Perception Of Reality In 'The Truman Show'

Our perception of reality is heavily influenced by what we are presented with and what we are encouraged to accept. The underlying theme that Peter Weir conveys in The Truman Show is that our personal realities are often influenced by what we are presented with. Weir employs techniques such as shot types, camera angles and dialogue to help convey this idea.
Truth for Truman is established through the deceit and forged life he has been placed into. The scene in which Truman discovers an object that falls from the outer fringes of the dome, is followed by a long shot of his perplexed face. This 'object', as the audience is aware, is a camera; but to conceal this fact from Truman, it is backed up by a radio broadcast in which a falsified explanation …show more content…
The scene in which Truman's car radio picks up a conversation between the show's crew tracking his every moment is important as it enhances the idea that our personal realities are influenced by what we are presented with. While Truman is following his daily routine of going to work, his car radio sporadically begins to flip channels, unveiling a hidden radio station monitoring his every move. "He's turning left on Lancaster Square" is seen in a point of view shot in which we are able to see the street sign. This shot captivates the audience as we feel the same shock Truman feels as he hears his exact location being broadcasted by the radio. However, we as an audience are aware of the manipulation taking place, whereas Truman is not. Christof is exploiting Truman by concealing the truth from him in an effort to sustain his TV programme and keep Truman oblivious to the falsity of the life he leads. We as an audience are able to sympathize with Truman because we are aware of the exploitation taking place allowing Truman to accept the reality he is being presented with. By watching The Truman Show, we as an audience are forced to confront our own desire to be