sylvia and christof

sylvia

03/11/1991

Today was an average mundane day. Except for the fact that I saw the most beautiful girl I
have ever seen. I don’t even know her name, but all I know is that I want to be hers. Her hair is
like the colour of chestnuts and her eyes the colour of the sea. Although I am terri ed of the
sea, looking into her eyes I felt a sense of peace and excitement, a combination I’ve never felt
before. I don’t even know what classes she’s in, or where I can nd her. It’s driving me crazy. I
need to know more about her, I can’t even stop thinking about her.

07/11/1991

I saw her at the library today. She was so beautiful. I went up to her and talked to her. She
started saying she couldn’t be with me. I don’t know why. I’ve never talked to her before. I had
never felt more devastated in my life. Just as I was building up the courage to walk away, she
whispered that if we wanted to hangout we needed to go now. Obviously I went with her. All
I’ve wanted for the past few days is to be with her. We ran to the beach. All I remember is
kissing her and feeling more alive than ever. Then that feeling ended. I don’t even know how,
but a car came zooming down the sand bank and took her away. Everything was a blur. She was
saying ‘it’s not real, it’s not real’, I don’t even know what she was talking about. I shouted back
‘What’s not real?’ Then she was gone.

christof

concept explanation example

abusive parent Christof exploited Trumans privacy.
Truman was unaware he was being
lmed and therefore never received
basic privacy. In todays culture if
someone lmed you or put a
camera in your private space
without your consent or knowledge,
they could get into serious trouble
for it.
When Truman buys those women
magazines and secretly rads them,
he thinks he is in private, but in
reality everyone can see what he’s
doing. He is unaware of this
invasion of privacy and this is a
serious ethical issue.

blatant lies On multiple occasions Christof has When Truman was younger
blatantly lied to Truman with his Christof staged a death scene for
own sel sh intent. Although he his father. Obviously everyone else
rarely verbally speaks to him, he knew his Dad didn’t actually die,
keeps Truman from the truth. what Truman experienced was very
real. He grew up terri ed of the
water and without a father all
because Christof wanted to keep
him on Seahaven.
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 control eak Everything has to go Christofs way
and he often sacri ces Trumans
mental and physical well-being to
ensure the tv-show remains running
as is.
a god i am Christof acted like the “god” in
Trumans life. He was quite literally
the man in the sky, and held his
authority and control over Truman,
controlling everything in Trumans
life.
manipulator Christof regularly controls Truman.
He never gives Truman the freedom
to choose, but rather limits his
choices by eliminating any option
he does not want Truman to
choose. Whenever Truman tries to
leave, he makes it as di cult as
possible with the intent of making
Truman surrender and give up.
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When Truman wanted to travel,
Christof scripted and staged many
events that forcefully disabled
Truman from leaving Seahaven.
Meryl and Marlon were both told
to dissuade him, many transport
vehicles ‘broke down’ and natural
disasters surrounded him wherever
he went.
When Truman is on the boat,
trying to escape, Christof ignores
all other employees and causes a
massive storm. By excersising this
kind of control over Truman he is
acting like a god. He is taking his
anger of being out of control on
Truman and tries to manipulate him
into going back home.
When Truman has “reached the
end of the earth” he is making the
decision wether to stay or to go.
Christof talks down on him, like an
intimidating adult talking to a small
child. He carefully choses his words
to make Truman rethink his reason
for leaving, saying that the world he
has created form is much better
than the world outside.