Extension notes - Summary about Gattaca and Utopia PDF

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Summary about Gattaca and Utopia...

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Extension notes Utopia – Thomas More: Was essentially a utopia for More’s context in England. - during mores context, England was under a monarchy, and the general public has little power for change. - More explores the issues in England: - Treatment of crime and criminal – death penalty for petty crimes - Jurisprudence – philosophy of law – Christian perspective - Kings and hierarchy - Class – social structure based on wealth and power - War - the new world that more creates is a utopian society for people during that context – shared land, education for all, essentially equality and ideas similar to communism. . Gattaca – Futuristic world, where space travel, genetic engineering and identity checks are extremely advanced.

Impact of technology/science on worldbuilding/utopian society  progress Social structure  freedom Values/attitudes  humanity

Concept

The natural environ ment

Quote/Example from Utopia The natural world is under the power and control of humanity e.g. the construction of Utopia

Link to More‘s context The Great Chain of Being (hierarchy that places humanity beneath God and above animals/ minerals) The Bible- go forth and multiply and subdue the world

Scene from Gattaca Beach scenes- swimming competitiona site where the brothers compete rather than bond. Shots of power lines, dark, ominous water, yellow tinted light/ dying world.

Link to Niccol’s context Climate change Deforestation Hole in the ozone layer Y2K fears- fear of apocalypse

“He ordered a deep channel to be dug, fifteen miles long” Authoritative tone, reminiscent of history or text book

The built environ

“to accomplish this, he ordered a deep channel to be dug”

Fall of the Roman Empire (?)

External shots – abundance of concrete, muted colours/ light

Fears regarding climate change (see above)

ment Solar panel array- large, desolate environment, metallic

Uniformity of housing/ dwellings/ cities

Social hierarch y/ structure

‘They’re far more anxious, by hook or by crook, to acquire new kingdoms than to govern their existing ones properly”Criticism of government/ leadership in More’s time (not Utopia)

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Equality e.g. dislike of Gold/ individuality “The Prince himself is of no distinction, either of garments or of a crown”- irony that the “Prince”, the most royal/ powerful figure, is diminished and unremarkable

Working Day

“dividing the day and night into 24 hours, appoint 6 of these for work, 3 of which are before dinner, and 3 after; they then sup, and at 8 o’clock, counting from noon, go to bed and sleep 8

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Protocommunist text Critique of capitalism/ imperialism / colonialism and a laisse fair governmen t/ neoliberal governmen t Christian belief regarding greed being sinful

Prior to his marriage in 1505, More reportedly lived in the Charterhouse, presumably in the guest lodgings, an association that has led to conjectures about his attraction to the monastic life, or at least to the priesthood 8 hour work day was revolutionary for the time, and wasn’t formally introduced in England until 1916. During the Tudor period, 1/3rd of the

Lack of individuality identity “This is the last day that you will be you” shot-reverse-shot between Vincent and Eugene German comments that no one looks at pictures anymore, and Vincent looks enough like Jerome to pass.

Shots of employees at work terminals, typing at laptops. Wide angle shot, large number of uniformed employees. Emphasises the immensity of the powerful corporation, Gattaca. Also, lack of

Human Genome Projectstandardisation of humanity Dolly the Sheep- cloning Fear regarding human genetic manipulation and “designer babies” Rise of the aspirational middle class and meritocracy

Working shifted from agriculture to the services industry and skilled labour

hours” Mathematical terms i.e. “dividing”, use of numbers/ numerical terms, precise language

population lived in poverty.

care for individuality and creativity.

Poor treated without respect, The Vagabonds and Beggars Act of 1494 placed homeless people in shackles

Gattaca is a ridged workplace. The hierarchy is followed closely, and respect is due to employment and social position. Scenes with Anton and his partner, or scenes with the Mission Director and Irene.

Moor’s own Christians values, which honoured poverty, humility and saw the poor as brothers

Science, technolo gy and innovatio n

Attitude towards human life values utopia vs dystopia

The employees at Gattaca have no real social life or social connections. Flashback scenes to Vincent Anton’s birth. Shot-reverseshot between Vincent’s parents, close up on their shocked facial expression when his high chances of mortality are announced. Camera lingers to emphasise emotional toll.

