Consider the film we have been viewing in class, The Truman Show. Reflect on your viewing experience: connections, thoughts/ideas, confusions, curiosities, etc... Compose a succinct paragraph response. Remember, asking questions is as important as answering questions, so feel free to pose prompts to your peers and comment back and forth to each other.
Also, a blog post that meets or exceeds the standard does not necessarily have to be the longest post. In many cases, longer (more writing) posts are not "better." With that being said, I want to see thoughtful posts that reflect quality rather than quantity.
I look forward to reading your posts.
-Mr. Burns
The Truman Show has been fun to watch, and I've found it very interesting to sit and think; "What if something like this was happening to me and I just never knew about it? Would I ever know?" It really makes me wonder how many conspiracies are brewing without our/my knowledge. At the same time, however, I do not think that The Truman Show is about a conspiracy theory, I think it is more focused on subjective reality. Truman Burbank has lived his whole life not questioning whether or not he was/is normal. To him, he is just like everyone else because this is what he was taught at a young age. If he had never met Sylvia, odds are he never would have figured out that he was different in any way at all.
ReplyDeleteThis all goes back to what we were talking about at the beginning of the class,you have to be willing to be disturbed. Truman did not know he was being watched until Sylvia came along, and odds are if he hadn't been in love with her he wouldn't have listened to her at all. Yet since he did love her and he did trust her, and he wanted to be with her, he was willing to believe her and to be "disturbed" in order to find her. She put a seed in his heart that made it so that he had a desire and a motive to do something that may or may not throw his entire life off course, and might even possibly reveal something to him that he never could have imagined possible.
Thanks, Christina. You highlight a key concept: subjective reality. I especially like your question: "what if something like this was happening to me/us..." Very intriguing ideas.
ReplyDeleteAs I watched the Truman Show it made me think about how elaberate this scheme was. It sounds crazy but like Christina said, "It really makes me wonder how many conspiracies are brewing without our/my knowledge." The thought of a totally planned life sounds crazy, but you never know what kind of conspiracies are out there. Truman was truly living a controlled, planned out, sheltered life that was almost on a loop. Everyday he got up said hello to his neighbors, went and got the paper then went to work. This seems to me like a life being lived without a dream, almost drone like. I am curious as to why he didn't pursue his journey to Fiji sooner. I am also curious why he didn't question his life and all the irregular things happening in it sooner. It seems like the only thing that has been driving him is Sylvia who is waiting for him in a sense to break out of this false reality.
ReplyDeleteThe Truman Show has the same ideas that we have been discussing in class from the first week of school up until now. It is all about being born into something that you are forced to believe. You never really think about what you believe in; you just except it as it is. The same thing is happening to Truman Burbank, where he is believing that the life he lives everyday is normal, and is just like everybody else's. This is not the case because his life is actually fake, and he is being watched by an outside world which is real. The articles that we have read in the past weeks have talked about all of these key concepts dealing with excepting things as they are because you were taught to believe them. It is very interesting to see how this film connects to those articles. I am curious if Truman is the only one who was born into the fake world, or if there are others. I know that there are other fake actors in the world he is in, but are there any other people living a life just like him? Christina brought up a good point about if we "would ever know" if something like this was really happening to us. It is really interesting to think about our lives this way, and almost scary in some ways.
ReplyDeleteAlexis Ariza
ReplyDeleteWhile watching the “Truman Show” movie I was amazed at how Truman hadn’t realized what was going on earlier. I kept thinking “How is it that he’s only discovering that something strange is going on at this age (or during this time)?” I had this thought because there were many strange events that happened during Truman’s life that should have already led to Truman’s discovery that he was part of a television show, or at least that something unusual was happening. For example, each day was the same. Everyday Truman would say hello to his neighbors, and a neighbor’s dog would go up to him. Next Truman bought a newspaper and two people from his work would push him up to the sign that was behind him, and have a short conversation with him. Then Truman would go to work. Another thing that should have made Truman think that something was going on are the commercials that his wife did, since people don’t normally speak the way she does about a product. Another thing that I thought about while watching the “Truman Show” was how it connected to the “Domestication and Dream…” article. Both the movie and the article had the idea of people being controlled. Truman’s life was being controlled by Christof and his directing, and the article talked about people being controlled by the beliefs that they were taught. In a way, Truman was also being controlled by his beliefs, since he believed (up until now) that there was nothing unusual going on in his life.
