21 Summary and Analysis of “This is Water” and Plato’s Cave

This essay was composed in October 2024 and uses MLA documentation.

In Jason Brubaker’s comic titled Plato’s cave, author Brubaker elaborates on the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and seeing the world from a newly found perspective. In the comic Plato’s Cave, a story is described in which a man is kept in chains and shackles within a dark cave. Only the vast shadows of shapes are projected onto a dimly lit wall, and this is life to the man and his fellow companions. One day the man is released from his shackles and sees the shadows for what they truly are. Immediately the man is astonished from the bright light used to cast the shadows and attempts to return to the comfort of his imprisonment, stating “I MUST GET BACK TO MY CHAINS AND DARKNESS WITH FRIENDS THAT I AM FAMILIAR WITH” (Brubaker). It is then when an unknown man grabs the formally imprisoned man’s hand and leads him to above ground where he sees the true beauty of the world. The man eventually adjusts to the beauty of life and returns to free his imprisoned friends, but when he informs them of what he has discovered, they mock his discovery, forcing him to leave them behind.

In the speech This is Water, by author David Foster Wallace, Wallace provides graduating students the advice of seeing life from a different perspective and avoiding a selfcentered mindset. Wallace conveys this message by describing numerous stories. The first story explains a scenario in which two young fish swims past an old fish and the old fish states “How’s the water?” (Wallace), the young fish are confused and ask each other “What the hell is water?” (Wallace). Another story describes the common occurrence of many people’s lives, describing a scenario in which an adult must go to the grocery store after a very long shift. While driving to the store, the individual is immediately aggravated by the driving of other people. Once entering the store, the individual is then annoyed that the store is busy, aisles are crowded, and lines are long. The entire time, the individual is annoyed at the inconvenience that other people have caused them. The speech then goes on to explain how throughout the aggravating grocery store trip, it is likely that the shopper never once thought about the circumstances other people are experiencing. Wallace explains “The Hummer that just cut me off is maybe being driven by a father whose little child is hurt or sick in the seat next to him, and he’s trying to get this kid to the hospital, and he’s in a bigger, more legitimate hurry than I am: it is actually I who am in HIS way” (Wallace) and “everyone else in the supermarket’s checkout line is just as bored and frustrated as I am, and that some of these people probably have harder, more tedious and painful lives than I do” (Wallace). Wallace then concludes the speech by simply stating “It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over: “This is water.”” (Wallace).

Although both stories seem relatively different, they share one theme: perspective. Brubaker shares this message by using his short, illustrated comic to show that if the man had run back into his shackles and resided with his friends in the cave, he would have missed out on the glory’s life has to behold. The author then further explains the importance of perspectives because prior to his escape, the man thought that the simple shadow silhouettes were all life has to offer, with his companions once stating, “Can the blind lead those with sight?” (Brubaker), inferring that nothing can be better than what he sees now. However, after he escaped, he realized that shadows were a very small realm of the world, and much more laid upon the surface of the earth. Wallace similarly explains the concept of perspective by explaining how we as individuals are not the center of the universe, and by considering the lives of others, you can then live a better, more fulfilled life of selflessness.

Both texts connect and correlate with real-world conflicts such as conflict resolution by touching on the importance of considering new perspectives of life, and the circumstances of others. By addressing and taking note of outside perspectives, it may lead to an open-minded lifestyle that’s more adaptable and willing to make compromises, thus leading to improved conflict resolution. In addition, both texts further elaborate about the concept of language that we have learned in class. This is because both texts use the power of language to convey their message. For example, Wallace uses the fish in water analogy throughout his speech, and then readdresses the true meaning of it at the end. This shows the power of language as it shows how a simple quote, or story can hold power among the audience and potentially influence a change in a person’s way of life. Both texts also touch on the concept of power, as learned in class, as they show the power that literature has on humans. For example, in Plato’s Cave, author Brubaker uses a simple story to show how perspective can change the life of the beholder. This simple story has a powerful impact on the audience as its meaning is much deeper than the simple illustrations.

Both texts relate to myself on a personal level as the simple concept of perspective changed my life. When I was 15 years old, I moved across the country from Virginia to Idaho entirely solo. When I initially learned of my displacement, I assumed this to be the worst thing in my life. I spent months trying to conduct a plan that could bring me back to my beloved home state, Virginia. I did not want to leave my comfort zone and thought the state that I grew up in was the best one for me. It wasn’t until a year into my adjustment that I truly fell in love with Idaho and several opportunities were newly available to me. I realized if I hadn’t moved, I would not have the relationships, accomplishments, and experiences I do now. Thus, my single-sided perspective was not the best thing for me, and my original mindset nearly held be back in my own personal growth.

Throughout the texts “This is Water” by David Foster Wallace, and “Plato’s Cave” by Jason Brubaker, the authors elaborate on the importance of language and power. These texts effectively accomplish this by sharing stories that revolve around the concept of life perspectives. In addition, both texts relate to my life on a personal level, as I have experience in developing a perspective change.

Works Cited

Wallace, David Foster. “This Is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio).” Farnam Street, 22 Nov. 2023, fs.blog/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/.

Brubaker, Jason. Plato’s Cave. Cave Pictures Publishing, 2020.