Gattaca Genetic Engineering Quotes

Gattaca Essay

Through his film Gattaca, Andrew Niccol shows that the ‘not-so-distant future’ of genetic engineering is not as superior as it seems. A time where children are engineered from conception is imminent. An obvious benefit of such a world is the ability to eliminate all genetic flaws from diseases to deformities. While this may seem like a utopian society Niccol suggests that the more technologically advanced man becomes, the more human spirit is lost. He also implies that man can never engineer past primal human characteristics. Using the story of Vincent Freeman, a man born genetically inferior with high ambitions to enter the elite aerospace corporation Gattaca, he illustrates his first idea with the setting and lighting then
He suggests that although man may reach ‘the point where we can direct our own evolution’, man is still incapable of evolving past the primal human instincts such as the need to compare and rate, the desire for power, the inability to be satisfied, the ability to kill. The society of Gattaca is based upon a very strict class system; Valids and In-Valids. The aristocratic Valid characters are made obvious by their dark, classy clothes and superior attitudes. This is shown through the general disbelief that an In-Valid could ever sneak into Gattaca. The lower caste In-Valids are garbed in shabby browns and appear less attractive and intelligent then Valids. The ensemble between Valids and In-Valids can be compared to the way nobles have treated commoners throughout history, Jerome illustrates this when a detective dares to question him and he shouts him out of his house. This society places Vailds in an elite, almost royal, position. The Valids world is similar to that of Victorian England, how much royal blood equates to how one ranks genetically. ‘He’s a 9.3’ can parallel to ‘He’s a
The line ‘they now have racism down to a science’ very clearly represents how this society has regressed back to before the Civil Rights Movement, nearly 50 years ago. Not only are In-Valids denied their basic Civil Rights, but they are deprived of schooling and incapable of elevating themselves. In one scene, Valid detectives are searching In-Valids in the street and the In-Valids are physically mistreated and lined up. This is shot through a fence which gives the scene a strong Nazi allusion. The Valid world has an aristocratic appearance; they dress in fancy clothes and go to the opera while the In-Valids can only get jobs as janitors. With stairs shaped like DNA helix and circular, egg representing motifs, there is a constant reminder that in this society all that matters is your DNA. This society is perfection focused, and any flaw means one falls short. ‘They have got you looking so hard for your flaws that that’s all you