Briana Ruggiero:
ReplyDeleteAs we continue to watch the Turman Show in class, I had some thoughts on the film. It amazed me that Truman was so unaware of how he is being controlled. However, I think Turman was just so used to his routine, that he never thought anything unusual was going on. I feel like, Turman is similar to a robot, becuase his life is just a routine. This movie really does relate to all of the articles we've read in class. I mostly found a connection with "Domestication and Dream of the Planet." Like Alexis said, this article talks about people being "controlled". The article also talks about how people are raised the way others want them to be. Turman was adopted, and raised to be the star of the Truman Show.
Before I dive into my response, I'd just like to comment on what a great movie "The Truman Show" has been thus far. I personally love the way the film slowly built itself up, and escalated to moments of true tension and excitment. That being said, I can't wait to see the film's ending. Anyway, as for the the main theme that this film loudly hits upon throughout, I wholeheartedly agree with what my classmates have already said. Essentially, this film serves as a creative reminder of the classic theme and phrase, "everything is not what it seems". More importantly, it points to the theme of an overpowering society that forces its members to think a certain way, and believe certain things as simple facts. This is a society that disappproves of any questioning of what his considered normal, and a society where those who choose not to constantly strive to conform are alienated and outcasted. This is the exact sort of society that Miguel Ruiz never failed to analyze in his many pieces. He often discusses the theme of false freedom. What I mean by this, is that in our modern, neatly run society, we all think we're each very individualistic, and that we truly have the power do get up in the morning, see everything our own way, and truly set out a path in life for ourselves, and not anybody else. The fact of the matter is alarmingly different. While nobody stops us from thinking whatever we want in the deep crevaces of our restless minds, society imposes strict limits on what is acceptable to do and say. In this way, our thoughts are slowly shaped from early childhood to go along with the status quo. Truman Burbank was born into this artificial, televised world, and from the moment he was starting to develope as a person, he accepted the world around him, and he also saw himself as a part of a real community and society. I can also make a connection to a captivating novel that I read in middle school. The book is titled "Saga", and follows the life of a rebellious, rule-breaking teenager growing up in a rather peculiar world. The world as she knows it seems to be one massive city, that nobody has really left. Throughout the story, the front of reality begins to unravel, and she begins to discover that the strict, unforgiving world that everybody lives their normal lives in, is in fact a computerized game world, backboned by a strict social heirarchy, and lead by one of the city's creators. Now that I really think about it, this film and the book I just mention nearly mirror each other in these aspects. All in all, "The Truman Show" never fails to point out the thoughts that we all think, and the sort of thoughts that society discourages. I think it can remind us all to be more aware, and more insightful about the world in which we live.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteCameron G.
ReplyDeleteThe Truman Show is a media representation of many fears that humans, as well as humanity, have about their lives. Is the life we know real? Is it real when I touch the stiffness of a wall, or feel the warm blood of a wound? Is this "reality" actually "REALITY"?!! The Truman Show shows the possible occurence that one person's life is another man's show. It doesn't let Truman know the actual truth, it conceals it, controls it, and destroys it to its own end. The director's name is Christof, a spin of Christ, a symbol of how he controls this one persons reality, creating events, creating the weather, even creating his own life, the partner he will be with, the job he will be assigned, his fears he will develope, and the future of his life. A question still remains, "How far was/is he willing to go in order to show the true nature of his life?". Just like The Matrix, people will start to question their surroundings, become self-aware, and eventually fight back against their system and life. Truman has exemplified this with his threatining of cast members (unintentional), tryed escapes from Seahaven, and now his demand for freedom by escaping the cameras and heading for the sea. Now it's up to us to determine if our lives are what they appear to be, or if its just one big game.
