Gattaca is a film by director Andrew Niccol. It is set in the not too distant future and is about a man, Vincent Freeman, living in a society where the fate of its citizens is already influenced before their birth. By prenatal preselection the so called “Valids”, people who are genetically superior to those who have been conceived the common way, are destined to have privileged jobs and build the elite of society. Vincent, a “faith birth”, whose genes are flawed, has the dream to become an astronaut. To achieve this apparently hopeless goal he takes the identity of Jerome Morrow, a “Valid” with perfect genes, who is disabled and tied to a wheelchair after a suicide attempt. Equipped with great ambition, Vincent manages to overcome the obstacles on his way to become an astronaut at Gattaca, a corporation that organizes space missions.
Although Gattaca has an exciting plot, Andrew Niccol puts the focus on questions of moral and humanity. Prominent issues in Gattaca, that are repeatedly treated with representation by subtle symbolism, are life and especially birth, loss of individuality, competition, and discrimination.
Niccol uses imagery and symbolism to develop a language that works particularly on the connotative level. An attempt to read the film only by its denotations will without doubt be unsuccessful. Especially the ending sequence is full of images that are crucial for the comprehension of Niccol’s point. Some of them can be read for themselves, others need comparison with other scenes from the film. By a step-by-step analysis of the last 24 shots of the film I will show how the use of symbols and images works in Gattaca.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of the ending sequence
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This work examines the complex use of symbolism and imagery in Andrew Niccol's film Gattaca, specifically focusing on how the director constructs meaning beyond the film's literal denotations to critique themes of genetic determinism, individuality, and human spirit.
- The symbolic representation of life, birth, and individuality in a dystopian society.
- The analytical breakdown of the film's final sequence and its visual language.
- The thematic role of the "swimming motif" as a metaphor for competition and societal pressure.
- The psychological and narrative merging of the characters Vincent Freeman and Jerome Morrow.
- The use of cinematic techniques, including color filtering and parallel editing, to convey subtext.
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis of the ending sequence
The ending sequence of Gattaca is marked by the use of continuous music. It begins with a fade in of the main theme when Vincent (played by Ethan Hawke) realizes that he will be able to go on his space mission, although his fraud has been discovered. After the doctor (Xander Berkeley) has manipulated Vincent’s urine test to his favor he says: “You are going to miss your flight Vincent.” After that we see a close up of Vincent looking at the doctor and the music is introduced. After a short long shot showing the two protagonists of the scene and several astronauts heading for the spaceship in the background there is another close up of the doctor smiling and nodding at Vincent and then a medium close up of Vincent again who then turns around and heads for the entrance to the gangway leading to the spaceship that will take him to Titan. Except for slight pans and tilts the camera keeps static and focused on Vincent so that his movement turns the medium close up of his upper body into a long shot as he enters the entrance. The entrance is illuminated with green light.
Certainly budget limitations were one reason to use colors to create a futuristic atmosphere, but in Gattaca different colors often serve as certain codes and thus are not only used to save money. When we look at several different scenes we can find out that green for example represents life and birth. The car in which Vincent is conceived is green and so are the dresses of the nurses present at his birth. The monitor on which the eggs that are potential candidates for Anton are displayed has the background color green as well as the water of the sea where the brothers swim.
As Gattaca is a film full of highly symbolic images, we have to assume that an association with life and birth as we see the gangway is intended by Niccol.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the film's dystopian premise regarding genetic preselection and outlines the research objective to analyze the film's symbolic language.
2. Analysis of the ending sequence: This section provides a detailed step-by-step examination of the film's final scenes, focusing on color coding, parallel editing, and the symbolic merging of the protagonists.
3. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes how Andrew Niccol utilizes visual motifs and character development to critique the loss of individuality in a genetically stratified society.
4. Bibliography: This section lists the academic sources and online references utilized for the analysis.
Keywords
Gattaca, Andrew Niccol, Symbolism, Genetics, Dystopia, Vincent Freeman, Jerome Morrow, Film Analysis, Imagery, Swimming Motif, Identity, Cinema, Metaphor, Genetic Manipulation, Narrative Structure
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this work?
The paper explores how director Andrew Niccol uses subtle symbolism and imagery in the film Gattaca to communicate themes regarding humanity, individuality, and the societal impact of genetic preselection.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The central themes include the critique of a genetically determined society, the loss of individuality, the nature of competition, and the search for equality and identity.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The primary goal is to demonstrate that the film's meaning operates predominantly on a connotative level, specifically by analyzing the visual language and symbols within the final 24 shots of the film.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes film analysis, specifically a step-by-step deconstruction of visual shots, lighting, color usage, and editing techniques to interpret symbolic messages.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body focuses on the analysis of the ending sequence, comparing the journeys of Vincent and Jerome, and examines the recurring "swimming motif" as a representation of competition and genetic expectation.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Gattaca, symbolism, genetic determinism, individuality, cinema, film analysis, and the narrative function of visual motifs.
How does the author interpret the significance of the "green" color palette?
The author argues that green serves as a specific code throughout the film, representing life and birth, which is why it is used in the conceiving of the protagonist and in the tunnel to the spaceship.
What is the symbolic meaning of the silver medal in the context of Jerome's arc?
The medal initially symbolizes Jerome's perceived failure and the burden of societal expectations, but eventually becomes a positive symbol of his satisfaction and the merging of his identity with Vincent's.
What does the "lock of hair" represent in the final act?
The lock of hair symbolizes the strength of Jerome's physical identity and his contribution to Vincent's success, serving as a token of their unusual friendship and shared journey.
- Quote paper
- Jakob Maier (Author), 2006, Symbolism in Andrew Niccols "Gattaca", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/69728
