The Truman Show (1998)
How's it Going to End?
The Truman Show can be challenging to write about due to its rich themes and lessons. Watching the film feels like experiencing a modern parable similar to the stories of Buddha or the expulsion of Adam and Eve. A key lesson from the movie is the importance of having the courage to question and explore our world.
The film stars Jim Carrey as Truman, a man who doesn't know his entire life is a TV show set on a soundstage. Ed Harris plays Christof, the show's creator, who manipulates Truman's life to keep him from discovering the truth. The actors, including his wife Meryl (Laura Linney) and best friend Marlon (Noah Emmerich), work to keep Truman on the fictional Seahaven Island.
Truman's life on Seahaven Island appears perfect. He has a steady job, a loving wife, and a strong support system. Despite having all his needs met, Truman desires more from life; he wants to explore the world. The film suggests that the safety of familiarity can be dull, and growth comes from facing challenges.
Seahaven & The Evangelical Church
This resonates with my personal experiences. I grew up in the American Evangelical Christian community, attending private Christian schools before transitioning to public school in 5th grade, which was a huge culture shock. As a child, I was devoted to Christ, mainly through a strict sense of right and wrong. Everything from the music we could enjoy to the shows we could watch existed in a binary of good and evil. Evangelical circles often leave little room for discussion, rewarding those who conform and rarely embracing those who question. Humans prefer what is easy, consistent, and familiar, resisting change, especially when it threatens their environments.
Around my third year of college, I began to struggle with heavy depression and anxiety. Spiritually, I found solace in the Christian Mystics, saints, and contemplative traditions. This approach to faith, which embraced mystery rather than argument, was comforting. It felt like an invitation to explore the unknown aspects of God rather than solve them.
Truman, by the end of the film, also seeks more than easy answers. He notices inconsistencies in his reality and pushes for the truth, eventually stepping through a stage door into the unknown. This moment reflects the profound question: "How's it going to end?" This question applies not only to the film and Truman's fictional show but also to the realities we prioritize.
Embracing Mystery
In my Evangelical upbringing, a significant focus was on the end times and the second coming of Jesus Christ, often overshadowing the importance of the present. Hebrews 13:8 promises comfort in the unchanging nature of Christ, but the mystery lies in discovering how this manifests. Colossians 1:16 tells us that "in him all things were created...; all things have been created through him and for him." This lifelong mystery of how Christ is revealed through all things is something we explore as God's image-bearers. Certainty can often be the enemy of faith. Truman's final step into the unknown symbolizes the trust we must have in the mystery of Christ.
Truman's journey is hindered by fears and insecurities, many of which Christof created. Unlike our Christ-soaked reality, Christof's manufactured world uses fear to keep Truman within his comfort zone. A staged memory of his father's drowning prevents Truman from confronting water. Similarly, the threat of Hell kept me from asking deep, meaningful questions about myself and God for much of my life.
Embracing the mystery of God may require us to reconsider what we think we know. Our experiences and upbringing shape our worldview, but growth comes from examining and reassessing this foundation. As long as we move forward with grace and humility, Christ will guide us.
