Escaping Society and Lies in The Truman Show

The Truman show by Peter Weir is a great old “comedy” that hints important social messages and ideals that were once accepted. This movie is personally a favorite of mine as it uses comedy to outline some extremely important topics while shining some light on the big question of, do we accept the world we live in as reality? In Truman’s case he only starts to question his own reality and the people in it when things went down hill or when “mistakes” were made.

The Truman show produced in 1998 shows one important factor, the role of the wife. In this era the roles of both women and men were clearly understood as women were to perform their wifey duties. We see this with Hannah gill who played Meryl Burbank, Truman’s wife. In the movie Meryl played the role of wife quite well. The role of a wife was simple: be their for your husband, always be happy, and perform your wifey duties. we see this in the Truman Show a multitude of times the first time at the beginning of the movie although the way to when Truman figures out that his whole life has been a lie. Meryl wakes up goes to work the comes home to Truman, played by Jim Carrery, where most of the time she is the practical minded one. which fits the role of the wife. One example of this is at the beginning of the movie where we see Meryl coming back from the grocery store where she then has to calm Truman down from his dreams. As well as in the middle when we get a glimpse of how Truman and Meryl meet. Christof, the producer, portrays her to be this all american girl that any guy would be lucky to have.

Christof, played by Ed Harris, is the creator of the “the Truman Show” as well as has the means to control every aspect in Seahaven Island. Christof plays an extremely important role as he devoted most of his life to this show. Christof’s character shows us how a high and powerful status can destroy ones own human emotions. This is seen through out the entire move but can especially been seen at the ending. His character forms a sort of God like status as he has full control in both the town and in truman life, treating Truman more like property than an actual person. In the end this is what destroys him. When Truman finally fails to accepts his life as reality he does the only thing he can think of to do, run and sail away. Once Christof finds Truman we see the dark side of him as he abuses his power and plays into the concept of being God. Even when he fails to bring Truman back the island by nearly killing him Christof not able to draw the line between good and bad. Christof becomes corrupted by his own self and the status as the “creator”. He even proceeds to say in an interview, “We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented”. Christof turns Seahaven into Truman’s on little world with everyone but Truman knowing that its all just a hoax.

From when Truman was born to the day he escaped Seahaven and the people in it were all that Truman knew.This brings up one of the biggest human questions into and concept, definition of the situation, into light: Should we accept the reality we are living in as true reality? Truman faces this on a day to day basis as he accepts his reality as true. He accepts Sea haven as reality all because of Christof playing him like a chess piece. This is done by Christo giving Truman everyday experience such as a job, friends, and a family with no conflicts in his life. For Truman’s entire life this was all that was know to him he knew nothing other than his life their. This is how Truman accepts his life. I f it wasn't for some crucial mistakes made by the T.V shows crew he would continue his life knowing nothing more. It would be as if the life were living was just one big dream that we were just waking up from. Christof played every move right when creating Seahaven and Truman’s life.

Seahaven has a multitude of example on social structure as it relies on this in order to keep Truman believing that Seahaven in fact is real. One little example of this can simply be seen in the simple interactions between truman and his two neighbors. Every morning Truman makes it a routine to say high to his neighbor on the left, with the dog, as well as the neighbor on the right where he proceeds to say everyday: “Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”. Truman proceeds to follow his daily routine all the way to the ending where he learns the truth behind his life.The ending is what make this movie an all time classic as it is Truman’s last and biggest experience in Seahaven.

The point in Truman’s life when he experiences his greatest level of culture shock is at the very end of the movie. After he triumphs the dangerous waves created by Christof Truman continues to sail when he then his the edge of Seahaven. This is the part in the movie when he then realizes that his entire life and the people in it had just been one big lie. This is very important as Truman makes one of his biggest choices: to stay in safe Seahaven or to leave behind the life he knows. He then embraces the idea of the unexpected and escapes his prison. This ending shows its viewers that humans always have some curiosity of the unknown. Overall “The Truman Show” is extremely deep and gives you a look on society and the human mind.