Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Last fishbowl: The Truman Show

Good afternoon!

Today, we are discussing The Truman Show.  Keep in mind the purposes for which we watched this film:  working on our reading of visual text & practicing that reading strategy of synthesizing information to draw bigger picture conclusions.

Accordingly,  in addition to questions about content, consider questions and ideas that connect these texts as well as get use thinking about director choices; remember that directors, just like authors, make the choices they do for a reason.  Think about the small pieces in addition to bigger picture ideas.

As a reminder, to earn full credit for discussion, here are some qualities I'm looking for in your posts and questions:

1.  Demonstration of understanding and critical thinking about the text(s)
2.  Well-written, proofread writing.
3.  Developed ideas that make it clear why you think what you do, supporting your thinking with evidence from the text.
4.  Participation throughout the course of discussion, give or take 5 minutes or so.

Happy posting!

106 comments:

  1. What do you think the Truman Show was made to satirize?

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    1. In my opinion it was made to satirize the US in general. It shows that not every "American Dream" is what it seems

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    2. I think it was made to satirize the idea that we grow up believing that life is exactly how our parents tell us it is. We believe it for a long time and then we start exploring and getting curious and we realize that's it's so much more than what they told us.

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  2. How do you think that people could commit their whole life to this show? They would have to give up friends and family from their life in order to live this one.

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    1. I think that after being in the show for so long this society became their real world and everyone in it became their family and friends.

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  3. Why do u think Truman still didn’t want to stay in this fake society even after hearing that he has nothing to worry about if he stays?

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    1. I think its because he was ready to explore the real world and to finally set out to find the girl of his dreams. Idk why he didnt put more thought into it though because like you said, had he stayed he wouldnt have anything to worry about, but since he chose to leave he has to start all the way over jobless and not having a family.

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    2. Because he had been living his entire life in a loop basically. The same thing over and over, and I think he was just done with it and was ready to move on to the real world.

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    3. I think Truman is ready to move into the real world. He has an urge to explore the world and see new places and he can't do that living in an enclosed world

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    4. The reason why Truman wanted to get away from a fake society is because Truman wakes up and does everything repeated over and over again. For example Truman knows when the twins are coming to him and talks to him about insurance and gets a newspaper and sits in a office receiving phone calls about insurance. Another main reason why Truman will leave the fake society was because of Lauren and how he was to motivated and would try to go to Fiji.

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  4. Do you think that the creator actually cares about Truman in a way? Or does he only care about the show and the money that it makes?

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    1. Yes I think the creator thinks of Truman as his son. And as the creator he feels as though he is his father.

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    2. Yes because in moments throughout the movie the creator would pet the screen. The creator pet his nose in the middle of the movie and at the end, he pet the back of his head showing affection towards Truman.

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    3. I think he just cares about the show because after Truman said that he would have to kill him, the creator almost did. Plus, I think that the only thing that stopped him from actually killing Truman is that the show would have ended either way and that's a worse way for it to end.

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    4. I think the creator of the Truman Show cares for Truman because he has been watching Truman throughout his whole life. But I also think that another reason why he cares for Truman is because of all the money.

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    5. Yes, I do believe that he cares about Truman based on the way he touches Truman through the TV, Its similar to how Mildred loves her TV family. The creator spent his whole life watching Truman grow up and experience life.

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    6. I think he cares both about Truman and the show. At the end when he was talking about watching Truman grow up he seemed to really care about Truman and share memories with him. But I think he also cares largely about the show and the shows success.

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  5. How do you think Fahrenheit 451 and The Truman Show have in common?

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    1. In the end, both Montag and Truman end up being able to be unique and actually do what they want after living such a limited life for their whole life.

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    2. In the end, both Truman and Montag chose the thing that was forbidden in their society over living without it. In Fahrenheit 451 it was knowledge and in the Truman show it was the truth.

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    3. Both Montag and Truman were living a lie basically. Truman lived his entire life in a gigantic metal dome, and Montag always believed that books were a bad thing.

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  6. Why do you think the "creator" didn't want him to leave?

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    1. The creator probably didn't want him to leave because that is how he makes a living and the Truman show is what everyone looks forward to.

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    2. I think that The Creator had grown attached to Truman and thought of him as a son. He didn't want to see the person he watched grow up leave just like that.

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  7. How do you think that Marlon kept Truman from finding out the truth sooner then he did? Did Marlon even care about Truman, or just the money he was getting from acting?

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    1. I think that Marlon kept Truman from finding out the truth earlier than he did because Truman and Marlon had been best friends since they were 7. Or at least in Truman's eyes they were.

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    2. I think that Marlon kept on reassuring that nothing was wrong. Truman trusted him because Marlon is his oldest friend and would never think that Marlon would lie to him. So Truman just accepted it until now.

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    3. I think that Truman really trusted Marlon. They were the best of friends and I think that since he kept telling him that it was real, Truman eased up a bit.

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  8. Why do you think that Truman suddenly had the courage to sail through the water?

