Romantic Love Cave

  I recently wrote an essay for my Major Writers class that applied so heavily to this project that it actually hurt a little bit. I figured I should put it here. So yeah.

Allegory of Love

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”- Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter. Often, finding the light in a situation can be the hardest part, as it is in “The Allegory of the Cave” by Plato. The same can be said about love, where too often finding the way out of obsession and perfectionism caused by the given views of heterosexual relationships can be scary, and impossible for some people. If one were to find a way out themselves though, what would happen as an effect?

Discovering the world as a cave is the most shocking part. The shadows on that walls are movies and television, and they’ve been there since infancy depicting the perfect couple. There’s never a disagreement to be had, they live together, and love each other with everything they have. The man provides for his lover and always knows exactly what she needs to hear. The woman cares for him, blindly accepting any flaws he may have unless it has to do with another woman. In the chains are young people, usually girls and women whose hearts flutter at the idea of having one of these relationships.

Suddenly, the light. Comfort, joy, completeness, all provided independently by a person for themselves. The idea that a relationship happens when two people enjoy a trusting relationship where they can enjoy their time together as much as their time apart. The endeavor commences in assent. Breaking the habits of wondering where they are and who they’re with at all times isn’t an easy feat, but making it through is worth it. Being happy to have a night alone is a joy, and having a night with them is just  an added bonus. Relationships become less stressful.

But there she is. She’s so sad, he hasn’t texted her back all day and she’s wondering if he’s cheating on her. One would want to tell her about this discovery. She doesn’t need to feel this way, and just needs to trust him and communicate with him and everything will feel so much better. She doesn’t need to rely on him for happiness, she just needs to be told that, and it will make everything better for her. The dissent is a dangerous one, though. The allure of obsessive love and the butterfly nerves it brings is addicting to say the least, but make it through for her. It can be done, for the sake of a friend.  Telling her makes her angry. She thinks that anyone saying such things is trying to break her and her beloved up. All this work for nothing but the loss of a friend. Staying out of the cave is now determined to be the best option.

So perhaps Dumbledore was right in a way. All that some people need in a place of darkness is to turn on the light, then they might see the world for what it is. Although, maybe some people need to learn to turn on the light themselves to see it properly.