While watching "The Truman Show", a lot of questions ran through my mind. How has Truman not realized his whole life is a show, and how he is just finding out now. He had all the signs, like when a man came and took the girl away from him, even when she did not know who he was. Also, the fact that he has the exact same routine day after day. His life is so well planned out for any situation that could occur. I think Truman always sensed that something was not right, but he never fully realized what was going on around him. His whole life is a bubble, that he could never get out of, and the whole world can see it. Another question that was running through my mind, was, What would posess Christof (The creator of "The Truman Show")to do this? Why would someone focus an entire show on one person 24/7? In the movie, it was said that Truman was the first baby to be adopted by an entire agency, and that really confused me. Everything is chosen for him from the day he was born, his parents, his friends, his wife, and everything else about him. Nothing is really "Truman", it is just a decision made for him.
ReplyDeleteThis connects to the article that we read "Domestication and the Dream of the Planet", by Miguel Ruiz. This connects to the movie, because in the article, it talks about how when we are younger, or parents choose things for us, and as we grow older, we become more "independent". But in the movie, everything is always chosen for him, and he has no say, because he has no idea about it.
The movie is really interesting, and it really made me think about what my life would be like if this was happening to me right now. You would never know what in your life is real, and what in your life is fake, and decided for you.
Joey F.
ReplyDeleteSo far The Truman Show I found to be very intriguing; and for someone who has never seen the movie before leaving you with a feeling of what is coming next? What I connect to was the articles that we have been reading, but more the the ideas that Miguel Ruiz poses. In the movie Truman Burbank is just beginning to be skepitcal and question the society around him. What is the truth, who is real and is telling the truth? These I think are some of the questions that Truman is beginning to dwell on. This to me is one of the most acurate representations that Miguel Ruiz was trying to get across to us. We need to be skeptical and question the world around us to uncover the truth. Although Truman has not yet uncovered the truth by using the skills Miguel Ruiz stated, I think pretty soon Truman will figure out what is really going on. This, too, goes along with what Christina said of " what is our/his reality?" This too Truman will soon come to figure out. Finally, there was one more thing that I found interesting about the movie. It was about the name "Truman". This to me is very much like a "True Man", which I found to be symbolic to the movie. How Truman is blinded by society and his reality, but through being skeptical he will uncover the ulitmate "truth". From this he will become a "true Man", someone that can see the lies and faults of reality and society. That is just my opinion though, I am interested to see what your thought are.
so my Question is "What do you think Truman's name really means?"
Braeden Dorocz
ReplyDeleteI would first like to address the tremendous plot hole that keeping a man in a dome all his life without releasing him or informing him of it would probably be illegal. With that aside, I am not sure that I would want to leave the show if I was Truman. Think about it, this man has an entire world built around him, a life that is quite good, not perfect, and maybe having little freedom, but he does has to experince any real suffering. There is no war, poverty, disease, and all of those things in his world. In a way, Seahaven is a sort of utopia. It seems like a terrible place because Truman is controlled, but he life doesn't seem so bad. people also tallk about how he has the same routine every day, but that takes the uncertainty and chaos out of life. On the other hand, this is the thinking that lead to communism and fascism, and neither of those systems worked all too well.
Umar H.
