Glaucon is depicted in Book II of “The Republic” (Plato) as a philosopher concerned with the value of justice. He wishes to decide if it is worth being a just person just for the sake of justice. He argues that there is no reason to prevent a person from behaving in an unjust manner if that person can get away with it – in other words if someone can reap the rewards of wrong behavior, but not deal with the consequences of their actions.
The Man without a Face (1993) tells us of a McLeod, a man who was involved in a car accident in which he was disfigured, and resulted in the death of his pupil. McLeod is thereupon unfairly considered a pedophile by his townsfolk, exiled from this town, convicted of a crime, and forced to serve the sentence in prison for it. Upon taking a new pupil (Chuck), he again becomes an outcast, although Chuck goes on to successfully graduate from a prestigious military academy.
McLeod is a just man, but is perceived as unjust by his townsfolk and the authority; he pays dearly for crimes he did not commit – he is metaphorically ‘punished' by having ‘no face.' McLeod is the mirror image of Glaucon’s unjust person who is not caught: he is an honorable teacher – in a way reminiscent of Socrates, who shocked his society with his teaching techniques – but his deeds are considered criminal by society.
McLeod’s story displays in a forceful way why Glaucon’s arguments are imperfect. The philosopher argues that justice has no inherent, original goodness, and it is the outcome of laws created by those who suffered injustice. Moreover, people practice just acts because the law forces them. McLeod, however, did what he considered just in spite of the law, and not because of it. Mel Gibson’s movie story undermines the arguments defended by Glaucon.
Works Cited
Plato. "The Republic." The Republic. Project Gutenberg, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2016.
The Man without a Face. Dir. Mel Gibson. Perf. Mel Gibson and Nick Stahl. Warner Bros.,
1993. DVD.
