The Matrix: Neo, A Struggle Of Identity

Neo: A Struggle of Identity

"The Matrix...the war between man and machine, and the possibility that reality is a hoax."(Clover 10) The Matrix in a sense is a constant struggle of identity and the real. The struggle of identity and the real in the Matrix is based around the character of Neo. Neo throughout the film is engulfed in a constant struggle of finding himself, his purpose, and also what reality actually is. In our world today humans are faced with the same identity and reality struggles. These struggles may not be as exaggerated and far fetched as Neo's, but in essence they are just as difficult. The identity and reality struggle of Neo all begins with this now famous choice given to him by Morpheus, the red pill or the blue pill? This question poses a very difficult decision, do you take the blue pill and live without knowing the truth and who you actually are, or do you take the red pill and discover the truth and figure out what your life really is.

"The flexible self is not unitary, nor are its parts stable entities. A person cycles thought its aspects and these are themselves ever-changing and in constant communication with each other."(Turkle 129) Society today is so closely tied into technology and computers. So much so that humans are now discovering themselves and exploring new personas within the realm of the internet. The idea of this flexible self is that it includes two selves, a split and contradictory self and a knowing self. The ability of combining these two selves through lines of communication gives one the ability to find all the different personas within oneself. Neo in the Matrix struggles with the idea that he doesn't know what he is and if he or what he is living in is real.

The character of Morpheus in The Matrix is Neo's guide in helping him discover the truth. The purpose of Morpheus is not to tell Neo what the truth is but to only show him the path that he must take to discover this truth. Morpheus asks, "What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"(Wachowski 31) In this quote Morpheus is guiding Neo to his belief in humans and what they live really are living in. Morpheus poses these confusing yet meaningful questions to Neo to help him find the truth on his own. The character of Morpheus is supposed to show Neo the difference between what is believing and what is knowing.

Neo is faced with a choice of the red pill or the blue pill. This decision is what holds Neo's fate and as we now know the fate of the world. Morpheus tells Neo:

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no turning back. You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes - remember, all I'm offering is the truth nothing more."(Clover 12)

The question of the blue pill and red pill represents the question of whether or not humans wish to stay in their comfort zone and wish to just believe what they are supposed to, or for them to actually go out and discover themselves and the truth. Computers and the cyberworld is a path way to the truth of self for people because they have the ability to explore themselves.

According to Gibson The Matrix tells us, "...that to become more conscious, to have the courage to seek that which is more real is its own (and ultimately the greatest) reward."(viii) This reward which Gibson speaks of is the discovery of what humans really are and the discovery of what is