ReplyDeleteI can truly say that I agree with Henry completely when he states that The Truman Show really is a great movie. I am tempted to “Wikipedia” the ending, but wont! Now, I go onward to the prompt. I believe that The Truman Show is a representation of the modern man. If I may, Joey, I think Truman is named so because he is a “True-man”. Most people these days live in bubbles and respond poorly to change. Truman is a depiction of this because as he says in the movie, the woman, the man and the car will be going in circles all day. Most of the time everything is the same to us and the movie shows this. Mankind these days is essentially losing their humanity these days because we are forgetting to question. Inquiry is a fundamental aspect of our humanity. The movie shows that man is no longer “willing to be disturbed” because Truman Burbanks is shown as what the modern man is like. We have adopted a “point A to point B” attitude of just going with the flow and not asking the basic question: why? I also agree with Christina, when she “utilizes her humanity” and questions the legitimacy of our own reality. This is a thought that often comes to my mind: Are we real? Truman in this show begins to ask this when he becomes willing to be disturbed. He becomes disturbed after, as Christina stated, the woman from his high school throws in his mind the thought of his world being fake. I think the large dome Truman lives in has symbolic meaning to it. I believe it to represent our society and how it puts us in a bubble. It shields from us what actually is happening out there because we have allowed ourselves become shielded. As I stated before, we have lost our willingness to be disturbed. But Truman in this show breaks out of the bubble when he escapes. His escape represents man breaking from societies reforms to what is considered the norm. This just goes to show that the tiniest of thought can provoke a huge shift in ones reality. For Truman it was his love interest in high school that planted the seed. Most people, nowadays, don’t have anyone or anything to get that seed implanted into their thoughts. They live every day the same without noticing that nothing is changing. As Henry stated, Truman was born into a controlled world. His controlled world is a representation of our society. Everything is regulated to fit what everyone considers “normal”. Our society does this to us! It dictates how one should live their lives. The director of this show said that he didn’t want Truman living “out there in this cruel world”. He considers the world cruel because it much more likely for Truman to become aware of societies unwillingness to be disturbed outside then inside the bubble. The director, in my opinion, represents society because he tells everyone what a normal world is supposed to be like. However, due to the tiny thought that his high school love interest implanted in his mind, Truman in essence became “disturbed”. So my concluding remark is a question: Do society’s reforms erode our willingness to be disturbed?
This film has really got me thinking about the "what if's". Like many of us have said, what would happen if everything we believed was a lie? We never really know if our lives, in which we think that we can choose our destinys, is really something that we don't control. This brings me back to the articles we read written by Miguel Ruiz. Miguel Ruiz talked about how humans are trained to think that we are in control when in reality we are just a part of the flow, we follow what others tell us to do. Like the articles we read on Miguel Ruiz this movie is really starting to mess with my head. It makes me wonder if everything around me is real, it makes me really want to think about my reality. I am really enjoying this film, ties every article that we have read from Miguel Ruiz in a visual way that we can all relate to.
ReplyDeleteAshley Moreau Period C 10/26/10
ReplyDeleteAs we view "The Truman Show," it has sparked me to think back of the articles we read by Miguel Ruiz, as he talked of the idea of this illusion of a reality. That really our reality isn't full of freedom as we may perceive it, but that we are domesticated to believe in these 'lies'. I thought "The Truman Show" depicted this theme excellently, Truman is trapped in a town that he believes to be real, but really is it all the stage for a show he involuntarily acts in.
Another theme I got from watching this movie, was that the media manipulates us. Wether we realize it or not, we believe all that the media advertises to us. Whether is be their take on 'true beauty' or the correct body figure people should have. We take what we see in the media and try to instill it in our life, even if it isn't the truth. This lead me to ask myself that question; is the reality we live in a truthful one, or could we controlled by higher powers like Truman? Maybe like the media, or the government?
This movie is interesting, it causes you to take a step back and watch someone's life from the viewpoint of others. It makes you think of all the crazy, controlling secret societies that may lurk out there with us knowing it. Overall, I really have enjoyed the movie so far and can't wait to see the ending.
Lydia Hopkins
ReplyDeleteThe Truman show reminds me of story we read last year called The Allegory of the Cave written by Plato. In both of these stories,the people, or person are trapped in a world that they think is the true reality. But little do they know that there is a whole other world outside of them that they have no clue about. The truth that lies outside their own little world will change them forever which is what happened when the people in The Allegory of the Cave were brought out of the cave, and which is what I predict to happen to Truman.
One part in the movie, The Truman show that I personally liked was when Christof said "we accept the reality of the world as it is presented". This quote really justified the movie plot by saying Truman can only think of reality of being what he lives in. He doesn't know the truth, therefore truth is being denied to Truman. But, when Truman starts to gain evidence of another reality, he tries to find that truth and of course, learn more.
One question I have is how has Truman stayed in that little town for so long? Normally people travel and go to other places and are curious about the world around us but why hasn't Truman been?
