The Truman Show

*I have just discovered that it will take way too much post space to write a summary, so this post is for those who have already seen The Truman Show.



How would you compare The Truman Show to Brave New World? This is how I see it:



Cristof acts as a cross between Mond and the D.H.C. He controls every aspect of Truman's life, which is televised. He also 'conditions' Truman to shy away from exploration, discovery; and more discreetly, truth.



Truman acts as a cross between John and Bernard. His subconscious has been searching for the truth his whole life, and he might as well have known all along he was living a lie. Eventually, the truth wins, as seen when Cristof and Truman have their climactic conversation (as Mond and John have theirs). Cristof tries to persuade Truman; he tells him he can have anything he wants in "his world". There are no lies, no suffering, "everything is merely controlled." But Truman being John, he rejects all of this and steps out of Seahaven forever, accepting truth, pain, suffering, beauty, and such.

Meryl; Truman's wife, Marlon; his best friend,and Truman's mother and father all act as Lenina, Linda, Henry, and every other brainwashed citizen of Brave New World. They put a face on all the lies and manufacturing going on in Seahaven. They embody the morals of Cristof (D.H.C.), the television station (World State), and of the fake world hidden from Truman (AF 632) [for Truman believes his world is real].

Silvia, when she protests to Cristof on the phone-line, also throws in some Savage ideologies, saying, "it's wrong to keep him hidden like that," and such, while Cristof being Mond counterattacks saying it's perfectly normal.

What I think is interesting to point out is one of the very last scenes , where the two cops are watching The Truman Show on television. They have just witnessed the epic last scene live, and now transmission has ceased. They stare blankly, finishing their snacks, and then say something like "Okay, [munch, munch] let's see what else is on."
"Yeah, change the channel."
And that is the end. Why? To point out that the people who are not actors are also like the clueless people of the World State; a people that Postman makes note of. The viewers of The Truman Show do not care about Truman as a human, nor did they [most of them] ever feel the need to infiltrate the system and stop the lies. No, they did not feel that was necessary because after all, they were amusing themselves with this 'soap opera' and were passionate about its characters. No need to think this was a horrible corruption of one man's life. Just like what Postman comments of today's news. They never considered being in Truman's real shoes, for if it was on television....everything must be o...kay.

Also noteworthy is Cristof's actions to keep Truman form sailing away. Cristof was willing to end Truman's life, thinking there was no way to reach him from shore. For ending Truman's life would save Cristof from the horrible truth. The truth that reality is constant, and he had messed a man's life up beyond repair; that all of the cruelty and secretiveness was for ratings. If Cristof were to allow Truman to keep sailing, to reach the end and finally know his whole life as a lie--Cristof could not handle that.

Cristof's shying from truth is similar to Lenina's thought process. In Brave New World, Bernard was speaking to Lenina about things like being alone in a helicopter over the ocean. She did not want to listen, for despite conditioning, some of Bernard's words seeped through and stuck with her. Words that recquired a glance at the moon, a longing for passion. She had to turn on the radio, for if she let the words get to her--Lenina could not handle that.

This is my comparison of the Truman Show to Brave New World. Can you add to it or contradict it?