Final answer:
The prisoners in Plato's Allegory of the Cave believe that shadows on a wall represent reality, but these are actually illusions. When one escapes and learns the truth, he tries to enlighten the others, who do not accept his newfound knowledge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. The correct answer to the question is B) They mistake shadows for reality and are ignorant of the outside world. In this allegory, the prisoners are chained in such a way that they can only see the wall in front of them where shadows are cast. The shadows are cast by objects that pass in front of a fire behind them, and the prisoners perceive these shadows as the entirety of reality since it's all they have ever known.
However, when one of the prisoners escapes and learns the truth about the outside world and returns, he realizes that the shadows were just illusions and not real objects. This prisoner tries to share his newfound knowledge with those still in chains, but they reject his claims.