Identity

We’ve looked at a couple characters in utopian societies who take on a new identity. Anderton takes on the identity of Ernest Temple. Vincent becomes Jerome. Lauren disguises herself as a man. Each character does this to conceal something about him or herself and/or conform to societal expectations. Gattaca and Brave New World also look at DNA as a means of classification. Perhaps, then, there is an element of utopia within our identities. Despite the surrounding society, there are characters who go with the majority and those who stand out as unfitting in some manner. Maybe utopia could be unique to each individual, that everyone has to find an idea of utopia within themselves no matter what is going on in the outside world. That utopia could be conforming with a rigid government, branching out to start a new society, or something in between. Whatever satisfies the individual is his or her unique utopia rather than the outside forces attempting to create it and fit everyone into the same mold.

The Ending

From a strictly production perspective, I think that having the fire from the lift off and the fire from Eugene burning himself alive meshing into one another is genius. It is very symbolic and well done. They are both finally able to get what they wanted all along. And like they said in the movie, they gave each other that gift. Vincent (Jerome) wanted to go to space and Eugene wanted to die. Space and dying and vastly different, but also similar. Space and death are unknown. Both men are going to the unknown. 

Also while watching the movie I tried to imagine myself in this world. And it was difficult, it seems to removed from us when in reality it is not too far from what we have going on today already. I tried to pretend as if I were Irene and how I would react to everything. I figure I would react similarly to her, intrigued to explore yet hesitant to trust. Being a part of this world seems scary and unsettling, but also exciting and thrilling at the same time. 

I personally would not want to live in this world, I would not want to be a character in this story. I would not want this because in this story everyone knows or can find out every single little thing. There is no personal mystery, no exploring, no real true happiness. 

Everything seems generated and formulated to fit everyone’s exact need at all times. I do not think this would be fun, or any way to live a life happily. As I had touched on in my previous post from Thursday, knowing everything may not be what is best, but knowing some things can be helpful.

"Is that the only way you can succeed, is to see me fail?"

I find it particularly noteworthy that in the film, genetic diversity is shunned and used as a wedge to divide people apart. Because Vincent is a god-child, he cannot be allowed to succeed or the very notions their society is predicated upon, the duality of the valid and the invalid, will begin to crumble. If Vincent can be successful as a borrowed ladder, why should anyone bother editing themselves in the first place?

Genes, Dreams, and Stars

"You wanna know how I did it...I never saved anything for the swim back."
                                                                                                           -Vincent

There is a boy, untouched, made of love
and heart, who dreams. He dreams
of roaring fires and golden galaxies and infinite -
he is rooted and blemished. A blot
within a series of numbers and letters and expectations.
His yearning is unheeded, forgotten in the face
of routine and law and superior breeding.

His blood pumps limits and life and envy, veins chilled by
the unavoidable warmth of imperfection. He scrubs
himself raw, a picture of pink knees and nose and chest,
jaw clenched and breath short and reaching - hopeful,
as he watches his body burn into dust.
His heart is full of stutter stops and starts, drowning in rivers
and spitting out curses - and keeps on. The world turns, oblivious.

His dreaming is hungry, ongoing and stumbling
and stealing. His limbs stretch, muscles aching, eyes crinkling
as he gazes up. The spinning of the earth and the burning
of rockets whisper of something beyond perfection, beyond
eyelashes and skin and bone. The world rumbles on, oblivious
to his pining, but he is borne of stars and possibility.
His genes are useless in the inky black.

He gazes up, adjusts his dreams,
and gets to work.

Invalidation or Ignorance?

"Eugene suffered under a different burden - the burden of perfection."

Vincent, narrating

While watching Gattaca I thought that it was interesting to consider the concept of ‘invalidation’ in a Utopia where the citizens are taught that they are ‘less than’ because of genetics throughout their lives. This is in a stark contrast to the citizens of Brave New World who are conditionedthat they are ‘less than’ from the beginning. Is one better than the other? Is it better to be ignorant in a caste system where you are conditioned to a caste system than to be constantly reminded of ‘less than’?

PS I hate the term ‘less than’ but I wasn’t sure what a better use of the term.

Bah, Humbug!

So one thing that “Gattaca” got me thinking about was who defines what is normal and what is abnormal, and whether or not the abnormal is even something we should want to get rid of. Obviously we don’t want children dying from fatal birth defects, but at the same time there are some people who would want to use genetic engineering to get rid of “birth defects” that aren’t anything more than random deviations from rigid standards of normality. Even when you have someone who has a “birth defect” that you could argue lowers their standard of living, it is hard to draw a definite line between the harm that it could cause and the extent to which a person’s genetic quirks are part of their identity.