stovellp

Hi guys!

I have to write an essay for english on Andrew Niccols GATTACA film. If its not too much trouble, I would like to post it below for you to review it and perhaps help me with my third argument.

The essay topic is:
"I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body, you lent me your dream." (Eugene/Jerome). What part do dreams and determination play in this film? (500-1000 words)

This is my essay so far, I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions. My plan is:
Intro - dreams and determination play a major part...
Arg 1: How determined he is to beat his bro in the swimming race
Arg 2: How he has his legs cut and stretched to become Jerome
Arg 3: ? Haven't thought of one Can anyone think of another example of his determination?
Conclusion - sum it all up.

The essay so far:
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How many people would have the determination to have their legs surgically lengthened to achieve their dream? Risk drowning just to beat their brother in a swimming race? Carry someone else’s urine samples around every day? Not many. But Andrew Niccol shows us that this is exactly the kind of determination necessary if one wishes to achieve their dreams, in his film “GATTACA” through the character of Vincent Freeman (played by Ethan Hawke). Vincent is a “god child”, a name given to those who were not genetically engineered at birth. Seconds after he is born, his genetic defects are catalogued, revealing a life expectancy of 30 years. Instantly he becomes a member of a new underclass – the Invalid. His inferior genetic status is deemed to exclude him from his dream: becoming a Navigator at Gattaca. But through an extraordinary measure of determination, Vincent achieves his dream.

Vincent’s parents trusted in god in his birth, something considered abnormal in the future. But when Vincent’s parents decide to have a second child, Anton (Loren Dean), they sensibly decide to have him genetically engineered to be perfect. Vincent is overshadowed by his brother Anton, giving rise to an intense rivalry. In a test of courage and endurance, the two brothers regularly swim across a bay as far as they can go without turning back. But of course, due to his genetic superiority, Anton always wins. Until one day when Vincent, who gets sick of being told what he can’t do, decides what he can do, and beats the superior Anton, and even ends up having to save his brother from drowning.

From that moment Vincent refuses to be told what he can not do, and is determined to be a Navigator at Gattaca. At this point he procures the services of a man who deals in genetic identities, and meets Jerome Morrow. Jerome is genetically perfect, but after coming second in a swimming race, decided to end it all by walking into the path of an oncoming truck, but botched it up and is now bound to a wheelchair. Vincent is set up to “become” Jerome through the Genetic Identity Dealer, and the two enter a co-dependent symbiosis relationship. But there is a problem – Jerome is taller than Vincent. So Vincent has surgery on both his legs, having them cut, stretched and put back, causing immense physical pain, and for the next few weeks is just as unable to walk as Jerome.

Thanks so much guys,

Paul Stovell

__________________
"A butterfly under the glass, You are beautiful but your not going anywhere." - Incubus

Sam

Do you have to have three specific examples? Couldn't you make a more general statement about the day-to-day adversity he endures due to living in a society all to eager to say what people can and can't do?

Vincent lives in a society ruled by genetic knowledge, a world where everything you will ever do is believed to be pre-scripted by your biology. This has lead to a certain amount of acceptance that everyone has a biologically determined path, and what is the use of dreams when you already know how your life will run, from beginning to end?

Ethan Hawke's character is different. He has always had what many would consider a futile dream, a longing to be something scientists say he cannot be. But he proves them wrong. He proves his genes wrong. He achieves more than anyone could have considered possible, succeeding against a society predisposed to telling him what he cannot do.

This is the invisible struggle, if you will, of Vincent against the concept of fate. He was told which path he would tread, but he turned away from it, making his own path with nothing but a dream to light his way. This encapsulates what I see as the film's premier concept: you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

Anyway, I'm only really telling you stuff you already know. Oh well.

Oh, one more thing. I think you should mention how Vincent beat his brother in the swimming test. In the film he mentions that he didn't save enough energy to swim back to land — he wouldn't let himself give up his dream, even if it killed him.

__________________
Procrastination is like masturbation; in the end you're just screwing yourself.

DL Ferguson

Why don't you do your own homework?

Kermie04

DL. Ferguson,

Leave them alone. They are just asking for help.

Stove~

I think your essay is good. You just need to tie up the loose ends, and pick three solid examples. I have never seen the movie, so I don't know what it is about, therefore I can't help you in that aspect. Hope what I was able to provide helped thought! Good luck!

__________________
Love,
Kermie04