The underlying theme that Peter Weir confronts in The Truman Show is the control that the media has over viewers today. He addresses how the media controls the “means of communication” by surrounding us with illusions, script and stage managing events for an accepting and/or ignorant audience. The media manipulate, change and control peoples’ lives. Although these themes could be exposed in a darker way, Weir decides to portray it to the audience in a lighter sense, with the use of a humorous script and vibrant set. The film is thus more enjoyable and interesting to a wider audience but still challenges us to examine our role in the dark media circus that dominates our lives.

The beginning of The Truman Show depicts a perfect town where every day runs smoothly and where only minor changes occur. The main character Truman lives the American dream, beautiful wife, nice office job and lovely house in a perfect town. What he does not realise is that his whole life has been manipulated by Christof, the creator of the show in which he unknowingly stars. From a young age, millions of people all arou

After Truman escapes the set the film cuts to views of the audience of The Truman Show. Weir uses these images to show how fast audiences are willing to move on after a show has finished and how quickly they can forget. This is the depiction in the movie of us, the audience of the movie The Truman Show. It shows the viewers hanging on Truman’s every expression so they can feel something, it is us depicted on the screen. The movie tells us that we are the ones that make the system possible. The willingness of the audience to exploit Truman so it can enjoy his life as entertainment is our own willingness to exploit an endless parade of human victims of news and reality programming because they have the misfortune to be part of some "newsworthy" event. Both the audience and Truman portray our willingness to experience an easier and more exciting substitute for life, which is what fuels the media machine.

It is through these ways that Pete Weir attempts to inform his audiences how the media are currently manipulating many people’s lives. He is also informs viewer that although they fell like it is the media that are unjust, they are the real reason that reality television programs are made and people’s privacy invaded. It is because of their watching of television that the media are able to inform us on the news breaking stories of today. The only way that this media invasion can be halted is by us, the ever willing reality television viewers.

The manipulation of Truman does not just stem from his schooling and fears but it is also quietly applied by the actors paid to pose as Truman’s family and friends. During his years at college Truman meets Sylvia and the two quickly fall in love, although Sylvia has been forbidden to talk to Truman by the creators of the show. When she tries to tell Truman about what is really happenin

Some topics in this essay:
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