GATTACA Discussion Questions 1. The film starts with two quotes that are 180 degrees apart. Here they are:

"Consider God's handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked?" – Ecclesiastes 7:13

(The Bible)

"I not only think that we will tamper with Mother Nature, I think Mother wants us to." - Willard Gaylin

(American Psychiatrist)

Explain the significance of these two quotes as they relate to this film.

The first quote would have us leave things alone, regardless of the

fact that we have the ability to change. The second quote supports

the idea of people using knowledge to impact their everyday lives,

even though we may not know the consequences.

2. When Vincent was born and the DNA from his blood was analyzed the nurse indicated the probability of a

variety of things (all bad) that would happen to Vincent. What things did Vincent have to overcome?

1. Neurological Condition: 66%

2. Manic Depression: 42 %

3. ADD: 86 %

4. Heart Disorder: 99 %

5. Early Fatal Potential /Life Expectancy: 30.2 yrs.

Vincent was a “faith birth” (just like you and me) and as such,

received a random selection of genes from his parents. In addition to

the above probable physical outcomes, Vincent had to overcome

prejudice and inequality not only from society but from his own

family. In an effort to achieve his goals, he had to do something

illegal and live someone else’s life; a “borrowed ladder”, or to live as

a “degenerate”

3. What was different about how Vincent’s brother came into being? What was the significance of his being

named “Anton”?

Anton was the result of invitro fertilization, whereby the sperm is

injected into the egg, and then implanted in the uterus where the

embryo completes its development.

Notice there were 4 “candidates” they could choose from, and each

was engineered to represent “the best” of each of the parents.

Anton was named so, to carry on the family tradition; something that

Vincent’s father thought he was worthy of (as opposed to his first

born son).

4. Why do you think the writer/director chose the name “GATTACA” for this film, and for the place where

Vincent worked?

The letters G, A, T and C are the four bases in DNA. The sequence of

your DNA is what determines whether or not you are afforded

certain privileges or not.

5. In the society of the future, people were classified as being “valid” or “invalid”. Look up the real

definitions of these words in the dictionary and comment below how these words have been applied to

members of society.

Describe briefly what being born into each category would mean for that individual.

val·id

1: having legal efficacy or force; especially : executed with the proper

legal authority and formalities <a valid contract>2 a: well-grounded or

justifiable : being at once relevant and meaningful <a valid

theory> b: logically correct <a valid argument> <valid inference>

Being born a “valid” meant an automatic advantage in the world. It

opened doors that would be closed to others. You were viewed as an

elite person who was better than others simply based on an

interpretation of your DNA. Valids would have the most important,

prestigious jobs in the world and would belong to their own self

appointed club.

Note the symbol for infinity

here. This implies the

“infinite” potential that valids

have.

in·val·id

Latin invalidus weak, from in- + validus strong — more at VALID

: not valid: a: being without foundation or force in fact, truth, or law

<an invalid assumption> <declared the will invalid> b: logically

inconsequent

de·gen·er·ate

1 a. become less specialized: having declined or (as in nature, character,

structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state b: having sunk

to a condition below that which is normal to a type; especially

: having sunk to a lower and usually corrupt and vicious

Invalids would be born with “two strikes” against them; immediately

being put into a lower caste system that would allow them to go only

so far. A place like GATTACA would never have hired Vincent,

although he clearly had the intelligence and qualifications to be

there; despite having the supposed defects listed above in number 1.

Not only would invalids be discriminated against in the job place, but

they would be generally looked down upon and not even have the

Note the dagger symbol

here. In classifying living things, a

dagger next to an animal’s name

implies extinction.

same civil liberties as valids. Note how the police lined up people

randomly and took their blood when they were looking for Vincent.

Also remember how Jerome was able to avoid closer questioning by

the police officer because he was a “valid”.

Do we have anything that resembles such labeling of people today? Explain.

Unfortunately, yes. We judge people using stereotypes, and treat

them with prejudice, discrimination and intolerance. These attitudes

are based on things that don’t seem to make sense (the color of one’s

skin, their religion, their gender) but the attitudes are strong.

It is ironic that in the future world portrayed in the film that all

of these things become unimportant (as they should be), but instead,

you are judged by your genes.

6. There were a variety of “valids” that were supposedly born superior, yet still had flaws. For each “valid”

character, explain their shortcomings.

Anton : although he was a high ranking detective,

he lacked the physical stamina of his so called

weaker brother.

