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.