Sympathy for the Devil in The Truman Show
In the realm of philosophy, it has been argued whether mankind has to adhere to the sovereignty of a supreme force or have the freedom to make their own way. As The Truman Show has been out for over twenty years now, there have many people contributing to this discussion and many of those have pointed out connections to Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” or Descarte’s “Evil Genius.” Others want to compare the similarities to The Matrix which came out the following year.
As there have been numerous responses to The Truman Show, less space has been given to the overtly allegorical elements of the film. If it is noticed by critics, it is left without explanation. While others have hinted at religious undertones, it is my attempt to flesh out what they may mean.
In the 1998 film, Jim Carrey plays the lovable Truman Burbank, the star of an international television show bearing his name. Truman is completely unaware that he has been filmed from his birth until his nearing thirty years of age with every moment broadcast live to faithful viewers.
Every part of Truman’s life is “counterfeit”; everything is a massive set, known as Seahaven, directed by Christof (Ed Harris), the creator of the show. Everyone that Truman knows, including his wife, Meryl (Laura Linney), and best friend, Marlon (Noah Emmerich), are actors playing to the façade created for him. Sylvia (Natascha McElhone), an extra, is the only character who does not buy into this simulation, and when an affectionate bond occurs with Truman, she is forcibly removed from the show. Sylvia attempts to tell him the truth before being dragged away to never be seen on the show again.
As his world begins to fall apart, Truman becomes acutely aware that his reality is not as real as he once thought. He ultimately devises and completes a plan to leave the environment that has been manufactured for him and seek Sylvia along with a new reality. While this makes for an enjoyable movie, Christian undertones are apparent from this alternate world of Truman.
In the beginning, Christof created The Truman Show. He has elevated himself to god-like status. He can manipulate Truman’s reality exactly as he sees fit. Christof’s enormous cast of actors repeat lines from their god to Truman. Christof has providence to give and take as he chooses; he can guide reality as he wishes.
Based on his name, Christof may be assumed to have an allegorical relation to Jesus Christ, but his name, “bearer of Christ,” suggests that he cares for the real Christ-figure — Truman. Christof shares a father-like bond with Truman, though they never meet. He places Truman in a world of his own creation to live “a normal life.”
While Truman is the son of this god-figure, he also idealizes the common man, as his name suggests. In this way, he is also like Adam from Genesis. He has been developed with the image of god, i.e., the image determined by Christof. The film, in many ways, represents the prelapsarian scenes of Genesis 1–3.
Seahaven is representative of the Garden of Eden. Truman begins questioning his place in paradise when a production light falls from the fabricated sky. The light is labeled “Sirius (9 Canis Major).” This light and the several like it serve as stars. In the Bible, stars that fall to Earth are representative of fallen angels.
This scene is reminiscent of the fallen angel Lucifer entering the garden. The film concludes with the new reality that comes from the fall and separation between Adam and God. In the final scene, by walking up the stairs and out of the set into reality, Truman places himself on the same level as his creator, Christof. This shared likeness is foretold by Lucifer as the serpent in Eden.
If Christof is God, the film would have viewers think that he is an oppressive god that forces this plight upon his son. While both the Biblical God and the creator Christof god forbid certain knowledge from their creation, Christof’s prohibition is made to feel more aggressive as every attempt of Truman to discover the truth is suppressed. Christof’s instructions that forbid Truman to leave, are less direct than God’s command not to eat of the tree.
Truman as Adam is further evidenced by examining Sylvia.
Sylvia is symbolical of the serpent in that she prompts Truman towards a forbidden knowledge. The name, Slyvia, has a meaning related to “woods,” “forest,” or even “spirit of the wood.” These further her association with prelapsarian imagery. Her red cardigan, like the apple from the Tree of Knowledge, serves as Truman’s keepsake of his change. While this event is the catalyst for Truman, it will take years of piecing the puzzle together before he sees the truth of his existence.
Christof and Sylvia demonstrate opposing forces, good and evil, as shown by their phone conversation about an hour into the film. She calls him to say, “you’re a liar, and a manipulator and what you’ve done to Truman is sick.” Christof responds by saying, “I have given Truman a chance to lead a normal life. The world…the place you live in…is the sick place. Seahaven is the way the world should be.” Each is seen demonstrating their care by reaching out and touching Truman as he appears on their T.V. screens. The two are posed in opposition as they claim that they know what is better for Truman.
Sylvia is shown to be a more sympathetic character than Christof, Marlon or any member of the cast. This appears to be intentional as she is Truman’s solo guide to truth in a world of deceivers. Conversely, this sets up Christof to be the bad guy, a manipulator of the truth. Each presents a depiction of truth and Truman chooses the picture presented by Sylvia.
At this point, I stop to consider why anyone should want Truman to leave his perfect world to experience the cruel reality that awaits him outside of Seahaven. To push this thought allegorically, why should anyone cheer for Truman’s breakthrough into forbidden knowledge while they condemn Adam for his?
The quick response would probably be to recognize the suppression of freedom forced upon Truman by Christof as a negative. Whether one believes this to be the case, they must understand the tradeoff of freedoms for safety. Christof believes that he is merely protecting Truman. The lack of autonomy is justified by the end: security in Christof’s utopia.
Similarly, should a Christian question whether the result of Christ’s life on Earth and sacrifice, namely propitiation, were worth the withholding of his freedom? Christianity teaches that his sacrifice enables freedom in Him.
The allegory so far becomes confused as Truman transitions from Adam to Christ. The sequence of events at the end of the film shows this transformation. When on his boat, Truman is nearly drowned but resurfaces in a pose resembling crucifixion. This baptism, or rebirth, is the preeminent event that signifies his change; Truman has transformed from Adam who sought new knowledge to the knowing Christ who must make amends.
As seen in this and the previous picture, each shot shows Truman with outstretched arms like Christ crucified. Crucifixion was the ultimate act of sacrifice for Christ. Truman’s sacrifice is metaphorical; he relinquishes his current life, i.e, his life in paradisical Seahaven, to enter into the unknown real world. He walks out of the set through a doorway into darkness and presumably finds Slyvia and leads a normal life.
Earlier I questioned why viewers, especially Christians, should want Truman to go against his god, Christof, to take the side of Sylvia. Why should people sympathize with this allegorical devil? Sylvia appears to be a Christian, though, as she prays, “Please God,” when Truman is being persuaded by Christof to stay in Seahaven. Conversely, Christof profanes God when coercing Truman to give some response. It appears that both characters have changed from their original allegorical forms.
So what does this all mean?
Only one answer seems to fit: a felix culpa.
As the fall of man brought about the new covenant and grace of Jesus Christ, the fall of Truman Burbank, the breaking with his manufactured life, enabled him to enter into the untethered life of reality. Despite the unclear hardships that are sure to follow, Truman steps out in the real world apart from his creator. This fortunate fall is demonstrated through the baptism and crucifixion imagery, as Truman has been removed from one paradisical life and redeemed into another, presumably better, life.
As I have pondered on these allegorical relations, I find one unanswerable question, perhaps the hidden argument within the film, still remains: After having gained the knowledge from the Tree in the Garden of Eden, if they had not been forced out, would Adam and Eve leave the garden of their own volition?
