>>206610894Also the allegory of the cave in the OP is just the setting of the beginning of the allegory. The actual allegory is that if you took someone who had been raised there (chained in the cave) to the surface and showed them sunlight (true wisdom for Aristotle) they would at first be blinded and fearful or at least dislike it. After getting used to it of course it would be wonderful. But even if the escapee went back to the cave to try to share what he had seen the others would not believe him. He would be considered a liar or an idiot or both.
I think some of these ideas speak to Utena and especially to Anthy's character arcs. It isn't a 1:1 retelling or anything but the bones are there. One of the more interesting things about Utena's take on this is that it doesn't necessarily discount the value that the shadows have for the occupants of the cave. Utena's desire to be a prince is her pursuing a shadow, but in the end that is what leads her to revolution, though not one she could understand. She doesn't understand because she still clings to the idea of being a prince, despite having been shown how impossible that is. I suppose that is part of why she is inspirational to Anthy and the other characters.
I would say that the show doesn't approve or endorse pursing the shadows of our memories (historical or otherwise), but it also acknowledges that our memories are what make us who we are. There's no escaping them and they can be a source of power. But it's important to recognize how they are inherently inaccurate and woefully incomplete.
