gattaca movie assignment worksheet answers

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SUBJECTS — Science Fiction;

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING — Breaking Out; Alcohol and Drug Abuse; Human Rights; Brothers; Friendship; Suicide;

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS — Respect; Fairness.

AGE ; 14+; Rated PG-13 for brief violent images, language, and some sexuality;

Drama; 1997; 101 minutes; Color.

THE BEST OF TWM

One of the Best! This movie is on TWM’s list of the ten best movies to supplement classes in Science, High School Level.

Benefits of the Movie Possible Problems Parenting Points Selected Awards & Cast

Helpful Background Discussion Questions Social-Emotional Learning

Moral-Ethical Emphasis Assignments and Projects Links to the Internet

MOVIE WORKSHEETS & STUDENT HANDOUTS

TWM offers the following movie worksheets to keep students’ minds on the film and to focus their attention on the lessons to be learned from the movie.

Film Study Worksheet for ELA Classes ; and

Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects .

Teachers can modify the worksheets to fit the needs of each class.

DESCRIPTION

The film takes place in a genetically engineered “not too distant future.” Fertilized embryos are selected and altered for intelligence, strength, resistance to disease, and physical appearance. (The genetic counselor tells parents “It’s still you, simply the best of you.”) Children conceived in the normal way, “faith babies,” are treated as second class citizens and relegated to menial jobs.

“Gattaca” is a multifaceted film. It’s the story of Vincent, a “faith baby” with strong will power who dreams of exploring space but lives in a world where only the genetically enhanced can be astronauts. Undaunted, Vincent pursues his dream in the only way possible. Jerome is the opposite. Blessed with the improvements offered by genetic engineering, he is unable to cope with the disappointments of life. “Gattaca” is also a murder mystery. Vincent gets caught up in the investigation surrounding the killing of his superior at work, a man who opposed the mission that Vincent has been scheduled to take. Is Vincent the murderer? Will the investigation expose Vincent as an “in-valid” and a “de-gene-erate?”

SELECTED AWARDS & CAST

Selected Awards:

1998 Academy Awards: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration; 1998 Golden Globe Awards Nominations: Best Original Score – Motion Picture.

Featured Actors:

Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, and Gore Vidal.

Andrew Niccol.

BENEFITS OF THE MOVIE

This film allows the viewer to work through some of the ethical implications of a society that manipulates human genes to enhance the genetic characteristics of newborns. Due to advances in genetic engineering, society will have to face this issue in the 21st century.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

SERIOUS. One of the main characters commits suicide, and it takes some serious thinking to understand that the film’s philosophy is critical of this action. On one occasion, the hero of the film is cornered and brutally beats a police officer by punching, head-butting and kicking him.

The two most sympathetic characters drink alcohol to excess on several occasions. There is scattered profanity (two “f…” words, a few scatological references and mild obscenities). We are shown the very bloody, pulpy head of a murder victim, surrounded by a pool of blood. People are shown in bed before and after sexual intercourse but there is no nudity and there are no sexually suggestive movements.

PARENTING POINTS

Tell your child that soon genetic engineering will be able to cure disease and also to make normal people stronger, taller, better looking etc. Ask what he or she thinks about that and then ask and help your child to answer the Quick Discussion Question. If your child is interested, go through some of the other Discussion Questions.

TeachWithMovies.org recommends that every child in any family in which there is any history of heavy drinking or alcohol abuse be taken to an open AA meeting beginning at the age of 12 or 13. This should be repeated every year or so. Some meetings are divided into two parts. Try to stay for the second part. That’s when specially selected speakers talk about the difficulties they encountered while intoxicated and their new lives in sobriety. Tell the kids that if they ever have trouble with alcohol, the twelve steps of AA are a way that they can avoid the destructive effects of alcoholism. For more information, see Handout on Alcohol and How it Affects Us .

HELPFUL BACKGROUND

“Gattaca” was made in 1997. Since that time, almost the entire human genome has been catalogued and discoveries in the field of bioengineering are occurring so quickly that any description of where science stands in this area would almost immediately be out-of-date. Scientists are now talking about cloning human beings as a serious possibility and the ethical questions involved are of immediate and pressing urgency. This film is an excellent device to get children thinking about the implications of the advances in biotechnology.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. See Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction .

2. Compare Jerome and Vincent. What were their strengths and their weaknesses? In what ways were they the mirror image of each other?

3. Was Jerome mentally ill?

4. Compare Anton and Vincent, the two brothers. How was Vincent able to beat Anton at swimming despite Vincent’s weak heart?

5. Why is there such resistance to the new order imposed by this society? (Examples are: Vincent’s girlfriend and the test technician.)

6. What do you think is wrong with the society portrayed in “Gattaca”?

7. 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?

8. What made Vincent able to qualify for the Saturn mission despite his physical infirmities and lack of genetic perfection?

9. If you were the president of a corporation that could hire genetically enhanced individuals, would you do so? If you didn’t, how could you compete with corporations that did hire only the genetically improved? What are the implications of this for our future?

10. Most parents will tell you that children are born with their own peculiar personality. This can be affected by events in the child’s life, but there is definitely a strong, if not overriding genetic component. We may, in the future, be able to modify these characteristics, just as physical characteristics and intelligence could be modified. What are the implications of this?

11. Some people have countered the vision of this film by saying that our strengths are inextricably combined with our weaknesses. Do you agree with this?

12. Soon, life insurance companies, health insurance companies, employers, and the government will have the tools to predict our future health. Is this too much information for them to have? Is there any way to stop it?

13. The character of the Director (the murderer) told the investigators that there was no indication of violence in his genetic make-up. What were the screenwriters trying to tell us by this scene?

14. What were the screenwriters trying to tell us through the episode of the 12 fingered pianist? What is wrong with engineering children to have 12 fingers if, as a result, they will be able to make extraordinarily beautiful music?

15. What limits should be placed on genetic engineering? Should it be allowed at all? Should it be limited to the elimination of disease and physical imperfections?

16. Should we permit people to make human clones of themselves? What about someone who cannot have a child?

17. Should we permit people to make human clones of other people?

18. If you would permit human cloning, would the clones have all the rights of “natural” people?

19. Was Vincent justified in brutally beating the police officer outside of the nightclub?

1. Jerome committed suicide at the end of this film. What was the screenwriter’s purpose in showing this end to this character?

Suggested Response:

That a future in which human attributes are left to chance is emotionally, morally, and spiritually bankrupt.

BREAKING OUT

2. Is it true that you are more than the sum of your genes?

3. Which did Anton have more allegiance to his caste of genetically enhanced beings or his brother?

4. Were Vincent and Jerome friends by the end of the film?

ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE

See the Handout on Alcohol and How it Affects Us

5. What was the role of alcohol in the destruction of Jerome’s personality?

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS (CHARACTER COUNTS)

Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. Additional questions are set out below.

(Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule; Be tolerant of differences; Use good manners, not bad language; Be considerate of the feelings of others; Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone; Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements)

1. What is a caste system? Describe the caste system in Gattaca. Give some examples of caste systems in other societies that have actually existed.

(Play by the rules; Take turns and share; Be open-minded; listen to others; Don’t take advantage of others; Don’t blame others carelessly)

2. Was the society described in this film one in which fairness was a value? What problems were caused by the failure of society to promote fairness?

ASSIGNMENTS, PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

See Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction .

CCSS ANCHOR STANDARDS

Multimedia: Anchor Standard #7 for Reading (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). (The three Anchor Standards read: “Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media, including visually and quantitatively as well as in words.”) CCSS pp. 35 & 60. See also Anchor Standard # 2 for ELA Speaking and Listening, CCSS pg. 48.

Reading: Anchor Standards #s 1, 2, 7 and 8 for Reading and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 35 & 60.

Writing: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 5 and 7- 10 for Writing and related standards (for both ELA classes and for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Classes). CCSS pp. 41 & 63.

Speaking and Listening: Anchor Standards #s 1 – 3 (for ELA classes). CCSS pg. 48.

Not all assignments reach all Anchor Standards. Teachers are encouraged to review the specific standards to make sure that over the term all standards are met.

LINKS TO THE INTERNET

The reviews of this film are especially helpful. See for example:

• Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times
• Scott Rosenberg in Salon

This Learning Guide was last updated on July 21, 2011.

LEARNING GUIDE MENU:

Benefits of the Movie Possible Problems Parenting Points Selected Awards & Cast Helpful Background Discussion Questions Social-Emotional Learning Moral-Ethical Emphasis Assignments and Projects Links to the Internet

MOVIE WORKSHEETS:

Quick discussion question:.

