Symbolism On Gattaca
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Hollywood-esque “Gattaca” is a prophetic distopia concerning genetic discrimination in the early 21st Century.
A true hero is one who is willing to commit body and soul to achieve a dream, discuss.
Gattaca is a provocative science-fiction interpretation of the future of genomics. Andrew Niccols presents us with insight to a pessimistic view of genetic enhancement set in the “not to distant future.” The film takes us through the journey of Vincent Freeman, and Jerome Morrow who with the value of each others body and soul commit and reaches astonishing feats of humanity. The triumphs of Vincent and Jerome can be seen as heroic, but what is it that makes them truly heroic? The relationship between Vincent (mind) and Jerome (valid body) considered a metaphor of heroism, as they form allegiance and conquer the identified evil and reach a positive conclusion. So is a true hero one willing to commit body and soul?
The deep space exploration centre Gattaca is formulated around a system of excellence, in order to achieve successful missions into deep space an intense and discriminatory screening process is adopted,
Vincent Freeman is a godchild who was conceived in love, he posses a valid human life, which is scrutinised as invalid in the face of a genetically customised population. He lives in a society where the elite upper class is determined upon the health of the body, those who have been selected genetically at birth to carry a statistically perfect life, those left to natural birth become the underclass, as they are born integrated with natural imperfection, which warrants discrimination. within a perfect society.
The polarities of perfection and human imperfection play a large part in the film techniques employed. The ever-developing contrast between good and evil, hero and villain shows us how mentally constraining it is to break away from the homogenized society to achieve the greater good.
We identify ourselves with Vincent not as a criminal but as a hero, this is partly due to the film techniques. Niccol brings our focus to natural environments with darkened lighting with symbolism emphasising entrapment such as tall fences, hierarchical composition and heavy use of blue/black tone. The negative association with invalids is contrasted against a sterile bright clinical atmosphere representing an unrealistic cold valid world. A key note of the film is the conversion of perspectives, as Vincent becomes closer to his dream the more human characteristics are developed, Irene lets her hair down, Lamar tactfully lets Vincent succeed. The valid environment shows us much fault, Nichol may be suggesting that heroic behaviour is not associated with perfection and that merely having a valid body is not enough to reach full potential. “No one exceeds their potential” as the Director suggests, fortunately we discover that Vincent infact does.
Vincent is an “invalid” under the guise of Jerome Morrow, a genetically superior specimen who was selected at birth to excel in all physically measurable quantities.
Thematically we see the determinist perspective; Vincent is predisposed of heroic capability. He is brought up in an environment full of competition, primarily with his brother and notably the greater valid society. His parents Anton and have conceded hope in Vincent from day 1, they cannot see past the probability for failure; “99% for heart failure life expectancy: 33.2 years.” Vincent on the other hand sees the possibility, from his perspective it is not a matter of chance, its clear destiny.
Vincent was suppressed in every aspect of his life including from his father, “the only way you will see the inside of a spaceship is if youre cleaning it” as a janitor at Gattaca he was told, “dreaming of spacehow about cleaning this space right here.” The more suppressed Vincent became the stronger his will to succeed became. Entrapped within his condemned body, he was aware of his physical limitations and is constantly reminded of this right throughout his life, Insurance would not even cover him at pre-school, “…but if something were to happen!” the only uncontested boundary and outlet are his intellectual limits. Vincent can be seen as a Hero as he goes against the current for what he believes in. Just as Hollywood heroes before him, he surpasses insurmountable odds with great courage to achieve his dreams.
When the body is no longer a vessel of progression, the strategic will of the mind continues, Vincents body prevents him from reaching his dreams, its a burden he doesnt accept and in order to progress he rids the vice of Vincent Freeman and is enabled the virtues of Jerome Morrow. When separated the two individuals are incapacitated, but when the combination of body and soul are in concert, the intimacy is the nearest thing to divinity and the path of courage to actualise a dream is obtained and the destiny; destination, can be reached. A philosophical hero once said, “The body must be let go of, in order for the soul to take flight” – Socrates, this could not be truer for the collaborative efforts of Eugene and Vincent who both peak at destiny without their bodies.
It requires individuals of heroic courage and equivalent attitude to achieve within the scrutiny of a Gattaca system. as an invalid. To attain success and meaningful fulfilment within the totalitarian environment show how powerful must an individual be. The example of Jerome and Vincent is unique as it is not until Jerome and Vincent are united that the two become the formulae to which produces a full and true hero with both elements of happiness and self-actualisation. They both pinnacle as true heroes in a cinematic crescendo, although its not until Jerome struggles to express his gratitude that the viewer sees the complete picture “I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body … you lent me your dream.”
Gattaca examines science, religion, genetic engineering and ethics.
By opening the movie Gattaca with quotations from Willard Gaylin and Ecclesiastes, director Andrew Niccol invites us to ponder the tension between science and religion with regard