Truman Show And 500 Days Of Summer: Postmodernism Analysis

Hannabuss, Stuart. "Encyclopedia of Postmodernism." Reference Reviews 15.1 (2001): 9-10. ProQuest. Web. 16 Sep. 2015.

The source explains in details all the characteristics of postmodernism. It says that postmodernism is “about knowledge and epistemology (knowledge about knowledge, how we know and what we know as true)” (Hannabuss). Hannabuss says that postmodernism is a unique representation of modern living (Hannabuss). Hannabuss also explains that “postmodernism has come a long way since 1960” (Hannabuss). The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer share the characteristics that Hannabuss lists therefore the films fall into the postmodernist era.

To begin with, 500 Days of Summer is released in 2009 and The Truman Show in 1998; therefore,

these movies can be put in the category of postmodernism because both movies are made after 1960. Furthermore, both films represent “modern living.” For example, in 500 Days of Summer, Summer is an independent woman; she works, she has a salary, and her love ideals are liberal. In The Truman Show, Hannah works to provide income to the household. In the modern era is more common to see independent women with a stable job and income. Lastly, in both films the main characters, Tom and Truman, portrays epistemology. For instance, Truman believes that everything he knows is true such as his house, wife, and friends; likewise, Tom thinks that in order to be emotionally involved with someone there must be a relationship because that is what society makes them trust. This source can be trusted when doing a research paper in how these films fit postmodernism because the characteristics listed in the review can be found on both films.

Wall, Brian. ""Jackie Treehorn Treats Objects Like Women!": Two Types of Fetishism in the Big Lebowski." Camera Obscura.69 (2008): 111. ProQuest. Web. 16 Sep. 2015.
This Source is about Wall’s film, which has become a protocol to postmodernism in a film. “The film has become a privileged exemplar of postmodernism in film due to its aleatory plot… and its reduction of character to stereotype” (Wall). This source could support The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer as postmodernist films because of the “aleatory plot” and “The reduction of character stereotype.”
Initially, the fact that the source and the two topics of research are films is a huge similarity this source could be very useful because the random plot would be more noticeable. For example in 500 Days of Summer the narration is full of flashbacks and interruptions to the structure of the movie. In The Truman Show the plot is interrupted from time to time with flashbacks explaining Truman’s identity. The plot, in both movies, does not adhere to the traditional flow because it goes from one moment of the story to another. Moreover, in 500 Days of Summer and in The Truman Show we see a significant reduction of stereotypes. For example in 500 Days of Summer, Summer does not fall in love with Tom. In like manner in The Truman Show Truman and Hannah are not really in love. This challenges the stereotype that in most movies the main characters end up falling in love and living happily ever after. Another example would be that both women in the films do not depend on men as often seen in films. Summer and Hannah have a stable job and a steady income.
In the final analysis, this source would be very helpful when doing a research paper in postmodernism because this source reinforces the fact that 500 Days of Summer and The Truman Show are postmodernists films because they share major characteristics with Wall’s film.

Bloland, Harland G. "Postmodernism and Higher Education." The Journal of Higher Education 66.5 (1995): 521. ProQuest. Web. 17 Sep. 2015.
This article talks about how postmodernist perspectives have influenced American culture.

It goes into details about the different types of postmodernist perspectives that can be found in American culture. Bloland says that the primary significance of postmodernism is “its power to account for and reflect vast changes in our society and culture”. In the films The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer we can find many of the changes in our society and culture.

To begin with, The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer depict societal changes in technological innovations and ideology. For example, the technological innovations are depicted by Tom and Truman working in firms with computers, printers, and telephones. An example for ideology would be gender equality; in both films we see women working at the same level as men and having the same opportunities as well. In 500 Days of Summer, Summer works in the same place as Tom. In The Truman Show Hannah works at a hospital with other men, as well as Truman working at a firm with other women.

Furthermore, the cultural changes seen in both films are adults living by themselves. For example in 500 Days of Summer, Tom lives by himself as well as Summer, as she lives in her own apartment. In The Truman Show, Truman’s mom lives alone after the fraudulent death of her husband and Truman lives by himself after Hannah leaves

him.
To conclude, this source would support a research paper in postmodernism, The Truman Show, and 500 Hundred Days of Summer because both films depicts the changes that Bloland lists. The changes can be found everywhere within the movie therefore the two films can fall into the category of postmodernism.
Green, Daniel. "Postmodern American Fiction." The Antioch Review Fall 2003: 729-41. ProQuest. Web. 17 Sep. 2015 .
This source explains that postmodern writing can be classified as experimental. Green says that postmodernism is “calling into question not only particular literary practices but also more generally held beliefs about the value of reality representation” (Green). The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer question literary practices because they do not follow a chronological order; both films question held beliefs about the value of reality because in both films the main characters question their life.
Initially, both films challenge the traditional literary practices because the movies are set in an unchronological plot. The films do not follow the traditional plot in which the story is narrated without interruptions. For example, in 500 Days of Summer, the narration is interrupted and it goes from the present to the past, from the past to the future, from the future to the present and so on; the movie structure does not follow a chronological order. In The Truman Show, Truman has recurrent flashbacks that explain to the audience his phobia to the water, his marriage, and his motives to leave the island.
Furthermore, The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer question the value of reality. For example, Truman starts to question if everything he knows is actually real. He starts to question if that is the actual way in which he wishes to live. In like manner, in 500 Days of Summer Tom starts to question if he wants to continue living the reality that he knows.
This article could very helpful to support The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer as postmodernist films because they are both fiction, and the source talks about postmodernism in American fiction. Also the characteristics that Green mentions in the article can be found on both films. This source could be used when conducting a research paper.
Zhou, Yupei.

"Postmodern American Literature and its Other." African American Review 43.4 (2009): 783-5. ProQuest. Web. 17 Sep. 2015.

The source talks about the postmodern American literature and explains the conventions and writing styles of authors of this era. The article compares and contrasts the works of female and male authors, but overall Zhou says that postmodern is a “state of being that features chance, play, difference, relativity, and non-closure” (Zhou). The films 500 Days of Summer and The Truman Show feature all these characteristics therefore they can fall into the postmodern period.

First, The Truman Show does feature non-closure. For example, when Truman realizes he is living in a set, Cristoff gives him the option to stay, but Truman just turns to the camera and says goodbye in his own way. The audience does not have closure because they have no idea to what happens to Truman. The public does not know if Truman meets with his one true love Sylvia or if he is able to adapt to the real world. Furthermore, in 500 Days of Summer the public finds non-closure when the movie reveals that Summer is getting married to someone else. The audience does not find closure because they do not know what happened to her ideals of not wanting to have a serious

relationship.
Furthermore, difference is portrayed in both films because each film is different in its own way. For example, The Truman Show is a movie that is about a person who was held captive in a huge set for public satisfaction. In 500 Days of Summer Tom meets a girl named Summer; after things do not work out with her, and after he takes his time to get over her he meets a girl named Autumn. The two movies feature non-closure and difference.
In conclusion, “Postmodern American Literature and its Other” could be used for a research paper because every film is a literary work before it comes to the screen. The sources lists characteristics found in The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer, therefore this article would be very useful in sustaining The Truman Show and 500 Days of Summer as postmodern works.