Meaning behind The Matrix

Three alternative interpretations

(1) Cartesian Doubt - How can you be sure you're not dreaming this?

The most obvious interpretation. Acccording to this, The Matrix is an exploration of the consequences of anti-empiricist scepticism as practiced by Descartes. The idea is that we cannot be certain that our entire experience of the world external to our minds isn't a big illusion. We may be dreaming at any given time, indeed we may be being tricked by a malignant demon who has our brains plugged into electrodes and is sending us false perceptions - exactly what happens in The Matrix.

(2) Marxist Class Consciousness - Escape as the realisation that you are being exploited

Here, the Matrix is a metaphor for the capitalist machine draining as it does the excess value from the proletariat. As with capitalism, the Matrix harvests all the energy the populace generate over and above that which they need to stay alive. The illusory element of the Matrix is comparible to the false consciousness held by many under capitalism, essentially a lack of awareness about one's economic and social role in the system. The small number of people that escape the Matrix are representative of the Trotskyite revolutionary vanguard. The fact that is it so difficult for people to escape, especially older people, makes for an obvious comparison with the way that most people are more and more irretrievably set in their political views as they get older. The fact that the Matrix wouldn't work if it was nice symbolises the inherent contradictions of capitalism. In our heads we can imagine that there might be a capitalist society where everyone is happy and well fed, but in reality that cannot happen. The blips in the Matrix represent the occasional periods of social change that occur within capitalism such as war and industrial unrest. The character who decides to go back to the Matrix represents those class traitors that recognise the struggle, but decide to make the best for themselves within the current system - arguably like many trade union bureaucrats. Finally, and needless to say, the agents who operate the Matrix represent the bourgoisie. One other thing... Notice that 'matrix' is nearly an anagram of 'Marxist'.

(3) Escape from the Matrix as a metaphor for LSD-induced Ego Death

The ego is defined as the semi-illusory personal self-image each of us has. One's identity, history, personality and so forth is based on the necessarilly subjective internal perceptions we have of ourselves, and this ego is a sort of layer between one's consciousness and the outside world. By taking psychedelic substances, especially LSD, this layer can be removed. This is related to Sartre's concepts of being-in-itself and being-for-itself. The link I would make with The Matrix comes due to the number of drugs references to the film. At the start of the adventure, it is suggested that Neo takes mescaline - then there is the capsule he swallows to leave the Matrix, and the undeniably druggy Alice in Wonderland motif thoughout the film. The guy on egodeath.com also refers to solipsism, which ties in with Cartesian Doubt - also, the fact that Neo is 'The One'. In addition there is a compatiblist-determinist viewpoint from that guy that goes well with how the Matrix works... It controls peoples lives, yet they still have freedom of sorts. Finally, I would cite the martial arts influences on the film, which recalls Buddhist conceptions of ego transcendence.

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There are many other theories that can and have been made about The Matrix. Religious interpretations are common, and there is an interesting one that says The Matrix is a comment on how we rely on technological advancement to improve the world instead of affecting social change. This just goes to show what great art The Matrix really is. See also: Harry Potter as an allegory on wartime Europe.