Liberty's 5th Blog Post

Recently, in class, we were asked to watch a movie called Gattaca and compare the main character, Vincent, with the main character of Scorpion, Matt. The similarities between the two characters became instantly apparent to me about ten minutes into the movie. Both characters were treated in a disrespectful manner due to their genetic composition. Matt's intelligence and talent is disregarded because he was not, so to speak, conceived in the usual way. In Scorpion, the so-called "acceptable" method of conception was the natural way. Matt was not, however, born the natural way, therefore is shunned by most members of society. The world of Scorpion is a world where your character and IQ don't matter so long as you are born the "right way".

Like Matt, Vincent is born in perhaps may seem to be the unorthodox way. In contrast to Matt, he was a natural birth, but, in the future world he lives in, almost every child is conceived in vitro. That way, doctors and scientists can manipulate their genetics in such a way that can prevent them from contracting illness and increase their life expectancy, among other things. We see an example of this in Vincent's brother, Anton, who is conceived the usual way (in vitro). Anton is noticeably taller, stronger, and physically superior to Vincent. Both stories, Scorpion and Gattaca, take place in a world where genetics can get you a job and a spouse and a reputation. And that is what makes them so similar. Their encounters with prejudice and discrimination over something they can't control - a modern idea reminiscent of racism or homophobia. Matt can't fulfill his dreams of playing the piano and excelling academically as long as he's a clone, just as Vincent can't be an astronaut because he was mistake (ha). I also think there's a bit of a connection between Matt and Jerome (from Gattaca), because both of them were roped into giving DNA and such. The only difference was that Jerome was doing it voluntarily and Matt was doing everything in his power to avoid it, and that is what sets them apart. Ultimately, Matt is the one who fights for his own life (and for María's), while Jerome so easily gave his up by killing himself. I find the comparison of these two characters just as interesting as the comparison of Vincent and Matt, because they are so alike yet so different.