Gattaca Compare And Contrast Essay

Great Essays
1. How is the idea of a dictator used in Gattaca and The Lot to ensure the obedience of citizens?
- The tyrant encourages individuals to strive for the same ideal as those around them, which inevitably leads to their discontent as they become fixated on their flaws whilst dismissing their individuality.
- The dictator acts as a force that compels individuals to discriminate those who do not conform to society’s standards.
- The oppressor urges individuals to disregard their self-worth and put on facades, leading them to form meaningless relationships with others.

2. Gattaca and The Lot show that there is a price to pay for challenging authority. Discuss.
- Individuals experience a lack of contentment when they refuse to conform and speak out against the dominant forces in society.
- When uniformity of thought becomes the norm, individuals who challenge authority put themselves at risk of discrimination.
- Relationships are compromised with those who choose to abide by the laws that members of the authority set.

3. Compare how Gattaca and The Lot examine the consequences of seeking perfection.
- The quest for perfection inevitably leads to discontent as individuals become fixated on their flaws whilst dismissing their individuality. - When individuals strive for the same ideal as those around them, their humanity starts to diminish as they begin to discriminate against those who do not conform to society’s standards. - Individuals who put on facades in the pursuit of flawlessness, refuse to recognise their own self-worth and as a result, are unable to form meaningful relationships with others. 4. How is a conformist society presented in Gattaca and The Lot? - The conformist societies in Gattaca and The Lot are presented as stifling environments where individuals who strive for the same ideal experience a lack of contentment as they become fixated on their flaws whilst dismissing their individuality. - The conservative societies in Gattaca and The Lot are depicted as critical civilisations that encourage individuals to discriminate against those who do not conform to society’s standards. - The conventional societies in Gattaca and The Lot are portrayed as duplicitous communities that urge individuals to disregard their self-worth and put on facades, which lead to the formation of meaningless relationships. 5. The social conditions in Gattaca and The Lot are depicted as personally destructive. Discuss. - The social conditions in Gattaca and The Lot encourage individuals to strive for the same ideal as those around them, which inevitably leads to their discontent as they become fixated on their flaws whilst dismissing their individuality. - The conventionalist norms in Gattaca and The Lot lead individuals to discriminate against those who do not conform to society’s standards. - The conformist practices in Gattaca and The Lot urge individuals to disregard their self-worth and put on facades, which lead to the formation of meaningless relationships. 6. Gattaca and The Lot present societies that are discriminatory. Discuss - The quest for perfection in discriminatory societies inevitably leads to discontent as individuals become fixated on their flaws whilst dismissing their individuality. - The amount of discrimination present in a society sets boundaries for the success of many individuals. - Relationships are compromised in communities where individuals disfavour those who do not conform to society’s standards. 7. Authenticity is not valued in Gattaca and The Lot. Discuss - Unrealistic standards of physical perfection lead to discontent and place a focus on what is not authentic. - The lack of regard for authenticity in the societies depicted leads to discrimination of those who do not conform, and as a result, people are not celebrated for who they are. - Relationships are compromised as they cannot be meaningful when they are based on artificiality. INTRODUCTION The Lot written by Michael Leunig in 2008 is an essay anthology that criticises Australian views and values as well as the societal pressures placed on individuals. [Context for The Lot]
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However, true love and true friendships should be genuine where flaws are exhibited and accepted, and yet, such a precondition for a meaningful relationship, ‘creates a vulnerability that many find unbearable.’ Therefore, connections with others become insincere and artificial as individuals are compelled to believe that perfection is much preferred to revealing

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