Grit, Guts and Glory

Grit, Guts and Glory

In the movie Gattaca, directed by Andrew Niccol, the characters Vincent and Eugene show that the power of human will, rather than predetermined genetic perfection, dictates the fate of an individual. Vincent, born with genetic deficiencies such as a lethal heart disorder, faces genetic profiling and discrimination but transcends these obstacles because of his unparalleled determination to become an astronaut. However, Eugene is born genetically perfect but collapses under high expectations because he has no determination to ensure that he lives up to those expectations. Instead, Eugene relies entirely on what was given to him at birth to pursue his dreams, which ultimately eliminates any chance he has in advancing far enough to achieve his goals. While the advantages of genetic perfection can only take a man so far in life, such as in the case of Eugene, Vincent's willpower supplies him with continuous motivation to achieve his goals. As a result, an irony arises in that Vincent, who is genetically destined to be nobody, rises above all deterrents to carve out his own destiny. Eugene, on the other hand, is given all the tools he needs at birth except the determination to fulfill the destiny to which he was assigned.

Everything about Eugene's genetically perfect DNA code was created for him to succeed, but the engineers that scripted his code made one vital flaw that destined him to fall short of his destiny. Because he is predisposed to genetic perfection, Eugene never develops the determination to live beyond his own capacity. Expecting the pieces of his destiny to fall into place, he never thinks that failure might be possible. And once he discovers how it feels to fall short of expectations during the Olympics, he is unfamiliar with any coping method. Thus, instead of accepting defeat and relying on determination to move forward, he convinces himself to be a failure and gives up completely. From then on, Eugene begins to fail at everything else in his life including his attempted suicide that leaves him crippled in a wheel chair. Only by helping Vincent does Eugene add purpose back to his life. Eugene also sees the way in which determination leads Vincent past all of his obstacles. Simply by providing Vincent the necessary tools to escape prejudice in their society, Eugene witnesses Vincent work his way towards his dream despite genetic imperfection.

Forced to live in a society where genetically perfect "Valids" are given the best opportunities, Vincent, a naturally born "Invalid", has enough determination to become an astronaut despite all of the obstacles in his life. First signs of his ability to overcome the destiny society has set out for him arise when he beats his younger brother, Anton, in "chicken" for the first time. Although genetically inferior to Anton and having lost every time prior to the occasion, Vincent keeps pushing forward "knowing each stroke towards the horizon was one [he] had to make back to the shore" (Gattaca). While Anton panics at the thought that he has to swim all the way back to the shore, Vincent fuels each stroke towards the horizon with his determination to prevail over genetic advantage. Vincent clearly shows that he is not content with genetic inferiority governing his fate in society. Vincent wants to prove to everyone and himself that enough determination allows him to follow his own path in life. Due to genetic profiling and discrimination, however, he must be determined enough to give up his own identity and conform to the standards of society. With the willpower to succeed no matter the cost, he becomes a "borrowed ladder", someone who assumes the identity of a "Valid" to avoid the limitations of discrimination in society.

In his pursuit to become an astronaut, Vincent incurs a lot of costs including cutting off all contact from his family and coping with the anxiety he feels as he tries to hide his true identity from a prejudiced society. The costs of achieving his dream, however, are offset by his determination because he believes that genetic