The Reflection of The Truman Show

  I have watched this movie when I was a seven-year-old child. Although my mother has explained the content of the film to me many times, I still could not realize the implied meaning behind the plot at that time. Recently, when I chatted with my senior high school Chinese teacher, we talked about the most impressive and attractive movie I had watched, then this situation reminds me of The Truman Show.
  The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Andrew Niccol. The leading role is Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank. The film describes that a man called Truman Burbank is entirely unconscious that he is living in a peeping-Ton TV show which broadcast around the clock to billions of people around the world. Truman’s hometown, Seahaven, is a giant dome. Everything in the Seahaven is artificial, inclusive of the weather, the sun, his wife and his friends. The producer Christof attempts to capture Truman's real emotion, reflection and human behavior when puts Truman in every situations. Truman gradually notices that his near-prefect world has something extraordinary happen at the age of 30, such as his dead father appears on the street as a vagrant and there are the same people appear in the same places at certain times everyday day. He begins to become aware of some subtle oddities in his daily life. In the end of the movie Truman escapes the unreal world and comes into the real world.
  After enjoying the film, there are three principal and different aspects that are worth deeply discussing and reviewing. The first aspect is from the viewpoint of the producer - Christof. He adopts Truman Burbank in the name of the movie company, and keeps paying attention on Truman from his childhood; moreover, he offers various obstacles to create dramatic and exaggerated effects, such as his fear of the water, the determination of the love affair and the obstructions on his adventure… From the perspective of human rights, all sorts of sufferings seem too merciless and inhumane. Nevertheless, all living creatures which exist in this world and on this planet, whether there is as well as a producer such as “God”, “fate” or probably even the known or not. It keeps breathing down our necks, but we are not conscious of it.
  The second aspect is from the viewpoint of the audience. All of the relatives, friends, neighbors, and passersby, which have played the parts in Truman’s journey of life, are merely actors and actresses. Only the lead - Truman is the “True Man” in the show, so the words he has said and the affection he has revealed are the sincereness and truth. Because of the realization of all Truman’s real emotions, the acting beyond truthfulness and the theatric, effective and impressive plots, the audience can not help but addict to the plot. On the other hand, the Truman Show undoubtedly gives the audience the pleasant sensation of peeping someone. Under billions of eyes, Truman’s life was totally recorded by five thousand spy cameras. However, in the meanwhile the audience accompanies Truman to grow up, to adventure and break down all the barriers in his 30-year life. That is the reason why when Truman crosses the artificial sea and opens the door of the tremendous film studio in the end of the show, the audience breaks into rapturous applause.
  The third aspect is from the outlook of Truman himself. When Truman realizes that the world where he has lived in is unreal, he asks a question: "Was nothing real?" Then the producer – Christof answers: "You were real. That's what made you so good to watch. There is no more truth out there than there is in the world I created for you. The same lies, the same deceit. But in my world, you have nothing to fear." Truman, after a moment's thought, delivers his trademark phrase - "In case I don't see you... good afternoon, good evening, and good night,"- bows to his audience, and steps through the door and into the real world. In fact, the words that Christof says imply a parabolic truth: if we human being would always live slothfully and easeful rather than approach our ideal, establish self-affirmation, we would gradually lose our ways day by day. Ultimately we end our lifespan in fooling around just like a tragedy. Truman eventually throws away the comfortable yet untrue life but choose to live to be himself instead. We should learn the way that Truman faces his real life, even if we know there are plenty of obstructions in the future. Besides, we should as well imitate Truman’s optimistic character and the spirit of facing challenges bravely. These noble personalities, which lead him to find out who he really is, are priceless treasure that will make us success and lead us to the truth.

My Moon Festival

  Last Saturday was not only September 29th on the solar calendar but also August 14th in the lunar calendar. My parents decided to go back to our hometown - Changhua for the sake of celebrating the Moon Festival and having a family reunion. In order to avoid the inevitable traffic jam and arrive on time, we woke up at 8 o'clock and left for Changhua at 9 o'clock. Because we prepared plenty of food for the dinner and BBQ, we needed to spend much time moving the foodstuffs aboard. We did not even have any food until we arrived. After getting on the car, I gradually fell asleep. Little did I know that when I woke up, there was a heavy traffic jam on the freeway. With the time went by, there were 4 hours from our departure to then. Nevertheless, we still did not arrive. Consequently, we temporarily decided to visit my parents' old friends and simultaneously take a break...
  When we arrived, my parents' old friends welcomed us much enthusiastically and amicably. As soon as they saw us visiting them, they entertained us with various delicious fruits, cookies and plenty of desserts and beverages right away. Their hospitality not only made us feel like at home but also relieved our tiredness and weariness. However, unfortunately we needed to reach our destination earlier, so we could not spend too much time staying. My parents promised that we must make a special trip to call on them next time in the near future. For the sake of appreciating their kindness and friendliness and furthermore apologizing for bothering them without inform them in advance, my mother decided to send them a box of pineapple cake to show our gratefulness and apology.
  Then we got aboard again. After one hour, eventually we reached our hometown-Shueiwei village. The first beauty that caught my eye are the spacious, emerald, lovely farmland where had a few sparrows and scarecrows. There were numerous muddy crisscross paths on the farmlands. An old barefoot farmer was crossing the footpath. My old home was originally a three-walled courtyard residence; however, it was rebuilt few years ago. Nowadays it become two modern cottages. There was a wide and vacant land where we always bask the grains in the sun in front of the two cottages. That was the place where we were going to have a BBQ. My father and my uncles prepared the setting of the grills; on the other hand, my mother and my aunts prepared the foodstuffs. At the same time I took the responsibility for taking care of my four little lovely and lively nephews and nieces. I played with the children while waiting for the beginning of the sumptuous dinner.
  Around 5 o'clock, we started to BBQ. It was a bountiful feast; there were pork chop, mutton chop, fish platoon, roast chicken, grilled squid, sausages, vegetables and mushroom...etc on the BBQ. Everyone was greatly satisfied with the plentiful dinner.
  Because some days ago was one of my nephew's 10th birthday, my two sisters and I prepared a secret and surprise present for him. After having the BBQ, my aunt brought out a chocolate cake to celebrate my nephew's birthday. When everyone was singing the birthday song, my two sisters and I brought out the gift to send him. As soon as he saw the gift, he was just like on the cloud nine, and he's eyes were shining. When he opened the gift, he said "WOW!!!" right away. Because the present that he received was his coveted and favorite toy - TOY GUN! He was so delighted that he could not wait to play it immediately. Then the next two hours, we started a breathtaking, adventurous and entertaining battle. Although I had spared no efforts to defend, ultimately I still could not resist the violent and powerful attack and fall in battle.
  In order to avoid the traffic jam, we chose to come back to Taipei at night. We got up to return at 10 o'clock. After I and my nephews and nieces embraced each other, my family reluctantly left in their sight. It was quite fluent on the way home; hence we arrived home at near 2 o'clock. After taking a bath, I went to bed, ended a heart-felt, sweet, content and amazing Moon Festival.