God Vs Man in "The Truman Show"

Recently, I watched a movie (with which I sincerely hope the reader is familiar, as it is a marvelous work) called The Truman Show. In the movie a man named Truman Burbank is going about his normal, everyday life when a stage-light falls out of the sky. A news report soon informs him that a plane had experienced some kind of mid-flight disaster and had shed parts as it fell out of the sky. This is soon followed by another long series of strange events which chip away at Truman's belief in the world around him. What Truman does not comprehend, even at the height of his paranoia, is that his entire life is cruelly and unjustly put on display for all the world to see in the form of a television show.

In the second half of the movie, the sad state of Truman's existence is explained as a news program interviews the respected and esteemed director of Truman's entire life. Christof--the director--describes how the network had adopted Truman and raised him in an artificial world. Christof explains how the whole set works, elaborates on the past troubles they had dealt with in keeping Truman under control, and even hints at a new romantic turn in Truman's life, seemingly unaware that it is another human being that he is speaking of and not some mute animal to be fed, bred, and broken in.

Before the end of the interview, a former cast member named Sylvia Garland calls in to tell Christof that what he is doing is sick, twisted, and--put simply--evil. The man interviewing Christof treats Sylvia like an insane, tiresome pest and allows her to stay on the line only because Christof says that he wants to talk with her. During the debate that ensues, Christof affirms that it is the real world that is sick and the world that he had created for Truman was by far preferable.

In this modern world, we often like to think that we are above the barbarism found in history books, that we really do care about all those starving strangers. This is not entirely a lie, for as human beings we are endowed with a conscience and a sense of sympathy. However, we also have more selfish tendencies, which thrive on apathy just as fire thrives on the heat that is at once its own product and one of its three basic necesities. If we can in any way justify a crime that benefits us, that selfishness will worm its way into our subconcsience, quickly and quietly silencing all opposition. Why should we ever stop to consider the malevolence that delivered to us our daily luxuries? When one man wants to play God, why should we object, so long as he offers us something in return?

For it was indeed the role of God that Christof was so eager to assume, and when his unearned title was challenged, he was ready to kill for it. As Truman sails away into what he thinks is the great blue sea, but in actuality is nothing but a giant, inverted fishbowl, Christof calls on his artificial omnipotency to capsize Truman's ship and even bring him within a hairsbreath of death. In Christof's mind, Truman belongs to him and before Christof, Truman has no inherent human rights.

After Truman has almost died, Christof tells his staff to end the storm. Christof watches as Truman, determined to escape the prison he still does not fully comprehend, sails on until his boat runs into a wall. When the full scale of his enslavement comes to light, Truman beats his fist against the wall until he finally surrenders to the undeniable reality of his prison and collapses, wailing, against it. After a while, Truman simply walks along the length of the wall until he reaches an exit and it is now that Christof finally decides it is time to speak with his favorite toy.

Christof tells Truman thatr he is the "creator of a television show that brings hope and joy to millions." As he says the words, he audibly pauses as he relishes the meaning and use of that one word, "creator." After his little display of pride, Christof describes how he has been watching Truman all his life. He tells Truman about how the world beyond that door is just waiting to betray him, how in his world there is nothing to fear, and how he just knows that Truman will choose to remain.

Unbeknownst to Christof, as all this is happening, Sylvia is sitting in front of her television watching Truman desperately and pleading with the one true God to help him make the right choice. Unaware of the confrontation in which he is now engaged, Christof surrenders to the reality of his stationin life and says "well say something! You're on TV!" In response, Truman turns around simply says "in case I don't see you: good afternoon, good evening, and good night."

The lesson of this wanna-be god? When you try to take the place of the Creator of all things, He won't do a thing to stop you; He'll just sit back and watch you fail.