History Fridge / TheTrumanShow

* Considering Marlon has been on the show since he was a baby, what was he subjected to keep him in line for so long? What kind of parents would've been [=OK=] with forcing their child to lie and manipulate someone for so long essentially? It is no wonder Marlon has been to rehab: his life has also been one of constant fame and manipulation, like Truman's. Unlike Truman, Marlon is painfully aware of it, tearing him apart.

* "Meryl's" job of nursing may also reflect a subtle kind of sexism: nursing is a traditionally female profession and so Christof, unconsciously or not, is more or less reinforcing traditional gender roles in his show.

** The apparent lack of any improvisation at all, or at least nothing of any significance, might seem needlessly complicated, if not illogical, given all the moving parts necessary to keep up the illusion of Seahaven. Yet it's reflective of not only Christof's ControlFreak tendencies, but also his simmering paranoia. While ad-libs and improvs could lend more "authenticity" to keep Truman placated, their relative unpredictability also means that they would wind up ''fueling'' his desire to escape. No doubt Christof wants to deny any chance for someone like Marlon to so much as subtly spill the beans.

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* Going on the above, what kind of psychiatric care, if any, did Truman receive during his "career"? If he did go to a therapist (read: the actor playing one), would Christof allow his deep and personal thoughts to be broadcast? This would constitute an incredible violation of his privacy, on top of his daily routine already being entertainment for the masses. Would the actor not only manipulate Truman using junk therapy [[PsychoPsychologist into staying but also toy with his emotions for the sake of ratings]? The psychological damage a corrupt and inept therapist can inflict is impossible to quantify, but it could be even worse when the person counseling is not even certified: just a person who is being paid to ''gaslight'' someone.

* The manual HVAC controls on a 1996-99 Ford Taurus model like Truman's work as follows - the left knob controls the fan speed, the middle knob controls the mode and the right side knob controls the temperature. ([[https://replacementradios.com/images/ford_taurus_f7df-18c858-a_manual_climate_cassette_cdc_radio.jpg Picture for reference]]) When Truman makes his first attempt to escape the island, the entire time they are driving through town the middle knob is turned all the way to the left to "MAX A/C", indicating he had the air conditioning on - understandable considering Seahaven's climate. However, when they are sitting stopped at the bridge, the middle knob is turned vertically to "OFF". As Truman was trying to muster the courage to drive across the bridge, he turned the car's air conditioning off so he wouldn't smell the water. Then when they clear the bridge and Truman drives through the fire set in the middle of the road, he still has the air conditioning shut off so the smoke that would get sucked into the car's interior.

** Concern with material and consumer wealth over any other metric of human well-being. "Meryl's" justification for not wanting one final vacation is how they have to worry about things like mortgages and car payments. The reason for her existence is hocking consumer products to Truman rather than forming any genuine emotional connection to him. "Meryl's" approach to life reflects how parts of American society worship money and consumerism over other meaningful social values like community, faith, and life experiences. A trip to Fiji would certainly be costly and Truman does have ulterior motives, but surely a vacation to a tropical island would be a wonderful thing to share with someone you love, wouldn't it "Meryl"? Seahaven is a place where money and goods are held up as the end all be all of life, which is not a very happy life to say the least.

** Helicopter parenting. As a kid, Truman has been spied on all his life and kept from adventure. In one scene, Truman was prevented from climbing up a mountain ostensibly because it was dangerous. Christof has Truman's father figure killed off to make him afraid of the water. It mirrors how in the modern-day, the well-meaning attempts to police our children, like supervised parties and zero-tolerance policies on bullying, maybe doing them long-term harm and preventing them from gaining independence. Seahaven is a place where children are not free to explore the world.

* It is very well possible the trauma of his father's "death" drove Truman to the insurance business. Truman is a decent person, so a business that helps people who suffered accidents could fit him like a glove.

*** Meryl is ''constantly'' smiling. Even when Truman puts her in danger (i.e. when she was locked in a speeding car) she almost always keeps an unnerving smile on her face. No matter how she feels, she has to keep up her image of a contented wife in a loving marriage, to an uncanny degree. Meryl (unintentionally) personifies the horrors of post-war domesticity.

*** In conclusion, Christof unintentionally created a toxic parody of the worst aspects of American life, since this perfection came at the expense of Truman's other forms of well-being.

* It is very well possible the trauma of his father's "death" drove Truman to the insurance business. Truman is genuinely a decent person, so a business that helps people who suffered accidents is something that could fit him like a glove.

* Almost none of the actors seem to actually care about Truman as a person, and Meryl doesn't pretend to show concern about Truman's mental health. This is no accident, but Christof's intention: Christof's scheme relies on people who are willing to keep someone captive for lots of money. Anybody who could come to care for Truman would inevitably destroy the facade, and so Christoff doesn't let anyone who feels any genuine emotional connection to him to stay on set.

* Sylvia was guilt-ridden for her (minor) involvement in the deception around Truman's life, while WordOfGod and several deleted scenes show Marlon as deeply ''traumatized'' by what he has helped put Truman show. How many other people suffer from the guilt of having helped, indirectly or otherwise, the Truman show become what it is.
* Looking through the book of old photos, we see Truman and his parents visiting an obviously fake Mt. Rushmore. His mother mentions "he slept the whole way there." While this trip clearly took place in a remote and rarely visited area of the Geodome, did they actually ''drug'' Truman so that he was asleep for the entire supposed duration of the "drive"?

* It's a complete stroke of luck that Truman turns out to be such a nice person. What if he grows up to be a complete asshole no matter how well they try to raise him? What if he's born with [[TheSociopath antisocial personality disorder]]? Would Christoff just run with it and allow Truman to be a complete dick to his castmates with impunity? Having to keep a nice Truman in the dark is stressful enough. Now imagine doing the same to a maniac who can fly off the handle at any moment.

* It's a complete stroke of luck that Truman turns out to be such a nice person. What if he grows up to be a complete asshole no matter how well they try to raise him? What if he's born with [[TheSociopath antisocial personality disorder]]? Would Christoff just run with it and allow Truman to be a complete dick with impunity? Nice as he is, Truman is already capable of pretty scary outbursts. Imagine this but with a truly sociopathic Truman.