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    1. I think he realized he had no choice but to take action and try to get out of his world. He finally lost it.

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    2. Because he started realizing what was really happening in his life and he knew the water didn't really kill his father so he had no real fear of water

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    3. I think he realized that the world he has been living in hadn't been real, and that the only way to know the real world was to take action. And that action just happened to be sailing through the water and overcoming his fear,

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  9. When Truman started to realize what was going on, and when he started to piece things together, I think he started to change in a way to make his "wife" not want to be apart of the show because of how crazy he became.

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  10. Matt made the comment of how he has never experience real danger, but I have to disagree considering he recently almost drowned.

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    1. I see your point, but Truman knew it was controlled, hence him yelling "Is that all you have?!" He knew they wouldn't kill him.

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    2. I agree with Matt. He really had never been in actual danger. Any dangerous situation he had been in was controlled. So it appeared dangerous to Truman, while he was actually never in any real danger

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  11. why did the creator of the show respond with "he was born on live television" when the other man told him that he couldn't kill Truman because he was on live television? what did the creator mean when he said that?

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    1. I think the creator is saying that he was born on tv and he's going to die on tv. all his life being on the show

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    2. He meant like if he was born into the world of television then he could die on the world of television

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    3. I think that he was saying that since Truman's whole life has been on TV, it wouldn't matter or not if he died on television as well.

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  12. Why would the creator of the show not want Truman to leave? What is there for Truman if he stays in the world the creator made him?

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    1. I think the creator doesn't want Truman to leave because of all those people who were watching T.V, yet at the same time it's all about money and population about the Truman show that was 24/7. But if he stayed he would of know everybody was an actor and wouldn't have really feeling for anybody and the actors are just getting paid to like Truman.

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  13. Do you think that the money that they made off of the show will eventually get to him? Do you think he would even want anything to do with the money or the people in on it anymore?

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    1. I don't think Truman would want anything to do with the show anymore considering he was on the show all of his life.

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  14. How will Truman fit in in the real world?

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    1. He will be very thankful for normalcy and learn to trust people again.

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    2. I think Truman will fit in fine because he has that girl to go to and to teach him and help him get situated in the real world. I think its going to be hard at first but eventually I think he will be happy in his new life.

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  15. If the waves and the storm all have to be created, then did the creator kill Truman's dad? If so then why would he have done that?

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    1. He killed him off the show so Truman would not try to go in the water because that is the only way to the exit

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    2. Or at least try to kill. Which brings me to another question, do you think that "homeless man" was actually his dad?

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    3. I thought that his dad never actually died. I thought that his death was fake and that the homeless man that Truman saw in the middle of the movie was his dad that supposedly died.

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    4. I believe they did. I believe they did that to keep him out of the water, and to stop him from exploring. Also, they may have feared Truman's father exposing the secrets

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    5. The creator didn't kill his dad, they showed the people save him after he fell into the water.

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  16. If the movie were to go on, where do you think Truman would have gone? He doesn't know any family, or have any friends outside of his fake reality.

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    1. He would have found the girl that told him that it's all fake.

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    2. I think that Lauren would somehow find him, since she was once apart of the cast. I think that Lauren would probably shoe Truman the real world.

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    3. I agree with Connor. I think he would have tried to find Lauren and maybe start a new real life with her.

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  17. Why did the creator want to build an entire show around one man. And has he spent his entire life on Truman?

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  18. I would like to bring up a question of why Truman hardly hesitated to leave. If that is all Truman has ever known, then how could he possibly be so unafraid?

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    1. Why wouldn't you leave right away? If I found out that all my life was fake and nothing was ever going to change or be different or new or fun, then I would leave too.

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    2. Honestly, I feel that Truman felt uncomfortable being watched by the world all the time. When he notices that people are watching him he begins to act very strange. For example, when he is driving with his wife he seems crazy. I think he wanted to escape that feeling. Also, I think that he truly wants to go out and see the world, he has a strong desire to go see Fiji and he is tired of everyone intentionally holding him back.

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    3. I agree with Keaton. I wouldn't want to stay in one place all my life especially after finding out that it was all a lie.

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  19. He has his girlfriend on the outside and all the fans love him.

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  20. I thought that it was interesting how Truman decided to leave the show by saying, "In case I don't see you good afternoon, good morning, and goodnight." I believe that this was to make a statement about how everyone knew how he lived his life. Everyone knew he had said that to his neighbors. Why do you think he chose to exit in this way?

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  21. would the actors in this show never see their real families? They would have to spend their entire life making a show off of one man

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  22. I think that now that there is no more Truman Show, the "Creator" will end up adopting another baby and start another show about that child to make more money.

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    1. I dont think it would be as popular though because of the way the Truman show ended

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  23. How do you think that Truman would have survived in the outside world? He had no money, food, or places to go.

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    1. Well, there was that girl he had been looking for. She'd help him out I think.

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  24. Why did the creator kill Truman's father off the show but leave him on the set where Truman could find him like in the beginning

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  25. Do you think the Director has become attached to Truman?

