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The existence of The Truman Show in the movie by the same name is the result of
humanity’s need to play god. Man, by nature, has the desire to have control over
something since life is so unpredictable as it is. In order to do this we, as humans, must
create situations where we are in charge, where we call the shots, and where we have full
control over what happens when and to whom. Some examples of this in history are the
hunting of animals, slavery, genocide, and government. To name a few. God is a concept
created by man in order to allay the fear of the unknown, death, and to explain the pain
and tragedies that accompany life. The irony lies in the fact that, though man creates God,
God has ultimate control over man, forcing man to be submissive and live in fear.
Therefore, man must create other things over which to have control. The Truman
Show is an example of what this desire can create. The creator of the show,
Christof,
spends much of his life trying to create a complete reality out of a false world. He
surrounds a man,
Truman, with this world and allows him no escape. This control
elevates Christof to a God-like status and Truman becomes the symbolic son on earth.
What happens when the illusion falters, however, threatens to bring Christof back to the
level of a human and reveal the imaginary world for what it really is.
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