# see it. 8&t the thin/
st#ppin/ &s *r#m 5*reein/ #&r min%6 is #&r past be!ie*s an% e)perien,es.
There $as a %isr&pti#n in the :#$ #* the st#ry $hen Cipher %e,eive%
every#ne an% ha% an a/reement $ith an a/ent *#r his se!'sh m#tives t#
have a ne$ !i*e $here he $#&!% be 5i/n#rant6 an% *#r/et a!! he -n#$s ab#&t
the (atri). This has a!s# been he!p*&! *#r the m#vie be,a&se this *#r,e% 3e#
t# be!ieve in himse!*, t# be!ieve that he is the 0ne. He $as the #ne t# save
(#rphe&s an% $as pr#ven t# be the 0ne they $ere !##-in/ *#r. The
pers#na!ity #* the ,hara,ters $ere a!s# he!p*&! in the :#$ #* the st#ry. 3e#
p#rtraye% t# be a very na;ve an% 5i/n#rant6 ,hara,ter $hi,h s&ite% his r#!e
$e!! b&t he ha% this trait that ma%e a ,!&e that he is tr&!y the #ne an% it is
evi%ent in this !ine, 5<ate is n#t tr&e be,a&se I %#n=t !i-e the i%ea that I am
n#t in ,#ntr#! #* my !i*e6. Th&s, he has the trait #* bein/ the 0ne $h# is n#t
,#mp!iant t# $hat they have b&t strives m#re t# have better. He is %i1erent
*r#m the #ther ,hara,ters a!s# be,a&se he has a better -n#$!e%/e #*
himse!* than #thers. (#rphe&s an% Trinity p#rtraye% in bein/ an
in*#rmative ment#r as $e!!.
The m#vie en%e% $ith 3e#=s %ia!#/&e that s&mmari4es the $h#!e
m#vie $hi,h says that the ,h#i,e is #&rs t# be!ieve #r n#t t# be!ieve. The
tr&th is in #&r respe,tive min%s an% n# #ne ,an penetrate thr#&/h it b&t
#&rse!ves. The ,h#i,e in #&r per,epti#n in !i*e #* bein/ a$are #r stay
i/n#rant an% ,#mp!a,ent is a %e,isi#n $e have t# ma-e *#r #&rse!ves.

The re!ati#n #* P!at#ni, i%ea #* <#rm t# the i%ea #* *#rm presente% in
the '!m is that they represent the $#r!% #* the senses #r -n#$n as the
Phen#mena! W#r!%. This sh#$s that the *#rm is 9&st a ,#py #* $hat is
per,eive% in the min%.
Cipher has state% in the '!m, 5I/n#ran,e is a b!iss6 an% I a/ree t# this
statement it is tr&e that there is a pain in -n#$in/. This is i!!&strate% in a
very simp!e e)amp!e !i-e the ,#mparis#n #* #&r *ee!in/s n#$ in the present
an% $hen $e $ere 4 years #!% #r a y#&n/ t#%%!er. When $e $ere 4 years
#!%, everythin/ $as in p!a,e, $e ha% n#thin/ t# $#rry ab#&t b&t $hat $#&!%
be my ne)t t#y #r $h# $#&!% be my p!aymate t#m#rr#$. >n!i-e n#$, $e
thin- ab#&t #&r *ami!y=s pr#b!ems s&,h as 'nan,ia! pr#b!ems #r the mere
'/hts #* #&r parents. With -n#$!e%/e ,#mes p#$er that is ab!e t# try t#
,#rre,t thin/s b&t the thin/ that is pain*&! is that n#t a!! thin/s ,an be
,#rre,te% an% this is $hat h&rts &s the m#st.
In my #pini#n, the (atri) is n#t p#ssib!e t# happen in #&r present
$#r!% #r !i*e be,a&se it is p&re!y myth be,a&se i* $e try t# thin- ab#&t it,
h#$ $i!! arti',ia! inte!!i/en,e ,#ntr#! &s" We, h&mans, $ere the #ne t#
,reate them in the 'rst p!a,e. We are the #ne ,#ntr#!!in/ them an% it is
imp#ssib!e *#r them t# have se!*2,#ns,i#&sness be,a&se the #n!y #ne that
,an %# that is #&r Creat#r $hi,h is ?#%.
The pr#phe,ies /iven t# 3e#, (#rphe&s an% Trinity has an
inter,#nne,ti#n that !ea%s t# pr#,!aimin/ that 3e# is the 0ne that they
$ere !##-in/ *#r that $#&!% save them. 3e#=s pr#phe,y is that he is the 0ne
an% that he ha% t# ma-e a ,h#i,e $hether t# embra,e that *a,t #r !et
(#rphe&s %ie. 0n the #ther han%, (#rphe&s= pr#phe,y is that he $#&!% be
the #ne t# 'n% 3e#, the 0ne. (#rphe&s $as t#!% that the 0ne is a pers#n
that $#&!% *ree them *r#m the ,#ntr#! #* the ma,hines an% he $i!! %estr#y
the (atri). Last!y, Trinity $as pr#phesie% t# *a!! in !#ve $ith the 0ne. These
pr#phe,ies have serve% t# be the *#&n%ati#n #* the $h#!e m#vie that %ire,ts
3e# t# bein/ the 0ne.