Irene: had a heart problem. She still got into

GATTACA but she was clearly not treated equally

by the mission director. Remember how she was

asked to assist in the investigation thereby putting her own

work on hold.

Jerome: Although he was an Olympic athlete, he

could not accept defeat on any level. This

bothered him to the point that he attempted

suicide but failed, only to live as a bitter, depressed alcoholic.

Even the close relationship he formed with Vincent was not

enough to prevent him from committing suicide.

The surviving mission director: He was the one

responsible for the murder of the other director.

Although he prided himself as “not having a

violent bone in his body” his motive to kill

someone was driven by the thought of the Titan mission being

cancelled. Because of his profile, he was not even considered a

suspect.

7. What was the purpose of the kiosk Irene went to with Vincent’s hair? What were other people doing there?

Would you use such a service if it were available?

Irene took “Vincent’s” hair to be analyzed by a service that provided

a genetic profile of a person. Imagine someone obtaining a hair from

you, having you profiled, and then making a judgment about you

based on an interpretation of your DNA; an interpretation that may

not reflect anything of value about who you really are.

8. Discuss at least FOUR preparations Vincent had to do every day to pass as Jerome Morrow at GATTACA.

In each case, explain WHY he had to do each preparation.

1. Urine pouch on thigh for frequent substance test

2. Blood filled false finger tips to be admitted into GATTACA

3. Obsessive scrubbing of the body in a shower that burned the

physical evidence of his true self.

4. Planting samples of Eugene’s tissues in and around his work

area.

9. VINCENT: "For one reason or another, when a member of the elite falls on hard times, their genetic

identity becomes a valid commodity for the unscrupulous." What happened in this film to demonstrate what

Vincent was talking about.

The real Jerome Morrow was a valid, Olympic athlete who sold his

identity to Vincent to pass for someone he was not. Vincent could

never have gotten into GATTACA even though he could pass the

intellectual, academic and physical requirements.

10. 10. The pianist in the film had two 6 fingered hands (polydactyl). Do

you think he was a “valid” or an “invalid”? Explain your answer.

The pianist had one extra finger on each hand

(polydactyl). He was clearly accepted by society because of this

musical talent but one must wonder if he was a valid or an invalid

because this condition is a mutation.

Perhaps he was a valid that was engineered to have the extra digits

by his parents, who were musicians and wanted a prodigy?

Perhaps he was an invalid that was “allowed” to showcase his talents

to people who thought they were better than everyone else. Think of

the so called “freak shows” that accompanied the traveling circuses

years ago. Is he hiding his face with his hands because he is ashamed

because of the social stigma?

Hmmmmm……………………. things to think about.

11. Why do you think Lamar’s son was a “big fan” of Vincent?

(Lamar was the doctor)

Lamar probably told his son about Vincent as a way to keep his son

motivated and not give up on his dreams. Lamar knew Vincent was

faking it all along but felt empathy for him, because his own son did

not meet the requirements to get into GATTACA

12. Discuss the significance of the structure of the STAIRCASE in the home Vincent

shared with Jerome in terms of the theme of this film.

The staircase resembles the helix of DNA

FOR 13 through 16, answers will vary based on your

personal interpretation of the questions.

17. “It is said that with great power comes great responsibility.” Apart from being a good quote from the

movie Spiderman, how does this sentiment apply to our knowledge of genetics and how we use that

knowledge?

Although we have cracked the code of life and have learned many

things about how life works, we are still in our infancy regarding the

link between DNA and the finished product. We must resist the urge

to take the knowledge we have and use it in ways that do not benefit

the individual or society.

18. Explain what the following statement means to you. “There is no gene for the human spirit”

A human being is more than just the sum of its individual parts. We

are more than just a series of letters along a chain. The human spirit,

or will to achieve things has been shown over history to accomplish a

great many things. We can look at our own history and see many

examples of people; leaders, artists, and intellectual minds that

would never have achieved such feats in the “new and improved”

society portrayed in the film, because they may never have been

born.

19. What parts of this film do you think were completely fictional (as of right now)?

What parts were true in terms of what we can do now?

FACT: Want to be taller?

FICTION (kind of): We can not tell what the probable outcome is

for the things mentioned in number 1 at the time of birth. Although

we have machines that can sequence DNA, they can not provide

reliable predictions and / or interpretations of what those sequences

mean.

Pictured Below: A phenylketonuria (PKU) test is done to check whether a newborn baby has

the enzyme needed to use phenylalanine in his or her body. Phenylalanine is an amino acid

that is needed for normal growth and development. ... The blood sample for PKU is usually

taken from your baby's heel (called a heel stick).

