Anna Osborne Dr. Raymond A. Watkins PHI 1000-805 14 November 2021 During the late 1990’s Hollywood released a collection of films relating to the relationship of representation and reality, one of those including The Truman Show (1998), starring Jim Carrey. These notable films all received amounts of scholarly attention and philosophical examination. Peter Weir’s The Truman Show has received much of that critical attention, yet two decades later, there is still little detailed analysis of the themes and intentions of this film. Several philosophical themes such as ethical theory and epistemology are seen in the film, however, metaphysics prevails. The warped way Truman Burbank perceives the world in comparison to most people, the individual existentialism he faces, and Truman’s awareness of the Fiji Islands are examples of how metaphysics is a primary philosophical theme in this film. This essay will explore these examples and how they relate to the overall philosophical theme of metaphysics. Firstly, metaphysics was established early in the film. Metaphysics is a phrase coined by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. It would come to describe the nature of reality. (Lawhead, 54) According to Aristotle, humanity as a species enjoys seeing our lives replicated or represented in some way, hence The Truman Show’s popularity. This film explores the reality in which scholars have studied fascinating realism. The way Truman Burbank perceives the world may be considered warped by modern societal standards, yet society is what put him there. In the opening scene, Christof states, “While the world he (Truman) inhabits is, in some respects, counterfeit, there is nothing fake about Truman himself.” This is referring to the authentic belief Truman has about his life. Truman’s life is picture-perfect, which was the creator's intention. From the first shot of the film, it has become obvious that creating distinctions between reality and Truman’s reality has gotten more difficult (Reading the Truman Show Inside Out). At one point, Louis Coltrane playing Truman’s best friend, describes, “It’s all true, it's all real. Nothing here is fake, nothing you see on this show is fake...it’s merely controlled.” This would suggest that the actors have lost their ability to distinguish between the Truman Show and the outside world. If the people in Truman’s life have difficulties with distinguishing between reality and deception, it raises the question of how Truman would react when he discovers the truth. This leads to the next example of metaphysics- the existentialism Truman Burbank experiences. Existentialism refers to the existence of existing, meaning Truman is aware of his relative existence, but only in controlled aspects. This is a sector of metaphysics. Truman is not given the decision to make his existence but by a production studio. According to modern philosopher Willard V. O. Quine, a person’s view of the world is a conceptual scheme, because it is created by what we accept and reject (Lawhead, 260). Towards the beginning of the movie, a studio light drops onto Truman’s Street, in which he proceeds to examine it. This is an incident leading to more existential experiences such as the flashback of Lauren saying it was fake, then being driven away (27:04) and the radio describing his actions (30:00). Truman slowly figures out he is existing in a perfect world, which he is aware is impossible. This awareness is stalled by the main characters in Truman’s life, in which the reality shot appears that he is going crazy. He is also aware of the Fiji Islands, which to travel to them is his only aspiration in his perfect life. Truman does not have free will, he truly does not have control over his existence. Every person experience existentialism, but Truman Burbank is in the stages of becoming aware during the film. Finally, the awareness of the Fiji Islands and Truman’s adventurous nature also supports the use of the metaphysical theme. During part of the film. Truman expresses his concerns about the life he is living to his wife. He alludes to a trip to the Fiji Islands. When referring to them, he says, “You can’t get any further away before you start coming back. You know that there are still islands there were no human being has ever set foot.” Truman is aware of areas outside of his small towns such as tropical islands and even Mt. Rushmore, which he visited under simulated conditions. However, the studio has done everything to avoid confrontation on the topic of exploration. This would lead one to question their existence, and why they are allowed to exist here but not there. This pains Truman, in which he desires to get away to a “mythical” place. The knowledge of places outside of Truman’s town poses questions about why Truman never tried to get away or travel. The studio that created his life did everything to control him until Truman’s existential crisis. In conclusion, The Truman Show raises questions about the existence and the morality of controlling someone's life. After watching it, one can agree with critics and philosophers that there are many unanswered questions about the intentions of the plot. Although there are many philosophical themes throughout the film, metaphysics is the most prevalent. The alternate way Truman views the world, his existential crisis, and his awareness of outside places such as the Fiji Islands are all examples of how metaphysics is important in the film. Work Cited Brearley, M., & Sabbadini, A. (2008). The truman show: How's it going to end?International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 89(2), 433-40. Retrieved from https://login.proxy181.nclive.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarlyjournals/truman-show-hows-going-end/docview/203906803/se-2?accountid=13153 Fitch, A. (2019). Dark city and the Truman Show: Surveillance and the destabilization of identity. Film Criticism, 43(2) doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/fc.13761232.0043.203 Jackson, T. E. (2010). Televisual realism: The truman show. Mosaic : A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, 43(3), 135-150. Retrieved from https://login.proxy181.nclive.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarlyjournals/televisual-realism-truman-show/docview/756345711/se-2?accountid=13153 Jagodzinski, J. (2005). The truman show: A symptom of our times? or, a cure for an escape attempt! Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society, 10(1), 61-78. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pcs.2100030 Knox, S. (2010). Reading the truman show inside out. Film Criticism, 35(1), 1-23,120. Retrieved from https://login.proxy181.nclive.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarlyjournals/reading-truman-show-inside-out/docview/858246436/se-2 Lawhead, William (2018). Philosophical journey + connect access card. MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATION.
