8/7/2019 HB Anthem Gattaca Revised

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Ali Shelnut

February 25, 2011LNG

Weaver

A World of Different Societies

Could living in a society where it limits your creativity, your ability to be an

individual, and could ruin your dreams of being your own person? Vonnegut Harrison

Bergeron, Rand Anthem, and Niccol Gattaca create these stories where their characters

must overcome challenges in order to realize their full potential.

Harrison Bergerons society limits his potential by taking away everything that

makes him different from the others, his looks, his brains, and even his personality. No

one smarter than anyone, no one better looking they were all equal. The ones who were

smarter than the others were told to wear a handicap. Handicaps were a distraction to the

more intelligent ones. It created piercing noises that would distract their thoughts of

anything such as inventions or anything that could change society to not being equal. It

was the year 2081, and everyone was finally equal. This was because of the 211th, 212th,

and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and the agents from the United States

Handicapper General. It seemed as thought people all wanted everyone and everything to

be the same but not to some people, not to the people who had to carry about a 3000

pound handicap around all the time.

Equality is made to believe that his differences are a curse and that he should

accept being this way and that this is the way life is. I am. I think. I will. When

Equality was put to work as a street sweeper he knew something had to change. When he

8/7/2019 HB Anthem Gattaca Revised

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Ali Shelnut

February 25, 2011LNG

Weaver

met Liberty they both knew that this was not right and they had to do something to

change it. We Equality have discovered a new power of nature. They did it they finally

have become individuals. My thoughts, my will, my freedom They dont use the word

we and are known to be individuals. They now use I.

Vincents society makes everyone base their future on their DNA. Blood the

passport to Gattaca. Vincent has always wanted to go into space ever since he was a

little boy, but his DNA has held him back from following his dream. One cannot fly into

space with any heart conditions like Vincents. Because of this Vincent takes Jerome

Morrows identity because he is eligible to go into space. We have discrimination down

to the science. They are being punished by their DNA, every day that you come to work

in Gattaca, it pricks your finger and you must be valid to get through the doors. Every

once in a while they will take urine samples. Some people would see this as

discrimination, but there are probably health risks for Vincent with his heart problems.

In all three stories, the societies are unlike anything we see in the United States

today. We have freedom to be whom or whatever we want to be. We are able to live our

lives as individuals.