A Synopsis of Andrew Niccol’s Film Gattaca

Similarly, minor characters such as Jerome Eugene Morrow, is ultimately liberated from his “burden of perfection” through an understanding and respect for Vincent display of willpower. This is in contrast o Irene, who enforces the reality of the Cattle society, showing the idea that the clear preference for superior DNA, traps and enables most valid/invalids the freedom to create their own life, due to the rigid discrimination and disbelief against inferior genes as they have not been taught of determination or human spirit.

Throughout the film, Vincent continually demonstrates through his single minded determination in pursuit of his dream that you are able to decide and control your own life. To a society that “has discrimination down to science” valuing superior genes, Vincent is born a “god-child” with a 99% probability” of evolving a heart disorder and life expectancy of only “30. 2 years”.

Despite “belonging to a new underclass” We as an audience follow him and watch as he strives on with his belief that “there is no gene for fate” as he “takes to extreme measures” and is willing to undergo leg surgery to further resemble Jerome, consoling himself by repeatedly thinking ‘When I would eventually stand up, would be two inches closer to the stars”. In addition, Vincent even risks his life asserting “l never saved anything for the swim back” capturing Vincent determination and success to control his own life, instead of being dictated by society and his inferior DNA.

Moreover, the recurring motif of swimming or else, “the chicken game” further represents the genetically-unchanged Vincent, who proves to be stronger than all the genetically-enhanced characters, therefore accentuating the importance of willpower and grit also showing how Vincent persistence not only allowed him to succeed in achieving his dreams despite having invalid genes, but also suggesting that it is not physical strength or DNA that concludes a person’s future in Cattle, but rather their determination and ambition to do so.

Unlike Vincent, Jerome is a valid who hasn’t met to the expectations of his genetic makeup; however Jerome is able to succeed in life by accepting the injustice of the rigid discrimination in his society against the inferior “god-children” through helping Vincent change his life. While Jerome does indeed, possess superior physical strength and skill, He suffered “under a different burden, the burden of perfection” and was only able to achieve “second place” in a swimming contest against others. Jerome even fails to take his own life, due to his “heart of an ox” and genes which prevented his death and leaves him merely crippled.

Self-bitter and unable to comprehend the fact that his elite DNA failed him he states “Jerome morrow was never meant to be one step down on the podium” thus conveying how mere arrogant belief in Cattle of genetic superiority without any ambition does not help succeed in achieving and creating his own life quoting ‘With all I had going for me, I was still second best”. Later on, Jerome “swims” up the spiral staircase, which reflects his physical limitations, hence finally ‘winning the race’ due to his sheer effort. In the final scene the last thing we see of Jerome is his silver metal.

Through his realization f the triviality in struggling for perfection, he feels at peace and decides death once more, finally achieving his second goal. As he is in the incinerator the silver medal turns to gold, thus, showing that he is a winner as he has come to realize that the human spirit is the key to success and that what you make/create in your life is dependent on determination, in contrast to being reliant and trapped in your Genetic profile. By comparison, Irene is unable to show any acts of determination for changes in choosing her own life, as she is trapped in the values of the Cattle society in which she was created.

Irene, also shown as a representative for the workers bound by society, shows us the risks inherent in genetic engineering and how she and the other both valid and invalid workers in society are unable to make their own pathways in life as a result. In Urine’s assertion that the piano piece “can only be played with twelve” clearly indicates that the people in the Cattle society have lost their belief that they have the power to create their own futures or that it is possible to overcome flaws and environmental adversity through the power of their own will, believing an individual’s life is determined at birth by their DNA.

Furthermore, throughout the film Irene continually confines herself to her genetic quotient, stating that she has an “unacceptable risk of heart failure” and that she “can’t do” certain things. As a result, we see that the people in this society are emotionally flat, as their “personal will” no longer animates them, as well as not having any human qualities of desire and will. This is signified in the film as Irene and the workers at the Cattle institution are shown to be formal, cold and distant like robots as they are all seen wearing the same uniform and hairstyles; trapped in the world of perfection and superior genes.

Irene becomes “the authority of what’s not possible” as she is too focused on the genetic makeup of herself and those around her, thus preventing her to ever being able to change and shape her life. This ultimately exemplifies Irene and the portrayed society in Cattle to lacking in understanding human ambition and determination to achieve ones goals and pathway in life due to the rigid discrimination and disbelief against inferior genes as they have not been taught of determination or human spirit, as well as highlighting the role of determination in reaching success and being able to clash tit society to shape your own life.

In essence, Andrew Niccole demonstrates through Cattle that success in life is not merely determined by genetics but rather by an individual’s desire and determination to reach their potential and achieve in creating their life. Within exploring Vincent character, Niccole justifies that one’s genetic makeup does not determine their life or what they can do. Rather, it is a strong sense of determination which enables one to achieve their dreams and success.

Ultimately subsequent in winning his ‘gold medal’ Jerome allies the pointlessness of the struggle for genetic perfection which is bought about by an individual’s own unrealistic expectation for themselves. By the symbol of Jerome “swimming up the spiral staircase, it reinforces the idea that we can create our own life, if we let are really determined and have the willpower to do so.

On the contrary Irene, and the rest of society in Cattle fail to disregard the values their genetic resumes consequently failing to break free from this bound and come to realize that an individual go out of the DNA limitations and can make their own life through determination and human ambition.