Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2-11-2026

Department 1

First Year Seminar

Department 2

Interdisciplinary Studies

Abstract

This paper aims to examine The Truman Show (1998) through the existentialist ideas of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, with particular attention to his concepts of freedom, bad faith, and self-creation, while also exploring the existentialist themes previously articulated by philosophers such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. The Truman Show serves as an allegory of existential freedom, demonstrating throughout that individuals are not born with an innate, fixed nature, but rather continually define themselves through their choices, ultimately illustrating Sartre’s principle that “existence precedes essence”. The concluding realization of the main character, Truman Burbank, that his world is an elaborate illusion embodies that principle—and reflects the existential journey toward true authenticity, primarily with how it requires taking accountability for one’s choices. The purpose of this paper will specifically draw on Sartre’s Existentialism is a Humanism to demonstrate how Truman’s environment enforced bad faith by restricting his freedom to imposed roles and narratives. The film further expands on the idea of asserting individual values, and by acknowledging the difficulties of his reality and making those deliberate choices, Truman symbolizes the concept of living in good faith. Ultimately, and in Sartre’s terms, Truman’s final act of defiance represents true personal liberation, and most importantly, the broader truth that no one is truly free until all can choose freely.

Comments

This poster was created based on work for FYS 137-A: Plato, Personhood, and Popcorn: Big Ideas on the Big Screen and presented as a part of the eleventh annual CAFE Symposium on February 11, 2026.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.

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