The film Gattaca, (1997) directed by Andrew Niccol acts as a response to the potential social and identity issues a possible dystopian future could present due to genetic development. Gattaca’s political system utilizes the ideology of genoism to divide society into classes through emphasizing the nurture side of the nature versus nurture, consequently maintaining social control. Genetic determinism can be utilized to objectify humans into human resources, manipulating what one’s identity is as shown through the incorporation of close-up scenes and complimentary sound effects. The glorification of genetic coding allows Gattaca’s society to maintain social control through dictating one’s identity, social mobility, whilst creating mental implications
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Niccol utilizes the symbolism of water in order to capsulize Vincent’s struggle to find his own identity within a world dictated by genetic determinism. Water demonstrates Vincent’s change in social status, adopting Jerome’s identity to become a “Valid.” The repetition of Vincent and Anton’s swimming race signifies the debate between nature and nurture, valid and invalid. In the first swimming scene, Vincent struggles to keep up with his brother whose arms rips through the water with powerful strokes. Anton signifies ‘nurture’ through genetic engineering, according to Gattaca’s script, strips Anton of the possibilities of medical deficiencies. This creates a stark binary to Vincent’s character who is blind and has a low life expectancy, becoming symbolic for ‘nature.’ Therefore, Anton represents ‘nurture’ as he is raised to believe that his ‘valid’ status entitles him to a lifetime of success. Nonetheless, water is utilized as a motif for overcoming fears and physical deficiencies as represented through Vincent’s victory in the second swimming race presented within the film. The argument for how human nature is made up of a will for survival and success is further supported through Vincent's attempt to reach his goal. The victory nature creates a critical turning point in which Vincent is …show more content…
Jerome’s temptation to self-destruct presents a harsh interpretation of the motif status of water within the film. Jerome’s defeatist attitude from coming second place within his race as he attempts to commit suicide twice within the text highlights how water is utilized to overshadow Jerome’s “Valid” status, suggesting that nature is bigger than science. The symbolism of the second place medal repeats itself in Anton's loss against Vincent. The lack of Anton’s will is further shown when he had chickened out when Vincent set the challenge to cut himself with a shell. This demonstrates the lack of resilience both the “Valid” characters maintained as Jerome was unable to cope healthily from his loss and Anton's inability to inflict pain on himself. For example, Michel J Sandel concludes that it is normal for humans to want to strive for “mastery over nature” but the promise of mastery that genetic determinism holds is flawed since it “banishes our appreciation of life as a gift.” Sandel’s argument without a doubt correlates through Jerome’s lack of determinsation that comes from his lack of adversity, “Jerome had been genetically modified with everything he needed to get into Gattaca, except the desire to do so. " Hence, Sandel refers to the problematic idea where every valid
Niccol utilizes the symbolism of water in order to capsulize Vincent’s struggle to find his own identity within a world dictated by genetic determinism. Water demonstrates Vincent’s change in social status, adopting Jerome’s identity to become a “Valid.” The repetition of Vincent and Anton’s swimming race signifies the debate between nature and nurture, valid and invalid. In the first swimming scene, Vincent struggles to keep up with his brother whose arms rips through the water with powerful strokes. Anton signifies ‘nurture’ through genetic engineering, according to Gattaca’s script, strips Anton of the possibilities of medical deficiencies. This creates a stark binary to Vincent’s character who is blind and has a low life expectancy, becoming symbolic for ‘nature.’ Therefore, Anton represents ‘nurture’ as he is raised to believe that his ‘valid’ status entitles him to a lifetime of success. Nonetheless, water is utilized as a motif for overcoming fears and physical deficiencies as represented through Vincent’s victory in the second swimming race presented within the film. The argument for how human nature is made up of a will for survival and success is further supported through Vincent's attempt to reach his goal. The victory nature creates a critical turning point in which Vincent is …show more content…
Jerome’s temptation to self-destruct presents a harsh interpretation of the motif status of water within the film. Jerome’s defeatist attitude from coming second place within his race as he attempts to commit suicide twice within the text highlights how water is utilized to overshadow Jerome’s “Valid” status, suggesting that nature is bigger than science. The symbolism of the second place medal repeats itself in Anton's loss against Vincent. The lack of Anton’s will is further shown when he had chickened out when Vincent set the challenge to cut himself with a shell. This demonstrates the lack of resilience both the “Valid” characters maintained as Jerome was unable to cope healthily from his loss and Anton's inability to inflict pain on himself. For example, Michel J Sandel concludes that it is normal for humans to want to strive for “mastery over nature” but the promise of mastery that genetic determinism holds is flawed since it “banishes our appreciation of life as a gift.” Sandel’s argument without a doubt correlates through Jerome’s lack of determinsation that comes from his lack of adversity, “Jerome had been genetically modified with everything he needed to get into Gattaca, except the desire to do so. " Hence, Sandel refers to the problematic idea where every valid