GATTACA

[Erin Nash]

“They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of….”

While watching the movie GATTACA, there are several things I want you to consider. First, be on the lookout for all of the hidden genetic items within the movie. Secondly, consider the following prompts while watching the movie - you will write on them when we are finished.

During a scene in GATTACA, Vincent’s parents visited a doctor who
specialized in child conception to select for the best traits for his future
brother. They hoped that his brother would have the best possible chances
for a successful life. Some of the traits mentioned in GATTACA included
intelligence, height and any possibility of inheritable diseases.
If you decided to have a child one day and are given the opportunity to
select for special traits, would you do so? Explain why or why not.

What does the movie GATTACA say about DNA determining a person’s
potential? Provide examples from the movie to support your answer.

[Kaylee Burris]

Its crazy all the genetic connections there are in this movie, I love it. Like for starters the title of the movie GATTACA, it has the letters used in genetic coding, I wonder if it codes for anything certain.
I can't say my responds to the promt will be the same when the time comes, but right now I wouldn't want to choose special traits. I like the idea of what the movie calls a "faith child" it's just the way I want it to be. Now maybe, I wouldn't want my child to have a major disease, but choosing what they will look like is going too far. If everyone choose the best of the best traits then everyone would be "perfect." The world wouldnt have the variety that it has now, it would almost be boring. The different people and there "flaws" are what makes the world what it is.
In the movie if you pick your childs traits they are completly likely to be something great; they will be a "valid." But the "faith children" will most likely be a janitor or something like that; they will be a "invalid." They say in this world that if you are a valid then you can do what ever you want and that invalids can't do anything because the are "ill." But Vincent is a invaild and because of his drive and determination he makes it in the world under another name, he proves the system wrong. He even bets his brother a valid when swimming, but his brother is perfect and he is not right? I don't think that drive can be a trait picked out for a child.

[Zachery Langdon]

If I ever had a child one day I would most likely change his genetic makeup. This is because I would like him to be brighter and good looking so he will have a better chance to succeed in life.
In GATTACA, determining genetic traits would make the persons life better. For example, Vincent’s brother had his genetics changed and was more intelligent, faster, stronger and better looking.

[Chris Michaels]

There is no way in #&!! I would decide what genetic makeup my child would have when born, because if you decide that you might as well just not have a child, people should have children to watch them grow, to see what they become whether it is fighting through a mutation in there path or whether they just have to fight to get what they want, you as a parent should be there helping them through. If you know what your genetic makeup is and that there will be no diseases then there is no point in being in their life because with you or without you they will still succeed in life. What is the fun in that knowing that you dont even have to put them in the right direction they will just be intelligent and be perfect, Me personally i want to have the challenge in this society to provide the direction for my child to go in life and know that when they succeed in life im the one that taught him what he knows and that he is atleast half of me and not a test tube.

Nobodies personality is pre-determined and neither is the "WANT" to succeed...... Those come from being raised by caring parents and by the amount of effort induced in the child's life.

[kristen sheehan]

To answer the first question, no I would not, if given the opportunity, give my child special traits. For one, to me the joy of having a child is that it is a new life that is all its own, including its strengths as well as its weaknesses. No one is perfect. That is something that I am a firm believer in. A child is perfect, in my eyes, no matter if it has problems or not.So no, I would never give my child special traits.

In the movie, to be able to go up in space, they have to be perfect... pretty much. Which can anyone really define perfect, as we discussed in class. My answer is no. No one is perfect.

The movie pretty much states that if there is something wrong with your genetic make up, you do not have the same potential as a person with flawless DNA. (I don't agree with this) Vincent has to go through all of these obstacles to be able to go up into space, just because he has a heart condition, but he still does it. I can't believe that he actually gets to go up. But it really amazes me that people don't give others the chance.