THE PURPOSE OF GATTACA AS THE PURPOSE OF GATTACA AS A MEDIA TEXTA MEDIA TEXT

2

Purpose…Purpose…To entertainTo spread awareness of social/ethical

issues that people may or may not be aware of.

3

Issues like…

4

UniformityUniformity In the movie Gattaca,

uniformity is shown from the very beginning when we first see the Gattaca building itself and the workers who are dressed identically. This shows uniformity as it is impossible to distinguish and identify people as individuals.

There is also uniformity when we see the workers of Gattaca sitting behind their desks and they all function in the same machine-like manner and again there is no way to tell individuals apart

5

The effects of uniformity on a The effects of uniformity on a dystopian societydystopian society

It restricts individuals and stifles creativity. For example how the Gattaca building is very bleak and lacks colour or any form of creativity. This is a way of controlling a dystopian society as it makes people more susceptible to ideas by the government.

The only form of creativity seen in this movie is the piano player who has been genetically modified to play the piano with six fingers.

6

Prejudice/discriminationPrejudice/discrimination In the movie Gattaca, prejudice is shown right

from the beginning when Vincent is being named and his parents decide that he is a inferior being so therefore he is not deserving of his father’s name. This shows prejudice because the doctors are judging Vincent as a statistical probability and have already determined that he will always be a “in-valid” and he will never be an extraordinary person capable of great things like space travel.

In this society there is also a futuristic version of racism except it is called “genoism” and it involves judging people based on their genetic material as opposed to the type of people they are individually.

7

GENETIC MODIFICATION – TAMPERING GENETIC MODIFICATION – TAMPERING WITH NATURE?WITH NATURE?

In the futuristic Gattaca society, technology is so far advanced that scientists are able to arrange genes so parents can choose the features and characteristics of their children.

In Gattaca, conflicting ideas expressed is a natural birth compared to a genetically controlled birth.

Shown by Vincent’s situation – he was conceived “naturally,” (a God-birth) but in Gattaca society, genetic modification has become the “natural way” of birth.

Children who aren’t modified, e.g. Vincent, are disadvantaged – they are susceptible to diseases. Vincent has a 99% chance of having a heart defect and has a life expectancy of 30 years.

One of Niccol’s main purposes was to show the effects that genetic modification can have on a society. Is genetic modification tampering with nature?

8

““Consider God’s handiwork; Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He who can straighten what He

hath made crooked?”hath made crooked?”

9

INFLUENCES OF GENETIC MODIFICATION INFLUENCES OF GENETIC MODIFICATION ON GATTACA SOCIETYON GATTACA SOCIETY

In Gattaca, the way your genes arranged decides what kind of a life you can have.

E.g invalids such as Vincent can become little more than cleaners, whereas the genetically superior are able to work for Gattaca or other high-ranking jobs.

The advantages of genetic modification are shown when Vincent’s parents are choosing Anton’s features. Vincent’s parents ask: “Wouldn’t it be better to leave a few things to chance?” The doctor replies:

““You could conceive naturally 1000 times You could conceive naturally 1000 times and still not get the same result… Bear and still not get the same result… Bear

in mind, this child is still you, simply in mind, this child is still you, simply the best of you.”the best of you.”

10

Overcoming obstacles

11

Determination > GenesDetermination > Genes In Gattaca, Vincent shows us how genes and natural

talent don’t guarantee success in life and “Chicken”. Vincent doesn’t let his 30.2 years life expectancy get in his way of doing great things. He puts in all his effort and fulfils his dream by leaving behind his own identity and adopting someone else’s.

12

Determination > GenesDetermination > Genes Vincent could have easily given up and accepted that he was

going to be cleaning toilets all his life but instead he decided to take the more difficult route and make sure that everyone at Gattaca thinks that he is Jerome by doing things such as removing dead skin and keeping another man’s urine sample with him all the time. This shows how the only factor that plays a part between success and failure is persistence and the ability to face challenges.

13

An “invalid” outdoes a “valid”An “invalid” outdoes a “valid” Because of his inferior genes, Vincent is discriminated

against by many people including his own parents. His parents go as far as to tell him that the only way he could get inside a spaceship is if he was cleaning it but at the end of the movie, Vincent ends up being a winner. He overcome the challenges that his genes came with and he turns into Jerome to be able to go to Titan whereas his brother Anton is just a cop despite him having better abilities than Vincent.

14

An “invalid” outdoes a “valid”An “invalid” outdoes a “valid” Vincent also beats Jerome in a way. Jerome was “meant”

to get a gold medal and conquer but he failed presumably because of his heavy reliance on his superior, valid genes and superb natural talent. At the end of the movie, Jerome is on a wheelchair regretting his loss while Vincent who is “invalid” goes on to do better things.