As we continue watching “The Truman Show”, I find myself beginning to see connections to the various articles we have already read this year as well as some of the ideas and concepts we are beginning to unfold about the humanities. Until this point of the film, Truman just considers himself to be another person in society, while to the rest of the world (excluding his personal TV set world); he is the star of a hit television show. This brings us to the ideas of identity, and the ideas that who we are is what others have created of us. Like Miguel Ruiz’s” Domestication and Dream of the planet” and “The power of doubt” states, the lives we live were created by us, and the decision to embrace these lives or deny them is up to us. In the film, Truman is beginning to realize that something is not right, and the life he is living is not completely what it appears to be. He is becoming more skeptical, questioning his “reality” and determining if it is real. Like Alexis said, I too wonder why it has taken this long for Truman to realize that something about the “world” is not right. According to the film, he is about thirty. I think it’s strange that he hasn’t figured out that something is not right about the “world”, and how he has never been to another country or state for that matter.
ReplyDeleteWhile viewing the Truman Show I was constantly reminded of the book I was reading previously named The Hunger Games. This book has a scheme much along the same lines of the Truman show, the fact that there is an outer force that controls you, it is what your accustom to. I believe that in a deeper way this also connects to some of the earlier articles we read, with the idea of domestication. Even though in the Truman Show he does not know he’s domesticated, he is. He is trained and manipulated to believe, what the people that run the show want him to believe, in order for the show to be successful in the long run. He is trained to make the audience happy, to make the show keep going like the ideas of domestication we are trained to make people happy. I am a little confused with the “idea of truth” that was stated on the organizer we are filling out on the movie. I’ve thought about what this could mean literally and deeply, but still could not figure much out. If anybody had any ideas that would be great.
ReplyDelete-Andrew Juckett
I think I can honestly admit that I am in love with The Truman Show. I'm not sure whether it's just the fact the Jim Carrey is in it or whether it's this incredible twisted and intreaguing story line. I think it's amazing how Truman thinks that what he is living is his own life while everyone around him and everyone who watches the show simply acts according to him. What keeps me so interested in the film is that Truman is beginning to become skeptical of his surroundings and the hints that are given off that he is in some weird world where the same people pass by all the time and it's always a coincidence when you want to do something but can't (like go to Fiji). This skepticism made me think of the articles we read from Miguel Ruiz where he talks to us about how in order to become our real selves we must become skeptical and not believe certain lies which are thrown at us and this is what Truman begins to do. Overall I think this is an excellent movie to relate to the ideas that the articles we have read present to us and plus...I just love it.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Sorkin
ReplyDeleteAt the first few sights of the Truman Show, when we begin to learn the true setting of Truman's life, my first thoughts are that the creator and employees of the Truman show are solely inhumane. To take someones one chance at life and manipulate it in such a way where he is surrounded by the lies that create his "reality" makes me question the character of the people creating this show. However, a scene from the film which we viewed last class, made an interesting point that seemed to almost justify the situation. The creator of the Truman Show, Christof, was on the phone with Truman's everlasting love interest, Lauren/Silvia, when Christof had tried to rationalize his reasonings for doing such a thing to Truman. He said that his world (the world Christof created and Truman lives in) is the good world, and we are the ones who live in the cruel and unforgiving reality. This statement had sparked my interest, and although I still do not believe that this justifies what Christof has done to Truman's life, it brings up an arguable point of who's reality is most likely to lead Truman to happiness. I do not believe that Christof has created the show in the interest of Truman's life rather than the strive for fame and fortune, however this statement made me think about the possibilities of Trumans "reality".
In addition, similar to the many responses of my fellow classmates, I also believe that the articles we analyzed earlier this year by Miguel Ruiz reflects the many ideas of the film "The Truman" show. Both the film and articles bring up the interesting point of what our reality truly is, compared to what we believe it to be. Although we may never find the answer to these questions, both these interpretations of our reality seem to directly correspond to one another. In both of these resources reality is described in an almost prison like manor, and we are perceived as "zombies" who are denied the privilege of choice and merely left with an "illusion". This makes me question my own reality, and how our own thoughts and beliefs can cloud us from what is true and correct. All in all, this film has made me curious about my own life, and I look forward to seeing the outcome of the "Truman Show".
Moira N.
