The$Truman$Show$Discussion$Questions$
1. The&movie&opens&with&the&following&statement&from&Christof:&"We’ve&become&bored&
with&watching&actors&give&us&phony&emotions.&We’re&tired&of&pyrotechnics&and&special&
effects.&While&the&world&he&(Truman)&inhabits&is,&in&some&respects,&counterfeit,&there&is&
nothing&fake&about&Truman&himself.&No&scripts,&no&cue&cards.&It&isn’t&always&
Shakespeare,&but&it’s&genuine.&It’s&a&life."&&
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What&is&that&Christof&means&when&he&states&that&“there&is¬hing&fake&about&Truman&
himself.”?&
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2. In&what&ways,&if&any,&does&Truman’s&relationship&with&his&perceived&world&differ&from&
that&of&a&normal&human&being?&
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3. During&an&interview,&Christof&says&“We&accept&the&reality&with&which&we&are&presented.&
It&is&as&simple&as&that.”&Do&you&agree&or&disagree&with&Christof?&
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4. During&an&interview,&Christof&states&the&following:&"I&have&given&Truman&the&chance&to&
lead&a&normal&life.&The&world,&the&place&you&live&in,&is&the&sick&place.&Seahaven&is&the&
way&the&world&should&be."&Is&Christof&correct?&What,&if&any,&would&be&the&benefits&of&
living&in&Seahaven&as&opposed&to&the&real&world?&Or&is&Seahaven&“the&real&world”?&
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5. When&speaking&of&Truman,&Christof&states:&"He&could&leave&at&any&time.&If&this&were&
anything&more&than&a&vague&ambition,&if&he&was&absolutely&determined&to&discover&the&
truth,&there&is&no&way&we&could&prevent&him."&Truman&eventually&does&discover&the&
true&nature&of&his&reality&despite&the&strong&efforts&of&Christof&and&the&network.&What&
does&Truman’s&triumph&have&to&say&about&the&freePwill/determinism&debate?&
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6. As&Truman&begins&to&piece&together&the&falsity&of&the&world&that&surrounds&him,&his&
view&of&Seahaven&is&radically&altered.&He&starts&to&question&and&analyze&all&that&he&
encounters.&Can&you&think&of&a¶llel&in&your&own&life&that&has&changed&the&way&you&
process&the&world?&
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7. Consider&yourself&in&Truman’s&position.&If&presented&with&the&choice&to&remain&in&
Seahaven,&a&place&where&you&have&been&promised&that&“you&have¬hing&to&fear”,&or&to&
enter&into&another&world&that&you&know&little&or¬hing&about,&which&would&you&
choose?&
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