In the film ‘The Truman Show’ directed by Peter Weir Truman’s mind is manipulated in many ways in order for him to have very small aspects of freewill. Truman is forced into relationships. He’s emotions are attacked with his family’s issues and the stress of money. He cannot escape the dome because of his fears and physical barriers that Christof has created. He is able to go wherever he pleases within Seahaven, but is unable to escape the dome without Christof’s consent.
Truman has only some free will as he can’t leave the dome and explore the world. Christof monitors Truman’s every movement, which allows him to interrupt any chance of freewill that may arise for Truman. Christof only allows Truman to go where he wants him to go and does all in his power to stop him from taking detours. For example Truman noticed a fake traffic jam had been created for him and said to Meryl “Look Meryl! Same road, no cars! ”.
He used physical barriers to try and stop Truman from going places he was not allowed. FIRE WARNING DANGER” signs and fake nuclear explosion scenes are set up to try and change Truman’s final decision of trying to escape the dome, stopping him from doing as he likes once again. Truman tries to escape from Seaheavan multiple times but each time is stopped by an obstacle. Truman doesn’t have much freewill. ”As Truman grew up” Christof “was forced to manufacture ways to keep him on the island”. Christof trained dogs to bark and growl at Truman each time he ventured somewhere prohibited. Christof had “created a fear of water” which, made escaping off of an island surrounded by water very difficult.
Truman is afraid of disappointing his wife Meryl, who is always pushing Truman to do as she asks and wants. The land inside the dome was purposely created as an island to help assist Christof in keeping Truman a prisoner. Truman is the puppet, his family and friends are the strings and Christof is the handles. Truman is unable to leave Seahaven without Christof’s consent. Truman’s life was planned out for him; he never had any say in it. His wife and mother are always emotionally manipulating him by convincing him he is crazy, is imagining things and “needs help”.
Every idea Truman comes up with is shut down by patronising comments from his wife and mother until he agrees with them. Another example of Truman being emotionally manipulated to have no freedom would be when a ticket seller asks Truman “one way or return? ” which triggered memory’s and once again stopped Truman from travelling out of Seahaven. He is never able to be spontaneous and do as he pleases because Christof does not allow it; each day is the same and goes to plan. Truman’s has been given some freewill, but most of his choices have been made for him.
Truman has never thought for himself . He is managed emotionally and psychologically and physically in order to stop his freedom and freewill at all costs. He can’t leave when he pleases . He can’t explore the whole of Seahaven and he cannot be with the one he really loves but he can be himself. Christof had no right to steal most of Truman’s freewill and to turn Truman’s life into “some kind of mockery” is cruel and inhumane. As soon as Truman was born any rights he may have had were striped from him. Truman is a “prisoner, not a performer” and should be given the freewill he deserves.