“They breed an infinite multitude of chickens in a very curious manner. For the hens do not sit and hatch them, but a vast number of eggs are laid in a gentle and equal heat in order to be hatched, and they are no sooner out of the shell and able to stir about, but they seem to consider those who feed them as their mother and follow them as other chickens do”

Artificial incubation not widely practiced in Moor’s time

“They inquire likewise into the nature of virtue and pleasure, but their chief dispute is concerning the happiness of a man, and wherein it consists? Whether in some one thing or in a great many?

A negative attitude towards human life is described in the lack of an attempt to provide mental health support for Eugene after his first attempt at suicide from the lack of awareness towards mental health support the 20th attitude during Also, don't like Negative Century. Selfish violence and avoid through the lack of attitudes where people the loss of human support for Eugene and are unwilling to help selfish attitudes which lives

A 16th century roast chicken was a luxury reserved for the rich. Eggs were kept solely to produce more chickens, and seldom eaten.

In Gattaca, rather than make our lives easier, science actually makes it harder in many ways. Harder to make genuine human connections/ relationships e.g. Jerome isolation, scenes where Irene gets Vincent genetically sequenced The Utopian’s Shot-reverse-shot attitude towards The drunk scene death reflected in between Eugene and their view on life, Vincent where he talks especially religion about his attempt to kill and reason. It himself and also the reflects the pursuit final scene where of pleasure and the Eugene kills himself common good.

Y2K Cloning Human genome project Growing disparity between rich and poor E.g. there are more houses than there are homeless, more food than can be eaten, but still people are hungry and homeless.

would rather see him A confident belief suffer in immortality and the happy state of that afterlife was a fundamental point in a Utopian's faith.

others and focused on individual achievements which were based on the egocentric attitudes during the 20th Century

Deemed Irrelevant Invalid is a derogatory word - investigation scene where detective went to where the “invalids were” - they don’t talk about people outside the country or what is going on outside the country. - shown in when Vincent talks to the “doctor man” sees Jerome – “that’s the beauty of the accident, it happened outside of the country. As far as anyone is concerned he’s a fully functional member of the public.” Irene’s DNA says she has a heart condition, and even though she may not have it, she takes medication for her supposedly weaker heart.

- invalids are like discriminated people in society during Niccol’s context. - people who were discriminated during the 1990s - e.g racism

Outsider s

Separated from mainland, a large number of people dug their way and allowed the water to flow in.

- states a place like London is not a desirable area or a utopia for the general public due to the corruption is unjust and unfair to the public.

Medicine / medical care

“Take great pains to make their time pass off easily” “There is no hope either of recovery or ease… choose rather to die since they cannot live but in much misery.” “Either starve themselves of their own accord, or take opium, and by that means die without pain.” “No man is forced on this of ending his life; and if they cannot be persuaded to it,, this does not induce them to fail in their attendance and care of them.” “A voluntary death when it is chosen upon such an

More’s society is based around Christian beliefs where “thou shall not kill” including themselves (suicide). More juxtaposes this idea with his idea of euthanasia being a way of easing pain, instead of being cast in damnation (eternal pain)

Advancements in medicine has made the focus on prevention of diseases rather than the treatment of symptoms. Such things that are used for prevention rather than treatment are vaccines. Advancements in gene therapy and gene mapping. Andrew Niccol references genes determining future sickness and possible

authority, is very honourable, so if any man takes away his own life without the approbation of the priests and the senate, they give him none of the honours of a decent funeral, but throw his body into a ditch.” “But they take more care of their sick than of any others: these are lodged and provided for in public hospitals.”

death due to the increased knowledge about the human genome.

Impact of technology/science on world building/utopian society  progress Social structure  freedom Values/attitudes  humanity IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY. The development of technology has rapidly increasing in both Niccol’s and More’s context, initiating their explorations of the concepts of utopias and dystopias. Niccol’s film, Gattaca is based a futuristic society, where scientific advancements are the foundation of society, allowing genetic engineering for babies, identity checks and accessible space exploration. The advancement of genetic engineering to choose a babies genes and determine their traits have a great impact of the society of Gattaca, producing more talented and developed human beings, exploring the concept of Utopia. The concept of genetic engineering is seen through the creation of Vincent’s brother, Anton, when his parents consulted a local geneticist in creating a new baby, one without genetic deficiencies unlike Vincent. The technological advancements in genetic engineering are able to remove imperfections in the human DNA, creating a highly enhanced human, as the geneticist explained, “I’ve taken steps to eradicate all potentially prejudicial conditions – baldness, myopia, alcoholism, addictive susceptibility.”

