<P> The allegory contains many forms of symbolism used to describe the state of the world . The cave is a symbol of the world and the prisoners are those who inhabit the world . The chains that prevent the prisoners from leaving the cave represent ignorance , meaning they interfere with the prisoners seeing the truth . The shadows cast on the walls of the cave represent what people see in the present world . Last , the freed prisoner represents those in society who see the physical world for the illusion that it is . </P>
who is the freed prisoner in the allegory of the cave
represents those in society who see the physical world for the illusion that it is