gattaca
How does Gattaca show that strength of character is more important for determining one’s destiny than biological makeup or genetic potential?
Gattaca by Andrew Niccol explores creatively the possibility of a world dominated by genetic engineering. Gattaca is a world that wishes to eliminate genetic imperfections within its elite, upper class.
Within this world, an invalid, Vincent Freeman challenges the assumptions of the society and through his actions and attributes, proves that you need more than human spirit to achieve success
Gattaca’s social structure allows its residents to be divided into valids and invalids, and more specifically, creates discrimination based on one’s genetic potential. In this world, Vincent Freeman displays enormous strength and determination to overcome the genetic obstacles put in his path. His experiences show viewers that genetic engineering cannot create the intangibles that we admire and make us human such as hope, ambition and determination.
The social structure of Gattaca divides humans into valids and invalids and through technology ensures that imperfections in DNA are eradicated. Vincent is considered an invalid in this world because his parents wanted to leave his birth to chance. Niccol accentuates the importance of genetic code and DNA to this society by the loud crash of a fingernail striking the ground in the opening scene through an extreme close up, followed by highlighting the letters A, C, T and G during the opening credits showing the significance that these four letters make up all the possible DNA combinations. Both frames stress the importance that one is defined by every cell in his/her body. Vincent however is anything but perfect: it has been determined that he has a ’60% chance of neurological condition, 42% chance of manic depression, 89% of ADD, 99% chance of heart disease and a life expectancy of 30.2 years’. The world of Gattaca is based only on this ideology of perfection. At Gattaca,
Gattaca by Andrew Niccol explores creatively the possibility of a world dominated by genetic engineering. Gattaca is a world that wishes to eliminate genetic imperfections within its elite, upper class.
Within this world, an invalid, Vincent Freeman challenges the assumptions of the society and through his actions and attributes, proves that you need more than human spirit to achieve success
Gattaca’s social structure allows its residents to be divided into valids and invalids, and more specifically, creates discrimination based on one’s genetic potential. In this world, Vincent Freeman displays enormous strength and determination to overcome the genetic obstacles put in his path. His experiences show viewers that genetic engineering cannot create the intangibles that we admire and make us human such as hope, ambition and determination.
The social structure of Gattaca divides humans into valids and invalids and through technology ensures that imperfections in DNA are eradicated. Vincent is considered an invalid in this world because his parents wanted to leave his birth to chance. Niccol accentuates the importance of genetic code and DNA to this society by the loud crash of a fingernail striking the ground in the opening scene through an extreme close up, followed by highlighting the letters A, C, T and G during the opening credits showing the significance that these four letters make up all the possible DNA combinations. Both frames stress the importance that one is defined by every cell in his/her body. Vincent however is anything but perfect: it has been determined that he has a ’60% chance of neurological condition, 42% chance of manic depression, 89% of ADD, 99% chance of heart disease and a life expectancy of 30.2 years’. The world of Gattaca is based only on this ideology of perfection. At Gattaca,