ReplyDeleteAs a child I would always question things that were happening in my life. I would think of people and wonder if they were just acting, if it was all fake, and if everything that was happing in life was all acted out for me. I can not remember what sparked the question in my mind; it might be because some of it was partly true. My family and those around me when I was young tried to protect me from the evils in the world and set up a sort of false reality for me. I suppose my question was sparked from my realization that there was bad in the world and I could not be protected from it. Christina and I seem to have had the same idea on this topic. Also The Truman Show connects to the articles we read in class by Miguel Ruiz and The Willingness to be Disturbed. They all talk about questioning everything to find the truth. To answer Joey’s question I like the idea that Truman is a “true man.” At this point in the movie Truman is just Truman, yet later maybe he will live up to his name being “true man” and he will learn the truths about his life. My question is has a false reality ever been set up for you? I know in my life things have been made up and I believed them to be true. One example is that I lived a good part of my life believing that a magical immortal man dropped off free presents at my house once every year. Every thing around me was altered so that I would believe in this man; this is just what happens to Truman.
Isabella Braga
ReplyDeleteThe Truman Show has so far reminded me of "Domestican and the Dream of the Planet". The Truman Show reminds me of this essay because the essay is talking about how we have been controlled and domesticated into something other people want us to be from birth. Also, it stated that we hardly ever get to make decisions for ourselves, because there is always someone or something judging us by "The Book of Law" and we are all the biggest judges of ourselves. Truman Burbank does not know what is real or not. He has never known the truth of any situation, and he can't make decisions for himself. When he tried to go to Fiji the TV company did everything in their power to keep him from leaving. What I was confused on was how they picked Truman to be the person they were going to follow for their entire life. It probably isn't a main question that needs to be covered, but it had been bothering me through the movie. Also, Truman has no power in his life what so ever. He can't say where he wants to go because there might be a problem that the cameras can't cover (for example, Fiji). The Truman Show is a perfect representatoin of the "Domestication and the Dream of the Planet" because it is displaying everything the essay had stated.
Mark-
ReplyDeleteThe Truman Show is a very intriguing movie. When you start watching it everything is perfect in the world, too perfect. Every time it shows the streets of the town everyone is walking or riding their bicycle to complete their own daily tasks. No violence on the streets, no car crashes, nothing like that. But then Truman you can say, “wakes up” and notices everyone knows something except him. This made me think right away of that short clip that we watched of The Matrix. In The Matrix Neo is the only one awake and everyone is in a “trance” or is “asleep” while in the Truman Show it’s the opposite, everyone was awake while Truman was asleep.
When we finished watching the movie today, somehow Truman escaped completely. I predict that he wanted to test if his hypothesis of him being the only one asleep in the whole town and see if anything happens while he is hiding. I really want to find out how he escaped and where he is right now.
I have seen The Truman Show before and each time I see it, deeper thoughts come in and out of my head. The thing that interests me the most about this movie is how Truman (in the beginning of the movie) has no clue of this made up world which he lives in. While watching this film and seeing how his prior knowledge to this world is mixed all around, one thing keeps running through my mind. This thought is that “We accept the reality of this world as which it is presented. This got me to think of my own life. The truth is only really what you think is being told to you. Have we ever believed something that really is a complete lie? The Truman Show is a great example of this. Truman is being controlled basically like a robot. Every thing he does effects what is going to happen next. For example, because his “father” came onto the set without being told to, they had to make him believe that Truman was just missing him. This movie fits right in with the articles we have read about humanities and I love this movie(:
ReplyDelete"The Truman Show" poses the question of what is reality. Is reality what we perceive, or is it something else? Is everything our senses tell us actually true, or are they lying? The ideas expressed by this film syncronizes quite well with the article, "Domestication and Dreams of the Planet", as well as Plato's Allegory of the Cave, as several others have mentioned. All question what our senses perceive to be reality, and whether or not there is an actual reality beyond this. Along the lines of what Braedon suggested, we want to believe the reality we perceive; just thinking that there is something else is mind-boggling. If we start thinking our senses are lying to us, where does that leave us? The fear becomes that the actual reality is worse than the perceived reality. There's a quote from Wicked that ties into this: "The truth is not a thing of fact or reason. The truth is just what everyone agrees on." The belief of society is something we all accept without question because we do not know any better. Questioning this gets complicated, so naturally, we do not like it, and go back to the comfort zone of conformity. "The Truman Show" also makes a point about what can be controlled and what cannot. The plot revolves around Truman--and while Christof (probably not accidently similar to Christ)--there are some things that cannot be controlled; for example, Truman and Sylvia, and, obviously, Truman starting to find out about the conspiracy of what he thinks is the world.
