Freshman English - Discussion Questions for The Truman Show

Discussion Questions for Peter Weirs The Truman Show 1. Discuss the significance of Seahaven as a constructed world by relating it to the quotes below: The media do not offer a transparent window on the world. They provide channels through which representations and images of the world can be communicated indirectly. The media intervene: they provide us with selective versions of the world, rather than direct access to it. (David Buckingham in Media Education, . !, "##$, %olity %ress& The media are major industries, generating profit and employment; they provide us with most of our information about the political process; and they offer us ideas, images and representations (both factual and fictional that inevitably shape our view of reality. (David Buckingham in Media Education, . ', "##$, %olity %ress& The media are embedded in the te!tures and routines of everyday life; and they provide many of the symbolic resources we use to conduct and interpret our relationships and to define our identities. (David Buckingham in Media Education, . ', "##$, %olity %ress& ". Discuss how the names below contribute to our understanding of the film: Seahaven, (ruman, Burbank ((ruman)s surname&, *hristof, Santa +aria (the yacht in the film& !. ,hat camera techniques are used in the scenes de icting (ruman- .re there any unusual camera angles you can s ot- /ive some e0am les and discuss how they contribute to the audiences) understanding of the story and (ruman. $. ,hat camera techniques are used in the scenes de icting *hristof- /ive some e0am les and discuss how they contribute to the audiences) understanding of the story and *hristof. '. ,hat does *hristof)s lunar control room re resent in the film1. Discuss the following quote by relating it to (ruman: Television, with insatiable hunger for material, has made celebrities into content. 2oger 3bert, 1445, *hicago Sun6(imes. 7. ,hat does (ruman)s esca e to sea signify5. .ccording to 2obert *astle ("##', Bright 8ights 9ilm :ournal, ;ssue $4&, (he (ruman Show demonstrates an individual)s struggle to gain his true Self. *omment on what the role of media could be in causing an individual to not know his true Self. Do you believe that audiences are so weak that they are unable to resist the ower of media- .re they em ty vessels easily mani ulated by the media4. <ow does the film view audiences in general- Does it consider audiences a homogenous or a diverse body- Does it stereoty e audiences- Discuss. 1#. ;n the film *hristof says =,e acce t the reality which we are resented.> (o what e0tent do you agree with *hristofSource:
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