Lesson Five - The Truman Show

Introduction

Lesson Five - The Truman Show
Duration - 6 blocks (6 x 80 min + homework)

"It's all truth. It's all real. Nothing here is fake. Nothing you see, on this show, is false. It's merely controlled." -  Marlon, in "The Truman Show"

The Truman Show is a major film by Australian director Peter Weir. It sets up the conceit of a 'reality TV' show about an innocent called Truman Burbank, who doesn't even know that his whole life is a carefully scripted fiction, beamed out to millions of viewers around the world. When the truth dawns on Truman, he challenges the god-like creator of 'The Truman Show', and makes his escape into the real world. This fascinating satire on media manipulation is both engrossing and relevant to contemporary trends.

The Truman Show is a commentary on modem society. Many of the issues which arise in this film were considered in the previous lesson - issues such as the media's influence on individuals, the individual's acceptance of the world with which he or she is presented, and even what is real.