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    1. I think he has because Truman has pretty much been the focus of his life for about 30 years.

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    2. Yes, because he watched him his whole life and he was the person that atarted this whole thing, and I think he thinks of himself as Trumans father

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    3. I would say he definitely is, but he has the right to be becuase Truman is the reason why he is successful and he is what the director has focused on for 30 years+

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    4. Yes, he has seen him grow up, take his first steps, and even his first day of school.

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    5. Yes. The creator adopted him and basically raised him. He watched Truman learn to walk and lose his first tooth. He is almost his son in a way

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  26. If this show was real, would you watch it? I personally think it would be boring because he goes through the same routine everyday.

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    1. I also think it would be boring because it would be the same thing every episode and it wouldn't be very eventful.

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    2. I think the majority of people would. It is a reality show and in today's society those have been proven very popular.

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    3. I personally don't think I would be that interested, but perhaps that is what this movie is supposed to satirize. Maybe the target of the satire is how much we watch TV and how little the things on TV actually matter or are just like the same thing over and over.

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  27. In Alex's question, What does the motif of water represent?, I think it represents boundries and limitations we set for ourselves and also for society around us. Once Truman broke these "Boundries" by sailing into the sea, he found out the truth. What do you guys think?

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  28. Do you think that the director put the word exit on the door that Truman found on purpose as a symbol? The movie showed the word on the door for multiple seconds.

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    1. I think the movie showed the exit sign on the door for a long time to emphasize the fact that there is another world outside of the Truman show.

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    2. I would say it symbolizes a new life for Truman, and he has the choice to start fresh.

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  29. What do you think Truman will do now? I think that Truman will get together with Lauren and they will start their life together, and that way Truman wont have to be in the real world by himself.

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  30. Is anyone else suprised that Truman didn't find out he lived in a fake world earlier? There were no other islands or land in the dome, so wouldn't you think he would have tried to go on a vacation when he was younger, or at least wonder about other places?

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    1. I'm surprised that Truman didn't notice any of the people who got on the show and then tried to tell him that he was on tv. Like when they showed that guy parachuting in with a sign on the front of his chest trying to get Trumans attention and let him know that he is living in a fake world.

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    2. I'm not surprised because I remember during the interviews, that question was asked and the director mentioned something along the lines of how people accept the reality they are in. Truman has grown up here so he didn't know any other way. Therefore, he did believe that it was normal.

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  31. I think that Montag and Truman are connected because when Truman went through that door leaving behind his fake life, it reminded me of when Montag and his friends turned away from the burnt down and war-torn city and moved on to another city. I feel like both of those scenes relate to them starting over and beginning a new life. One that id hopefully better that what they are leaving behind

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  32. If everything around Truman is fake except him, what do you think his education was like inside the show? Was he taught things that people outside his world weren't taught, or was he deprived of an education because everything is fake?

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    1. I think he grew up like a normal kid would. He was raised just like any other kid, sure he was raised by actors but he lived a normal life despite the circumstances.

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  33. "We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented." -Christoph
    I think this line really stuck out and I could really relate it to F 451 because everyone was just going to live within the norms and kind of put up with what they are given and not attempt to change anything.

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  34. Ever sense Truman was little, he's wanted to be an explorer. Now that he's in the real world and can actually explore, do you think he will do it?

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    1. I think just experience an actual life will act as an exploration for him, I would say that is enough of an exploration, honestly.

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    2. I feel that anything he does in the real world will be an exploration for him because he has been in a fake world for his entire life.

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    3. I think we will go straight to Figi with his girlfriend and live a happy live and travel a lot.

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    4. I think he will. I think that Lauran and Truaman will go all around the world and explore because I think its something that they have in common.

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    5. I think first of all he will be confused because it's really late at night outside but not in the dome, and on a more serious note, I think that he will at least look for Lauren but he will realize how big this outside world is. I think that she will eventually find him and they will go to Fiji eventually.

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  35. Once Truman is out in the real world, how do you think he will make money? Do you think he should get thirty years of pay?

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  36. I wonder how Christoph got all of the actors to be "in on" the movie, and got them to live a fake life too. Was it for the money?

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  37. Do you think Truman noticed weird stuff happening before but didn't think anything of it?

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    1. I'm sure Truman noticed certain things but never really thought anything of it. It wasn't until things started to happen more often that he finally noticed it

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  38. If Truman had decided to stay in this world, the show would never be the same, and the viewers would go way down. The whole point of the show is that Truman is real. And now that he knows it's fake, its just like any other TV show. With only actors.

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  39. How did they convince all of these actors to do this? Because even if they payed then the big bucks, they would have no time to spend their money.

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  40. Do you think that it hurt Marlon to say that he would never lie to Truman even though he's been lying to him the entire time?

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  41. I think that Truman stayed happily in this world and did not question anything because he didn't know any better. They could have taught him anything and he would have believed it because he was born into this world.

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