Motifs In The Truman Show, By Peter Weir

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“One point seven billion were there for his birth. Two hundred and twenty countries tuned in for his first step. The world stood still for that stolen kiss…An entire human life recorded on an intricate network of hidden cameras.” Through his brilliant, dark comedy, The Truman Show, Peter Weir explores numerous facets of the human experience and issues of society, including the unrealism of reality TV and the American Dream. Telling the story of Truman Burbank who has unknowingly been the star of a world famous television show. Through symbolism, motifs and characterisation the morals of our society and media and the fundamentality four own ethics is questioned and explored.

Peter Weir, the director of The Truman Show, uses symbolism various …show more content…

Throughout The Truman Show there are constantly eyes everywhere in the form of the viewers, the actors, the production team, Christof and of course, the cameras. Commercialism is pervasive in the film and Weir explores the falsity of commercials and the world portrayed by his use of motifs. Peter Weir’s use of eyes is used to convey the commercialism of Truman’s world and how his entire life is fake and he, himself is a puppet in Christof’s endeavour to sell products. The Truman Show is a world portrayed by commercialism, and their promise of that world, is false. Through Truman’s eyes we are shown his confusion when both Meryl and Marlon act like they are selling a product to him like they were reading from a script, when in reality they are and are also getting paid to do so to the audience of ‘The Truman Show’. The eyes of these viewers are regularly assaulted with product placement by Meryl and Marlon, made extremely evident when they face the camera straight on to sell their product. During his “TruTalk” interview, Christof explains that everything on The Truman Show is for sale and is completely funded by Meryl and Marlon’s product placement. Other objects, such as the advertising billboard that the twins, Don and Ron, push Truman into as an act of commercialism, are also used, which the camera eye zooms in

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