Gattaca and Lord of the Flies Comparison Essay
By: Lauren Cody
Gattaca and The Lord of the Flies have many overlapping themes like the loss of individuality or the abuse of power. The loss of individuality is shown through Jack and his tribe wearing their masks and hiding behind them when they hunt and run wild throughout the island. In Gattaca individuality is taken from people because their parents choose their children's genes before they are even born and individuals are grouped into genetically modified and invalids. The abuse of power is shown through Jacks power hungry nature while taking over island. In relation to Gattaca, business owners, the police, and the government all feel that they have the right to see your genes and judge …show more content…
In Gattaca when you are planning on having a child you can pick and choose your child gender, eye color, hair color, quality of life, etc. This striped that child’s chance of leaving life to the unexpected and deciding what he or she wants to do in life. A recurring message in Gattaca is that your identity or individual self worth is not defined by your genes. Vincent and Jerome are great examples of individuals that defied their genetic material. Vincent is labeled as an invalid and was told that his heart would give out before he turns thirty; however, Vincent tests the eugenicists system by becoming Jerome and goes farther physically and mentally than any doctor could have predicted. Vincent becomes the most efficient and intelligent employee at NASA out working everyone around him and that willpower is what allows Vincent to achieve his dream of reaching space. On the other hand, Jerome had has his potential, guaranteed at birth, taken away from him when he was put in his wheelchair. Jerome had everything he could’ve wanted, good looks, athletic build, was even an olympic swimmer. Although, even with all those guarantees, Jerome was still put into a wheelchair for life and ended up dying before Vincent, the invalid. In this way, Gattaca emphasizes that passion, ambition and drive are the true ways to judge a person’s humanity or identity. Also within Gattaca workers dress the same,