VALUES ATTITUDES Both texts explore the differences in social structure in their differing contexts, implicating their own versions of utopia and dystopia. During More’s contemporaries, England was under a political rule of monarchy, with the status of social structure based on amount of wealth and power. More criticizes the unjust punishments and decisions made by the court and monarchy, calling them “obstinate” and “ridiculous judgements … in England.” As a response to More’s contemporary issues, More uses the character of Raphael, to explore the concepts of a utopian world. His utopian view of a society based on equality in “Among [the Utopians] virtue has its reward, yet everything is shared equally, and all men live in plenty” opposes the authoritative English monarchy and differences in social class. More aims to remove the inequality between different class, as he removes the concept of class based on wealth and power, and replacing it his perspective of a fairer concept of a society based of equality. More also criticises how the poor and lower-status citizens of England have to work significantly harder the rich people in his context, even though they receive significantly less income and have a lower lifestyle. More’s metaphor in “But no one [in Utopia] has to exhaust himself with endless toil […] as if he were a beast of burden” elucidates his views on a utopian society where workload is disturbed evenly and fairly throughout the different classes. In the contrary, Niccol’s exploration of a dystopian society is explored through the significant social structure separation between genetic superiority. The social separation of the genetically superior “valids” and the genetically deficient “invalids” is viewed as a dystopian, as it hinders opportunities and negatively affects human relationships. The effect of human relationship is seen through the Freeman family, and their distancing of the ‘invalid’ Vincent from his family as a result of his ‘valid’ brother Anton out shadowing him. In the “growing up” montage, Niccol uses point of view shots and a melancholy violin musical score, to show Vincent rubbing his name off the height pole. The childhood montage implicates his separation from his family as result of genetically Anton continuously surpassing him in his childhood, referencing to the ideal of a dystopian world. The deterioration of human relationships is further referenced through the Vincent’s separation of his family during the conversion between Vincent and his father in the meal scene. Niccol uses shot reverse shots between the conversation, highlight the separations between the pair, as Vincent’s father infers that Vincent “will get inside a spaceship is by cleaning it” due to his genetic deficiencies. Like many other invalids, Vincent’s inferior genetic make them incapable to compete or perform against superior genetically modified valids, disallowing him to pursue the career of and astronaut or any high status jobs. “Invalids” are often neglected by society and have low class jobs such, as shown in the ‘searching for suspect scene’ using dark lighting to reveal the habits of invalids, straying in the alleyways of streets. Link?

Values are examined differently in both texts through the attitude towards human life, revealing the concepts of dystopia and utopia in their differing contexts. More explores a utopian society in his contemporary by creating a world, where people are given

opportunities and education, leading to a value and positive attitude in human life. Many people in More’s context did not have jobs, as a result having little purpose or values in human life.

Attitude towards human life in Gattaca is predominantly negatively valued, as revealed through the individual’s attitude towards their work and life. This is explored through the character of Jerome Morrow, once a promising athlete, genetically designed to win, however attempting to commit suicide after coming second place in a swimming event. Jerome’s burden of perfection is expressed through his dialogue with Vincent “Jerome Morrow was never meant to be one step down on the podium.” The close up of Jerome and dark lighting and background of the scene reveals how Jerome has lost his meaning to human existence, negatively impacting his attitude towards life. His actions and behaviour further express his feeling of lack of importance in his life. Throughout the movie, Jerome is seen to have habits of an “invalid” such as constantly drinking and smoking, despite having his genetic superiorities as a result of having lack of attitude to life. His impulsive drinking habits, as a result of lack of human meaning, is revealed in a scene where he becomes intoxicated and vomiting after a dinner with Vincent. Niccol uses a dark yellow background and a mid-range shot to elucidate Jerome’s conflicting inside feeling of lack of meaning towards life, and uses a sarcastic tone in “I’m sorry. Do you want this [vomit]? I’ll save some shall I” to further reveal his inner thoughts. Jerome’s inner thoughts towards human life greatly affect his lifestyle and social status, greatly resorting to drinking, as he is unable to achieve his goals or dreams anymore, implicating a dystopian society. ‘Invalids’ are also seen having a negative attitude to human life, as shown in their attitudes towards their work, referencing to the idea of a dystopia. In the ‘cleaning Gattaca’ scene, Niccol uses wide angle shots to reveal the amount of invalids working as cleaners, as well as using close-ups to show their stern and glum expressions. The cleaners, being inferior in genetics, are conforming to work as low class citizens in the socialist society, as they see themselves as having little meaning to human life in Gattaca, reinforcing a dystopian society....