In addition, services like Ancestry.com and 23 & Me say they can reliably tell

you more about yourself based on a sample of DNA you send them, but you

have to be careful how much you read into the results they give you. Recently,

23 & Me was sued because because they are not licensed physicians and were

providing diagnostic information that may not have been accurate.

FACT: In vitro fertilization, genetic tests for certain disease causing

genes (Cystic Fibrosis, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s disease to

name a few.)

Human Embryos

POSSIBILITY: People’s genetic profiles becoming public

information that may be used against you by potential employers,

insurance companies or even the government.

+ =

Would you want this to be your interview?

Some interesting trivia from the movie

1. The name "Gattaca" is composed entirely of the letters used to label the nucleotide bases of DNA. The four nitrogen

bases of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) are adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine

2. Public address announcements in the Gattaca Corporation headquarters building are in Esperanto, an artificial

language invented in the 19th century.

3. The winding stairs in Jerome's apartment have a helical structure, like DNA.

4. Uma Thurman's character is named Irene Cassini. Cassini is the surname of the 17th century Italian astronomer,

Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered the prominent gap in Saturn's main rings, as well as the icy moons,

Iapetus, Dione, Rhea, and Tethys. The space mission in Gattaca is destined for Saturn. In 1997, NASA launched the

Cassini space probe bound for Saturn. It carried the Huygens space probe, which was dropped into Titan in early 2005,

and discovered ground under the clouds. Recent experiments suggest that amino acids could form on the surface and

along with presence of adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine: the building blocks of DNA.

5. Jude Law's character asks to be called by his middle name, Eugene. "Eugene" comes from the Greek for "well born,"

which he is. "Eugenics" (the science of improving the hereditary qualities of a race or breed) is the central theme of the

film.

6. The Marin County Civic Center, filming location of the Gattaca Corporation, was also used in George Lucas's THX

1138 (1971).

7. When Gattaca was first released, as part of a marketing campaign there were adverts for people to call up and have

their children genetically engineered. Thousands of people called, wanting to have their offspring genetically engineered

8. The piece played by the six-fingered pianist is based on Impromptu in G Flat Major, Op. 90, No. 3. by Franz Schubert

(1797 - 1828). However, the creators did a beautiful job embellishing the piece with additional notes/harmonies so that it

"can only be played with twelve [fingers]," as the Uma Thurman character notes.

9. The exterior shots of Ethan Hawke and Jude Law's apartment is actually the CLA (Classrooms, Laboratories, and

Administration) Building of Cal Poly Pomona by architect Antoine Predock.

10. The Gattaca building (SOME) interiors and exteriors) is, in reality, the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, CA.

It was designed by American star architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1957. The largest Wright design ever constructed, it

was largely built after his death in 1959. The central dome (prominent in the roof-cleaning scene) contains the county

library.

11. The FBI agents are called "Hoovers," a reference to legendary top-G-man J. Edgar Hoover, but also a clever

reference to a vacuum cleaner brand. There are numerous shots of vacuums being used to gather DNA evidence.

12. The film was shot under the title "The Eighth Day". This was a reference to the Biblical creation story, which states

that the earth was created in six days and on the seventh day, God rested. The original title implies the tampering of

man with what God has already made, and "The Eighth Day" is still the name of the center in the movie where the

children are engineered, as noted on the DVD deleted scenes. By the time the much-delayed release of the film came

around, a Belgian film, The Eighth Day (1996), had already been released in the US under the title "The Eighth Day".

Because of this, writer-director Andrew Niccol was forced to choose a new title for his film.

13. Many of the "futuristic" buildings in the film are actually quite old. Many of these represent a type of postmodern

architecture called "brutalism", which was popular in the 1950s. The two massive arches seen behind Jerome and Irene

during their talk are actually the spillway of the Sepulveda Dam in Los Angeles, which was built in the 1930s.

14. While it has been identified that "GATTACA" uses the 4 DNA nucleotide abbreviations of G,A,T,C, more specifically,

when identifying genetic markers, the tests measure "short tandem repeats" at specific DNA marker locations. These

are known as "GATA or CA" repeats - hence GATTACA.

15, The icons used to denote a Valid versus an In-Valid have significant meaning. On the scanners, an infinity symbol

appears next a Valid's name, denoting their "infinite potential." Next to an In-Valid's name, a dagger appear. In

taxonomy, a dagger next to a taxon indicates extinction.