The n#ti#n #* *ate $as a!s# %is,&sse% in the '!m an% as sai% by 3e#
that he %#esn=t be!ieve in *ate be,a&se he $ants the i%ea that he has ,#ntr#!
#* his !i*e. They have ,#ntr#! in their *ate by their ,#ntr#! in their %e,isi#ns
$hether t# be!ieve #r n#t t# be!ieve, t# ,h##se $hat t# be!ieve an% $h#m t#
be!ieve. This is $hy (#rphe&s -ept #n te!!in/ 3e# that he m&st 5*ree his
min%6 be,a&se as his min% is bein/ *ree%, he is m#re #pen2min%e% t# a,,ept
the rea!ity an% th&s ma-e his #$n %e,isi#ns. The n#ti#n #* *ate in the m#vie
sh#$s ,#ntr#! #ver !i*e b&t in #&r rea! !i*e, *ate is s#methin/ $e have n#
,#ntr#! #*. <ate in #&r $#r!% is h#$ ?#% $ants it t# happen.
In #ne part #* the m#vie, the *am#&s !ine, 5there is n# sp##n6 sh#$s
the s&peri#rity #* the inte!!e,t ,#mpare% t# the b#%y=s senses. This ,an be
pr#ve% by the statement #* P!at# 5What e)ist in the min% is per*e,t be,a&se
$hat $e see thr#&/h #&r senses is 9&st a p##r ,#py #* $hat e)ists in the
min%6. This has a!s# been ta,-!e% by (#rphe&s in the m#vie $here he sai%
that 5ea! is simp!y e!e,tri,a! si/na!s interprete% by y#&r brain.6 This sh#$s
that everythin/ $e sense is pr#,esse% by #&r min% there*#re it is m#re
s&peri#r.
The pr#,ess #* &np!&//in/ a pers#n *r#m the (atri) is t# $a-en them
&p t# the rea!ity. This is sai% t# be %an/er#&s espe,ia!!y $hen a pers#n
/r#$s #!%er be,a&se he has a!rea%y a,,epte% the (atri) as the n#rm an%
the rea!ity. He $i!! have %i1i,&!ties a,,eptin/ the rea! $#r!% be,a&se #* his
earne% e)perien,e an% -n#$!e%/e in the (atri). The min% has pr#b!ems in
!ettin/ /# #* $hat it has !ive% t# be!ieve.
The m#vie as a $h#!e has been p!#tte% $e!! an% the i%eas they $ante%
t# say $ere ,#ntin&#&s!y s&pp#rte% by the s,enes !i-e the i%ea that
per,epti#n is m#re imp#rtant than senses. This $as sh#$n in the s,ene
$here Cipher $as eatin/ an% $hen 3e# $as eatin/ $ith (#&se an% the
#thers $here they sai% that the taste they thin- they are tastin/ may n#t be
the rea! taste the *##% has, it is 9&st $hat they thin- it tastes. 0ne #* the
phi!#s#phi,a! prin,ip!es in the m#vie is that the min% #r *#rm is /reater than
senses. .!! thr#&/h#&t the m#vie, it $as sh#$n an% s&pp#rte% that the 3e#
m&st *ree his min% an% a,,ept n#t $hat his senses te!! him b&t -n#$ the
*a,t that they are n#t rea!. It is #n!y the (atri) te!!in/ him that it is rea!.
3e# m&st be a$are #* the 7&a! W#r!%@ (atri) A ea! W#r!% an% !earn t#
a,,ept it. 0n the #ther han%, the m#vie ha% severa! ,#nvin,in/ e1e,ts in the
m#vie an% the e%itin/ $as very th#r#&/h an% /##%. The ,hara,ters=
ar,hetypes he!pe% in /ivin/ a /##% settin/ #n h#$ their sit&ati#n is in the
rea! $#r!%.
I* I $ere t# ,h##se, I $#&!% sti!! ,h##se the b!&e pi!! an% remain $here
I am n#$. I $i!! sti!! be in the $#r!% that I have !ive% ever sin,e I $as b#rn.
I=% ,h##se the (atri) be,a&se I %# n#t !i-e a $#r!% !i-e the 5rea! $#r!%6
$here y#& 9&st -eep #n r&nnin/ a$ay *r#m the a/ents, th&s a rest!ess $#r!%.
I am a*rai% #* ma9#r ,han/e in my !i*e be,a&se I am a*rai% that I may n#t
a%apt t# it very $e!!. I !i-e the (atri) be,a&se I ,an ma-e ,#n,rete /#a!s *#r
myse!*. .n% besi%es, as I ,h#se the b!&e pi!!, the tr&th $i!! n#t be revea!e% t#
me an% th&s I $#&!% n#t be b#there% by it be,a&se I %# n#t -n#$ it. I $i!!
!ive my !i*e !i-e this $#r!% is the #n!y $#r!% that e)ist an% th&s, my !i*e $i!!
m#ve #n an% ,#ntin&e.