Comparison of The Film "Gattaca" and The Short Story "Movement"

Introduction

Science fiction texts comment on the present, made evident through the exploration of various fictional futures. Composers of science fiction texts highlight the differences between the present and their speculative fictional futures through the utilisation of conventions, specifically by manipulating the setting and characters to comment on the present. This is exemplified in both Andrew Niccol’s film Gattaca (1997) and the short story Movement (2012) by Nancy Fulda, as both texts comment on the power of human will over determinism by employing the perspectives of unique characters. However, while Fulda’s story Movement highlights a loss of both social interactions due to technology, a stereotypical and key feature of the science fiction genre, Niccol’s film Gattaca exposes issues of genetic discrimination in a technologically-driven world. Through science fiction texts, readers can gain insight into various authors’ use of fictional futures to provide commentary on the present.

Comparing Gattaca and the Story Movement

Science fiction texts utilise fictional futures to emphasise the power human will exerts over the concept of determinism through unique characters. Movement focuses on the perspective of Hannah Didier, a girl trapped between her parents’ indecision on whether to ‘fix’ her autism. Repetition and symbolism are used throughout the statements ‘No new shoes… I couldn’t dance the same in new shoes…new shoes…” The shoes serve as a symbol of her self-individualism within a society which believes in fixing individuals to create the ‘perfect’ individual, while the repetition suggests her determination to be able to control her future. The text presents the view that ‘fixing’ Hannah’s temporal autism will change her character and thus her individuality, emphasised by the quote ‘I couldn’t dance the same in new shoes…” This rejects the notion of an acceptance of one’s fate, Hannah serving as a reminder to the present not only that human drive conquers all, but one can assimilate and belong in a society despite their character. This perspective invites readers to consider the value of individuality in a conformist world.

Similarly, Gattaca exemplifies the power of human will over fate and determinism through the protagonist Vincent, who escapes his genetic makeup, and thus, his future. Vincent refuses to trap himself into the social conformity of a genetically imperfect degenerate, instead deciding to pursue his dreams of exploring space through sheer will. This is illustrated through the pivotal scene in which Vincent conquers his genetically superior brother in a swimming race, symbolic of how an individual’s will can overcome an individual’s determined genetics. Furthermore, the crashing waves in the background symbolise both Vincent’s human drive in the face of adversity and genoism (genetic discrimination) in society, and the power of human will over nature itself. However, while the protagonist of Movement Hannah Didier is a reminder to society that her differences are a symbol of her self-individualism, Gattaca’s Vincent gives up his identity to pursue his dreams in a prejudiced society. This nuanced portrayal of characters highlights the complex relationship between identity and societal expectations.

Technological Futures and Social Commentary

Both texts utilise the stereotypical, technologically advanced science fiction future to comment on the present. Gattaca uses the setting of a society made up of genetically-engineered, and thus perfect individuals to highlight the dangers of rapid technological progression on society. Protagonist Vincent Freeman is genetically discriminated against as a genetically imperfect individual, seen through his voice-over ‘My genetic scarlet letter continued to follow me from school to school…” The mise-en-scene of the close-up of young Vincent’s face, framed by the closed school gates symbolise that he is a prisoner to society’s desire for a standard of genetic perfection, emphasising the inability of Vincent to escape his genetic makeup. This scene effectively depicts the growth of the gap between society’s standards of the perfect and imperfect through the use of setting, commenting on the possibility of heightened discrimination as a result of rapid technological progression in the fictional future.

Conversely, Movement comments on how technological progression can create a lack of social interaction through the technologically advanced science fiction future. The satirical quote from Hannah’s grandparents ‘Remember how it was when we were young? The way we’d crowd… game console? It’s a shame people don’t know how to connect with each other anymore…” exemplifies a lack of social interaction which directly correlates with the advancements of technology. The contrast between the speculative technology dubbed the ‘Vastness’, a network where people can connect with one another and the way individuals connect through game consoles currently exposes the gradual diminishing of an interacting society in the present through the exploration of a technologically advanced future, typical of a science fiction text. Although similar science fiction futures and settings are explored, divergent comments on the present can emerge from an author’s utilisation of language.

Conclusion

Ultimately, science fiction texts such as Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca and Nancy Fulda’s Movement comment on the present by exploring fictional futures through a range of conventions. Both texts celebrate the power of human will over the concept of determinism through powerful protagonists. Although Gattaca and Movement explore similar settings concerning the prospects of a technologically advanced future, contrasting messages emerge from these settings. Through the use of setting and character in fictional futures, individuals can gain a deeper insight into authors’ commentaries on the present. These texts serve as cautionary tales, urging readers to reflect on the ethical implications of technological advancements.

References

• Niccol, A. (Director). (1997). Gattaca [Film]. Columbia Pictures.
• Fulda, N. (2012). Movement. In Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2012 Issue.