There is no gene for the human spirit
(Plot Summary by James Berardinelli)
As a boy, Vincent discovers he is different from his younger brother Anton, a petri dish baby who
possesses the perfect genes for success. Where Anton is strong and tall and has perfect eyesight, Vincent is weak
and sickly and wears glasses that give away his genetic inferiority. Where Anton earns his parents’ constant
praise, encouragement and admiration, Vincent is coddled, pitied, and kept at home. But there is no gene for the
human spirit -- and Vincent finds that this is the key to changing his fate.
When Vincent saves his perfect younger brother from drowning in the midst of a race, he realizes that
strength doesn't always come from the body. Meanwhile, the humiliated Anton remains silent about the whole
affair, never acknowledging his brother's triumph.
Ready to revolt against his proscribed future, Vincent leaves home, more determined than ever to pursue
his dream of traveling into space, of leaving earth and all its oppressive order and assumptions behind. Vincent
enlists the aid of German, a so-called DNA broker who sells false identities to the genetically inferior. German
sets Vincent up in a partnership with Jerome Eugene Morrow, a once superior genetic specimen who has been
paralyzed in an accident and is now willing to sell his prime genetic material for cash.
Thanks to Jerome's tragedy, Vincent has a chance of assuming the identity of a man destined for greatness
-- a man who can achieve everything Vincent wants in life purely because his genetic profile says he can. But it
won't be easy. To succeed, Vincent must fool a society that can read a person's identity and fate with just a drop of
blood, a flake of skin, a speck of saliva. He must hide every one of his imperfections -- alter his myopic eyes,
enhance his genetically inferior height with painful and torturous surgeries.
And then he must be prepared for a world of constant I.D. testing. He must keep pouches of Jerome's
urine for impromptu urine tests; he must keep sachets of Jerome's blood glued to his fingertips for daily blood
tests, and he must sprinkle Jerome's skin and hair samples everywhere he goes to keep up the ruse.
Despite all these measures, no one believes Vincent will succeed, especially the despondent Jerome. For
even if he can fool the machines with Jerome's body fluids and skin cells, Vincent is just not genetically capable
of reaching the physical and mental heights of a space navigator.
Or is he?
Quickly rising through the ranks of the Gattaca Corporation, Vincent AKA Jerome is eventually chosen
as one of a select group who will explore the outer boundaries of the solar system. He also begins a love affair
with Irene (Uma Thurman), a beautiful co-worker obsessed with her own minor heart defect, who believes
Vincent is the superior specimen he impersonates and adores him for it.
Then, a week before the mission is scheduled to blast-off, Vincent awakens to an incredible nightmare.
The director of the space agency has been murdered and everyone in the space program is a suspect. Suddenly,
the workplace is swarming with police, headed by Detective Hugo. An expansive search of the premises by a
zealous Investigator reveals the presence of an In-Valid's eyelash near the murder scene. Vincent's eyelash.
Detection of Vincent's impostor status is almost certain now -- and his fate more twisted than ever. Drawn
into the murder investigation as an innocent, Vincent has much to hide and everything to lose. As a suspenseful
cat-and-mouse chase ensues, Vincent must use every one of his natural-born attributes to keep the law at bay, the
truth of his identity under wraps, and his dreams within reach.
But can Vincent escape his destiny and Gattaca once and for all?
Unit 1, Chapter 2 – Growth for Life: Learning and Creating – Questions for Reflection:
Answer THREE of the following questions.
1. Church teaching insists that, in order to reach our full human potential, we must constantly and purposely
seek experiences that challenge us to grow beyond the familiar. Such growth is difficult, if not
impossible, in the world in which Vincent finds himself.


Describe one character besides Vincent in
whom you think growth is evident, and what
they have to do in order to continue growing.
Describe one character who is not growing,
and why they are not.
2. Compare Anton and Vincent, the two brothers.
How was Vincent able to beat Anton at
swimming despite Vincent's weak heart?
3. The Church also insists that learning and
growth are not determined by our genes alone:
to grow and learn is a responsibility and a
choice, and is influenced at least as much by
opportunity and experience as by genetics.
What made Vincent able to qualify for the
Saturn mission despite his physical infirmities
and lack of genetic perfection?
4. Why is there such resistance to the new order
imposed by this society? (Examples are:
Vincent's girlfriend and the test technician.)
5. What do you think is wrong with the society
portrayed in "Gattaca"?
6. Wouldn't every parent want to ensure that
their child was perfect and had the attributes
of physical attractiveness, intelligence and
athletic prowess to be able to do whatever he
or she wanted in life? If so, why is the society
portrayed in this film so devoid of happiness,
vitality and fun?
7. Some people have responded to the vision of
this film by saying that many of our
strengths can’t be separated from our
weaknesses. Do you agree with this? Why or
why not?
8. What is wrong with engineering children to have 12 fingers if, as a result, they will be able to make
extraordinarily beautiful music?