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Spirit In Gattaca

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The 1997 American speculative fiction film ‘Gattaca,’ directed by Andrew Niccol delves deeply into the concept of the human spirit and truly follows throughout the film one simple theme; that the human spirit will always prevail despite an uncaring fate. Niccol explores the notion that the human spirit has the capacity to overcome in his futuristic world of ‘Gattaca,’ by following Vincent Freeman. Vincent represents powerful notions such as perseverance and humanity, and through his victory epitomizes humanities triumph over science. The definition of the human spirit and its relation to the term ‘God Child,’ implies that valid children are without human spirit. Niccol therefore, through that connection implies that all children deemed valid …show more content…

A ‘God Child,’ within the film Gattaca is defined as being a creation of God rather than a product of human-kind, therefore all ‘God Children,’ are seen as inferior, imperfect beings. 'Consider God 's handiwork: who can straighten what he hath made crooked? ' Ecclesiastes 7:11. Human spirit does not have a solid definition and can be perceived and defined as many things, although the concept of human spirit has deep biblical connotations. The bible states that the human spirit is the very breath of God, that was breathed into man at the beginning of God’s creation. “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Through linking this statement to the concept of ‘God Children,’ within the film ‘Gattaca,’ Niccol implies that only ‘God Children,’ possess the trait of the human spirit. Within the film, human spirit is defined as the desire to succeed, to overcome, and to accomplish; to persevere through problems and to never give in, as specifically shown through the protagonist Vincent Freeman. Yet, without these traits, people born as valid do not have the capacity to truly succeed – to go any further than they are genetically dictated to. Although Niccol implies the aforementioned traits only apply to ‘God …show more content…

Throughout the entirety of the film ‘Gattaca,’ Niccol articulates the importance of the human spirit in practically every aspect of the film, and by doing this, Niccol reiterates that the human spirit has the capacity to overcome within his futuristic society of ‘Gattaca.’ Niccol most apparently conveys to the viewer that the human spirit has the capacity to do this is through the protagonist Vincent Freeman. Through Vincent overcoming the intense genoism within his society through being sent into space, it is perceived by the viewer as humanity finally overcoming science and the boundaries that it has created; this triumph taken place due to Vincent’s human spirit. Niccol similarly expresses that the human spirit has the capacity to overcome through dabbling into the Christian connotations behind the term ‘God child,’ stating that only invalid humans possess the human spirit; with the human spirit being the desire to succeed. Niccol also enforces once more that the human spirit has the capacity to overcome through reflection on the plights in which valid humans have fashioned for themselves; these troubles being the burden of perfection and predetermined fates dictating solely what valid people will accomplish in life. Both of these plights without the human spirit leaving valid humans rendered hopeless through their complications. “There is no gene for the human spirit.” The human spirit is expressed to be practically the most important human trait by Niccol within the

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