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed the movie we are watching in class, The Truman Show. The movie makes you think a lot, and I agree with Cameron when he connected it to the matrix, because the two movies are very similar. Keeping it simple the basic idea of both movies, as well as the article we read in class, such as the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I s that reality is perspective and can be questioned. While the Pedagogy states the importance of questioning our reality, of waking up, the two movies actually show the process. In the two movies characters who think they live average lives are shown shocking truths. Their entire lives are turned upside down and reality is basically redefined for them. This process, rejecting the reality you've come to know with a new one, is painful. In the Truman show, Truman was acting insane when he began to question his reality. Throwing his wife in the car and driving, just driving out of town like a maniac, was certainly insane of him. Getting out of that car and running towards to what he was told was a dangerous leak at the power plant is even more insane. This insanity can always have different results. I haven't seen the end of the Truman Show yet, I don't know what happens to Truman, but I know his coming to terms with the fact his reality is fictitious won't be easy.
ReplyDeleteI know I already posted but I really like the subject that Moira brought up, in that we are all sort of like Truman when we are younger. We believe things we are told without really being skeptical about if it's even possible. Maybe The Truman Show could be analyzed as a coming of age story, a man coming to grips with "true reality" if there even is such a thing, and growing out of the "phase" he is in. Granted his "growing up" is a bit more dramatic and thought out, but there are many key elements that remain the same.
ReplyDelete- Jeanette Zompa
ReplyDeleteThe Truman show is really something I never imagined. When we first started watching this show I thought it would be a movie almost like a talk show, like Oprah, thankfully nothing of the sort haha. I have come to enjoy this movie a lot though. I am enjoying the suspense and the huge conspiracy. This movie seems to be a little far fetched, but who knows, any of us could be the next Truman. I have also brewed up a prediction that Truman is the Directors son. This makes this movie even more insane and heart wrenching. I could never be on this show, or be involved with a lie so great that I’d affect someone’s life. During today’s class, I started thinking about how corrupt our world is. In Truman’s fake scripted world that he lives in, he cannot die by a random accident; people are there to protect him. The chances of him being murdered or in a hostile situation is impossible without positive outcomes! But in the world we live in; random, judgmental and selective we can’t choose what’s going to happen to us, and neither can a director or an audience rating. Although scary and unpredictable, would we rather choose a life full of unknowns, or secretly have someone life our life to the way they prefer, but safe from harm? I cant even deicide for myself which I would chose.
Watching the Truman Show made me think about so many different things. When I really think about it this show connects to every article that we have read in this class so far. The one that I think most about, however, is “The Willingness to be disturbed.” Truman had been living in a life that hasn’t changed sense he was little, he sees the same people everyday, and basically does the same things. This relates to “The Willingness to be disturbed” because throughout the article it talks about how people are afraid of change. This completely describes Truman’s life because the actors and directors are always afraid that if they change things then Truman will escape. Also, it reminds me of something that I learned in history. John Calvin believes that god predestines our lives, whereas; in the Truman show Truman’s life is predetermined by how the actors act and how the director makes the show.
ReplyDeletePersonally watching this show kind of bothers me because it makes me think about what my life would be like if I had no decisions. I think that what they are doing to Truman is completely wrong, and inhuman. At the rate that he is going he will never get to experience what real life is like, he will always be trapped inside a bubble. By now, however, I wonder if he would even know what to do with himself if he escaped from the dome and went out into the real world. In a way Truman is living in hell, he cannot choose what job he wants, where he lives, who he marries, or who his friends are. Everyone knows his every move; he doesn’t even have a real family of his own. I just don’t like the idea that he has no control over anything in his life because it isn’t his life it is the directors. That is how I feel about the Truman Show so far.