The Truman Show

LaGuardia Community College

Aaron Straker

English

The Truman Show is a movie that makes you think.  The Truman show is a funny satire.  If that's what you would call this movie.  It shows exactly how the media controls us.  The movie is something everyone should see.  The movie isn't serious to the point it would be boring.  The movie has many funny parts because the main character is played by Jim Carrey.

          One big element in the movie is media.  Truman doesn't know that he's been on tv his entire life.  Throughout the movie we see people watching him on tv.  While Truman has no idea that this is happening.  The movie shows how even in movies our emotions get played with.  Truman’s father supposedly died when he was very young.  Later in the movie we see him reunited with his father because of his best friend since high school.  Truman begins to hug his father.  Christof who controls Truman’s world and the television show tells them to change the music and zoom in on Truman's face.  We see the audience have tears of joy.  Christof just controlled the audience emotions by simply changing the music and zooming in on Truman’s face.  The Truman show is on 24 hours a day.  When the show goes offline for the first time everyone panics.  The show isn't affecting their lives in any way.  There just watching someone else live there life.  But everyone still panics.  For some people they become emotionless.  Just waiting for a new tv show.  People stop doing their work because of a tv show.  Security Guards stop working just to watch this show.  Security Guards are supposed to be saving lives not watching someone else’s day to day lifestyle.

          The movie shows how repetitive our everyday lives are.  Imdb “When the lady comes on the bike with the basket, then the dog and then the yellow Volkswagen".  Truman says all they do is go around and around.  This movie is very similar to everyone’s life.  Even if one hasn't seen it.  There's a notion of your born, do stuff then die.  In the movie Truman starts the day off with the same words every day.  Imdb “In cases I don’t see ya good afternoon, good evening, and good night”.  He also has the same conversations with the same people.  Nothing ever changes in his life.  It doesn’t matter what your lifestyle is your life will always be repetitive.

            In the Truman Show Christof is sort of God.  He’s in control of Truman’s world.  He controls what everyone says to him.  He even controls the weather.  Christof has Truman on camera ever since he was a baby.  Even before that.  If Christof wants there to be an accident there will be an accident.  For example the accident in the elevator.  At the moment Truman tried to enter the elevator.  But since he’s the star of the show two men grabbed him and took him out of the building.  Truman had no idea what was going on.  The next day his wife has to do surgery because of the accidents.  Everything that happens in the world is all because of Christof.  He seems to be a God of Truman’s world.  If Christof says let there be rain there will be rain.  Imdb “Also note that Chrisof does not have his name listed among the “real world” in the credits, but in “Christof’s World”.  His high profile media driven life is no different from Truman’s”.

            The movie also shows that everyone has control over their lives.  If someone wants to be a drug dealer or criminal they can easily become one.  If someone wants a college education they can get one but through many years of hard work.  Christof states “He could leave at any time.  If this were anything more than a vague ambition, if he was absolutely determined to discover the truth, there is no way we could prevent him.”