Beliefs and values that are particular to the context of the composer play an integral role in texts and often some correlate with each other even through their contexts completely differ which shows that certain beliefs and values are still relevant with the society of today. This is inherent in Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, which highlights idiosyncratic corruption and greed of 16th century England through contrast with an ideal egalitarian society. Likewise, Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron uses satire as a medium to criticise the idiocies and shortcomings of the contemporary world. On the other hand, Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca invites viewers to question the ethics and ramification of contemporary scientific progress and the unrestrained progress
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Vonnegut illustrates an individual’s unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the authoritarian government and the indifferent reactions of society in order to satirise the growing tension and paranoia of the communist threat, a prejudiced perspective propagated by the US government during the Cold War. The extreme measures taken to achieve complete conformity are exemplified in the anaphora of “nobody was smarter … nobody was better looking” revealing the absence of individualism and lack of societal progression. Furthermore, the suppression of superior individuals in this dystopic world is demonstrated through the oppressive visual imagery of “forty-seven pounds of bird lock padlocked around George’s neck” alluding to the mistreatment of slaves and symbolising the repressive regulation of the totalitarian regime. The black humour in Hazel’s repetition of “I could tell that one was a doozy” exposes the progressive desensitisation of the human mind from continual viewing of television and warns against the authoritarian government which manufactures and thrives on this ignorance. Moreover, Vonnegut’s scepticism for the propaganda which dictated the broader society’s view of the communist threat is conveyed through the hyperbole, “She fired twice and [they] were dead before they hit the floor” …show more content…
Gattaca (1997) presents a stratified society resulting from genetic discrimination and emphasises the significance of human spirit and self-determination. The “discrimination based on science” is emphasised through the visual juxtaposition of the continual cuts between the high class musical concert and the derelict residential areas of Invalids being investigated, highlighting the social inequality experienced by those of natural birth compared to those genetically engineered. Niccol portrays a society where status is tied to genetic makeup to reflect the contextual issue of social stratification and the emphasis of wealth distinctions brought along with Reaganism. The corrupted social order that results from mankind’s hubris in attempting to manipulate natural creations to achieve physical perfection is foreshadowed by the Biblical allusion “Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what he hath crooked?”, highlighting Vincent’s lower social standing. This is displayed through the contrast between Vincent’s natural birth in the hospital and Anton being born through “the local geneticist … the natural way.” His ironic voiceover underlines the rigid class hierarchy of a society driven by liberal eugenics and mirrors the critical perspective of technological advances in
Vonnegut illustrates an individual’s unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the authoritarian government and the indifferent reactions of society in order to satirise the growing tension and paranoia of the communist threat, a prejudiced perspective propagated by the US government during the Cold War. The extreme measures taken to achieve complete conformity are exemplified in the anaphora of “nobody was smarter … nobody was better looking” revealing the absence of individualism and lack of societal progression. Furthermore, the suppression of superior individuals in this dystopic world is demonstrated through the oppressive visual imagery of “forty-seven pounds of bird lock padlocked around George’s neck” alluding to the mistreatment of slaves and symbolising the repressive regulation of the totalitarian regime. The black humour in Hazel’s repetition of “I could tell that one was a doozy” exposes the progressive desensitisation of the human mind from continual viewing of television and warns against the authoritarian government which manufactures and thrives on this ignorance. Moreover, Vonnegut’s scepticism for the propaganda which dictated the broader society’s view of the communist threat is conveyed through the hyperbole, “She fired twice and [they] were dead before they hit the floor” …show more content…
Gattaca (1997) presents a stratified society resulting from genetic discrimination and emphasises the significance of human spirit and self-determination. The “discrimination based on science” is emphasised through the visual juxtaposition of the continual cuts between the high class musical concert and the derelict residential areas of Invalids being investigated, highlighting the social inequality experienced by those of natural birth compared to those genetically engineered. Niccol portrays a society where status is tied to genetic makeup to reflect the contextual issue of social stratification and the emphasis of wealth distinctions brought along with Reaganism. The corrupted social order that results from mankind’s hubris in attempting to manipulate natural creations to achieve physical perfection is foreshadowed by the Biblical allusion “Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what he hath crooked?”, highlighting Vincent’s lower social standing. This is displayed through the contrast between Vincent’s natural birth in the hospital and Anton being born through “the local geneticist … the natural way.” His ironic voiceover underlines the rigid class hierarchy of a society driven by liberal eugenics and mirrors the critical perspective of technological advances in