People try to explain different things in different ways. Socrates in the Republic uses some different ways to explain his ideas. For example, Socrates tries to explain his ideas to Thrasymacus and Adeimantus by using analogy. As a result, the ideas become more understandable. Analogy means that a comparison between two situations or the process of making this comparison (Longman Dictionary, 2001:41). There are two types of analogy in the republic. One of them is proof and one of them is explanatory analogy. I n my essay I am gong to give you some examples of analogies. I will discuss the type of the analogy. Also I will criticize it and analyze how similar each part of the analogy.

The first analogy is about doctor and the body. It is a proof analogy because Socrates gives an answer to Thrasymacus in order to show him that his ideas are true. He gives this analogy to show Thrasymacus that in every part of life rulers seek the advantage of the citizens. Socrates says that “no one in any position of rule, in so far as he is a ruler, seeks or orders what is advantageous to himself, but what is advantageous to his subje

Our next analogy is about the city and the statue. It is an explanation analogy, because in this analogy Socrates tries to show Adeimantus that how can the conditions of the citizens 5to have a good state. Also Socrates doesn’t have an idea of refuting because Adeimantus asks question to the Socrates. If we paint eyes of the statue purple, the most beautiful color, the eyes will no longer appear to be eyes. Because of that the whole statue is ruined. If we look at the city if we allow the guardians to be excessively happy, they cease to be guardians. So the city is ruined too. In this analogy the statue is a structure that all parts of it makes a unity, gives it a form. If you try to show one part of it more attractive in order to make the whole statue attractive for example eyes, the form of the statue will be ruined. So if you give opportunity to the guardians to make them more happy, you can ruin the entire city because the city is formed by parts like guardians, farmers… etc. If you give more power to one of them I mean if you give them the power, which can keep him from doing his job, it ruins the city. We see that both parts of the analogy is similar. Also the idea of the analogy and the examples are intersecting. The city and the statue analogy reach its aim I think.

As a conclusion the analogies in the Republic are very useful to understand the examples. The examples draw attention of the reader. Ideas become more understandable by the help of analogies. Both the explanatory and proof analogies are used. The analogies are finding similarities between the nature, state and the humans. So we understand that analogy is very important in understanding the ideologies

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