"The Truman Show" is and remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Psychologically, it's a beautifully twisted story that combines the parallels of the human psyche and the ideologies of entertainment. Truman Burbank, unaware that his entire life is a reality show televised 24/7, slowly begins to unravel the mystery surrounding his life and the horrible truth behind why he can never leave Seahaven Island.
Similarly to Winston Smith in George Orwell's "1984," Smith is a simple man living in a complex world where the government sets up everything in an attempt to mold ignorance and passive aggression into the citizens falling under government control. Smith, different from everybody else, begins to strip away his parallels and see the government for the controlling totalitarian dictatorship that it truly is. These two characters, though on the surface seem completely different, share many similarities to their surrounding environment and how they choose to interact with it.
The most surprising similarity that I saw was the use of 'sex' as a rebellious ideology. You have two different characters, Julia and Sylvia, who both engage in sexual activity with the main character as a way to go against the common normality and make a statement against what the society stands for. Sylvia and Truman in the face of the television show, and Julia and Winston in a determined rebellion standing against the principles of Big Brother.
However, the means of these two acts vary in their history and means of conduction. Between Julia and Winston, it's an obvious act of rebellion in the face of a greater government. Winston himself even reflects on these actions as a heated, violent form of rebellion within the second part of the novel. This same sort of rebellious attitude is not shared by Truman and Sylvia. Truman sees Sylvia instead as a desired partner over the Truman Show's forced partner, Meryl, and while Sylvia at first is opposed, she instead falls to Truman's love and desires him as a partner. The difference comes in the desired outcome of each situation, and while similar, they vary completely in nature.
Winston and Julia meant to be rebellious, whereas Sylvia and Truman simple were meant to be.
The principles differentiate between the two couples, with one being directly influenced and viewable in the eyes of the totalitarian leadership and the other not. Sylvia and Truman can ALWAYS been seen by Cristof, the man responsible for the creation of the Truman Show. Julia and Winston, on the other hand, are free from Big Brother in certain parts of the 1984 universe, such as the forest where they first engage in sexual conduct. Nevertheless, these two stories still follow the similar pact of moving against what a society believes to be true, and follows suit further within the interactions between the lovers.
This is not the only place the two stories are similar, however. Both Winston and Truman share the idea of retaining memory. Sylvia Garland's sweater and photograph are locked in Truman's basement, and the Thought Police, as of now, are unable to track Winston remembering the times and situations he spent with his wife. Both characters share a dislike of the partners they've been 'given,' and retain the memories of the things they desire, from real, actual sex to a partner who truly cares.
However, there's a difference between this scenario as well. A fan of the Truman Show quotes "they could erase her, they couldn't erase the memory." Sylvia Garland will always be a piece of that show's fabricated history, unable to be deleted. If this were to take place within the same societal framework as 1984, however, the history would be destroyed. Those who go against the government of Big Brother are taken out of history, permanently, forever. On one hand, the government of 'Truman' cannot erase the mistakes it makes, but the government of '1984' prides itself on rewriting and changing the past.
Even with these differences, the two stories remain quite similar in their morals and stories, with the imposition of government and what it means to be human taken into account. If you haven't seen this movie, I heavily recommend it, and you will question your moral character forever once the final curtain falls.
"You NEVER had a camera in my head!"
Hey, that's pretty good
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