Plato and Freire on the "Truth"

Plato and Paulo Freire approach the concept of education and ignorance in very different ways. Yet they are both able to explain their ideas with descriptive language and powerful imagery. Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" is a parable of a man who is freed from a cave where he has spent his entire life and knows only the shadows on the walls. His freedom from this cave brings about a new enlightenment in the way he views the world and what he understands as the truth. Freire's essay called "The Banking Concept of Education" is more of an analysis of learning between the teacher and the student. Freire focuses on the idea that students can sometimes be oppressed by the system that is supposed to be an avenue for knowledge. Although these authors have different writing styles, their purpose is the same.
It is the purpose of both of these authors to explain to the reader the importance of questioning authority as well as reconsidering what is known as the "truth". Freire does this by using logos to appeal to the audiences logical side. He gives concrete examples as well as factual information to explain his opinion on the subject. Plato plays to his audience in a very different way. Plato uses strong imagery and rhetorical questioning to keep the reader engaged in the story. He does a wonderful job of using pathos throughout to appeal to the readers emotions. Both authors' writing skills show their abilities to thoroughly communicate their purpose to the reader.
So what is to be said about this idea of questioning authority as well as our perceived reality? How do we know that what we know is truly knowledge? Is there an absolute truth? What is the truth? These philosophical questions have been asked for thousands of years. What we must understand about these questions is that they may never be answered by man. Our perception of what we call "reality" or the "real world" can change on a daily basis. It is understood differently by every person. The only thing we really can do is keep an open mind and learn to communicate with each other to best of our ability. Because when people look at issues from several different perspectives, thay can get a better view of what they are trying to see.