‘The Truman Show’ By Peter Weir

‘The Truman Show’ is a film which charts the life of Truman Burbank, a boy adopted at birth by a fictitious television company - Omnicom. He is filmed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year so every second of his life is recorded for ‘live’ television. Truman doesn’t know this. He doesn’t know that his friends and family are all actors. He doesn’t know that the events in his life are all carefully monitored and controlled by the production crew of the television network. He doesn’t know he is the star of a television show nor that he isn’t living in the real world. Synopsis

To begin developing key words and concepts related to comparing ‘The Truman Show’ and The Hunger Games. Learning Intention 1:

The dictionary tells us that : A dystopian world is a society that is dehumanising and unpleasant. It is characterised by human misery, squalor, oppression, disease and overcrowding. Look up the following words from that statement and write down their meanings. Misery  Dehumanising  Squalor Oppression Dystopia

Put your key words in context Answer the following questions in your books 1. Does Christof dehumanise Truman? Explain your answer and give evidence from the film.  2. Is Truman oppressed? Explain your answer and give evidence from the film. 3. Is Truman in misery? Explain your answer and give evidence from the film. Put your key words in context

To clarify your understanding of the film. Learning Intention 2:

Answer the following questions in your books Answer the following questions in your books. Use examples and/or quotes where possible. 1. What does Marlon mean when he says “It’s all true, it’s all real. Nothing you see on this show is fake. It’s just controlled”. Explain. 2. Until the camera light falls do you think that Truman has any idea about the unreality of his life?  3. At what point in the film do you believe Truman became suspicious of his life? Copy and complete the table in your books. Questions Incident that causes Truman suspicion The studio’s explanation Falling light Plane shedding parts

3. What happens to people who don’t fit the script 3. What happens to people who don’t fit the script? (like Dad and Lauren) How does Truman view this? 4. When Truman is 18, Lauren/ Sylvia tries to warn him about ‘The Truman Show’. How does Christof try to cover it up? Why wouldn’t an 18 year old understand the warning? 5. Marlon says, “Look at the sunset. That’s the big guy.” He’s not talking about God, he’s talking about Christof. How does Christof keep Truman under control? 6. Why do the producers bring his dad back? Is it successful? Explain. Questions

7. Obviously there are people who object to what has happened to Truman. Lauren/Sylvia and others have even broken onto the set. And yet Truman doesn’t realise his situation. Christof says,“We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.” Is this true for Truman? Questions

Theme: Reality Turn and Talk Do you believe the reality of the world which you are presented with? Why or why not? Theme: Reality Turn and Talk

Does Truman rebel? How? Give examples? Theme: Rebellion

Theme: Survival Turn and Talk Think about the word survival. Who survives in the film? Explain (Extra mark question) What is the difference between survival and living? Theme: Survival Turn and Talk

Does Truman ever have any control over his own life Does Truman ever have any control over his own life? Give evidence from the film to support your point of view. List all the ways that Truman is controlled by the production team. Theme: Control

Do you agree with the concept of ‘The Truman Show’? Explain.    What moral and ethical problems do you see with making a program of this nature?  Quick Write

A close study Scene 1 Complete the following tasks in your workbooks. Learning Intention: To closely examine 2 key scenes in the film and discuss the importance of those scenes in relation to Truman, the character, and to the themes in the film. Complete the following tasks in your workbooks. Scene 1  Think about the scene when Truman is suspicious and notices that everything has a sequence and he tries to leave Seahaven. a) What occurs that makes him suspicious(e.g.- same people passing, same cars) b) In this scene how does Christof try to keep Truman under control? c) What is a suspicion becomes a certainty when the policeman calls him “Truman.” How does Meryl’s behaviour when they are both back at home add to this? (e.g.- looks to the camera) A close study Scene 1

Scene 2: Think about the final sequence of the film with Truman on the boat. 1. What evidence are we shown that Truman is feeling free and happy and determined not to give in to the forces attacking him? 2. Watch Christof’s behaviour during this sequence. What are his actions?  Why doesn’t he kill Truman?  3. How do the other television crew members behave during the storm? Why? 4. Why do you think that Christof decides to finally make contact with Truman? Was he successful? Why or why not?  5. Why does Truman choose to leave the dome?  Close Study Scene 2

What do you think will happen to Truman after he has left the dome? Final Turn and Talk