GATTACA
Watch the first 20 minutes and ponder this…
What do you think of Vincent’s life so far? How would it feel to be Vincent?
Thinking about yourself… what issues could you see arising for you if you lived in this society? Do you have family histories of diseases or is your family prone to wearing glasses, being short (or tall) etc. Reflect for a moment on your family, yourself and the choices that might not be afforded (or perhaps would be afforded to you).
Write a paragraph or two on this. (You may just want to write your thoughts on a separate sheet of paper).
Now rewatch the first 20 minutes again…. And answer these questions below.
- At Vincent’s birth, doctors already knew how he would die. What was Vincent’s life expectancy and what would he likely die from?
- Compare how Vincent’s brother was brought into the world to how Vincent was brought into the world. Did the doctor feel that some traits should be left to chance? Why or why not.
- The doctor stated: “The child is you, simply the best of you”. What does this mean?
- Scenes of the two brother’s childhood imply certain differences in the physique. List some obvious differences between Vincent and his brother.
- “My real resume’ was in my cells.” What does this statement mean? What kind of job did Vincent end up with? What was his real goal?
- Describe the process by which Vincent became Jerome?
- How was Vincent treated differently as Jerome?
- What procedures did Vincent go through to prevent his DNA from being discovered (and his ruse being discovered)
- Did the doctor at Gattaca know all along that Jerome wasn’t who he was? What gave him away at the end?
Bioethics and Genetics Essay
Choose one of the following (Essay should be approximately 5 paragraphs long, and use language specific to genetics and biotechnology). You will need to use scientific RESEARCH in the form of journals and articles. Use the resources in library links in Destiny.
- The caption of the movie reads: “There Is No Gene for The Human Spirit”. Describe what this means in the context of Vincent’s struggle to overcome his perceived genetic disadvantages. Is nature (DNA) more important than nurture (home environment) in determining whether a person will be successful or not. Defend you answer.
- Genetic screening for some diseases already exists – children are tested for PKU at birth. It is conceivable that the number and scope of testing of newborns may broaden in the future. Do you think that newborns should be tested for other traits, such as alcoholism, heart problems, or even intelligence? If tests can be performed on a newborn or even an adult, who has the right to your genetic information – do employers, do spouses, and do insurance companies have the right to your profile. Defend your position.
All references must be both in-text citated and listed in your Reference Section. It MUST be in APA style.