If we were able to exclude the eccentric, the different, the misfits, and the weak, what would happen to society?

Society would become uninteresting and sterile and there would be less innovation if everyone were the same. Just look at the food. What would life be like without Italian food, Mexican food, Middle Eastern food, or Chinese food? It is very often the person who is different, who sees things a little differently, that will invent something or forge new ways for society to see itself. Jesus was considered by most to be a misfit. It was the Pharisees who were the “popular people” of his day. The Buddha was a prince but rejected it all for religious contemplation. And what about the next genetic innovation in mankind that perfects us, and makes us better? How would a society that can engineer genetic innovation treat that person? Chances are the mutation would be treated as a birth defect and eliminated. The beneficial nature of differences among people is an important concept for teenagers who are often slaves to conformity or miserable because they cannot conform.

BUILDING VOCABULARY:

“de-gene-erate”, “valid”, “in-valid”, “faith baby”, “genetic engineering.”

Attendance at an open AA meeting is an excellent extra-credit activity. Some meetings are divided into two parts. Tell the kids to ask permission to stay for the second part. That’s when specially selected speakers talk about the difficulties they encountered while intoxicated and their new lives in sobriety.

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Gattaca Movie Guide | Questions | Worksheet | Google Classroom (PG13 - 1997)

Subject: English language learning

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

14 April 2024

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GATTACA Movie Worksheets

This site has downloads for 12 plus worksheets to accompany the movie GATTACA.  These worksheets can focus students as they watch the movie or teacher selected parts of the movie. Gattaca is a 1997 science fiction film that presents a vision of a society driven by liberal eugenics where potential children are selected through preimplantation genetic diagnosis to ensure they possess the best hereditary traits of their parents. A genetic registry database uses biometrics to instantly identify and classify those so created as "valids" while those conceived by traditional means are derisively known as "in-valids". While genetic discrimination is forbidden by law, in practice it is easy to profile a person's genotype resulting in the valids qualifying for professional employment while the in-validsu2014considered more susceptible to disease, educational dysfunction and shorter lifespansu2014are relegated to menial jobs. The movie draws on concerns over reproductive technologies which facilitate eugenics, and the possible consequences of such technological developments for society. It also explores the idea of destiny and the ways in which it can and does govern lives

Lesson Variations

Helpful hints.

The 12 sheets are to be used while watching the movie or after.

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Synopsis of Movie

One man defies a system obsessed with genetic perfection. Ethan Hawke stars as Vincent, an "In-Valid," who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. However, a week before his mission, a murder marks Vincent as a suspect. With a relentless investigator in pursuit and the colleague he has fallen in love with beginning to suspect his deception, Vincent's dreams steadily unravel. (Rating PG-13)

Biology Principles

Nature vs Nurture Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis Genetic Screening

DNA profiling Human rights Genetic modification (recombinant DNA)

1. At Vincent's birth, doctors already knew how he would die. What was Vincent's life expectancy and what would he likely die from?

2. Compare how Vincent's brother was brought into the world to how Vincent was brought into the world. Did the doctor feel that some traits should be left to chance? Why or why not.

3. The doctor stated: "The child is you, simply the best of you". What does this mean?

4. Scenes of the two brothers childhood imply certain differences in the physique. List some obvious differences between Vincent and his brother.

5. "My real resume' was in my cells." What does this statement mean? What kind of job did Vincent end up with? What was his real goal?

6. Describe the process by which Vincent became Jerome?

7. How was Vincent treated differently as Jerome?

8. What procedures did Vincent go through to prevent his DNA from being discovered (and his ruse being discovered)

9. Did the doctor at Gattaca know all along that Jerome wasn't who he was? What gave him away at the end?

10. Why did the real Jerome go along with Vincent's scheme?

Essay: Choose one of the following (Essay should be approximately 5 paragraphs long, and use language specific to genetics and biotechnology)

1. The caption of the movie reads: "There Is No Gene for The Human Spirit". Describe what this means in the context of Vincent's struggle to overcome his perceived genetic disadvantages. Is nature (DNA) more important than nurture (home environment) in determining whether a person will be successful or not. Defend you answer.

2. Genetic screening for some diseases already exists - children are tested for PKU at birth. It is conceivable that the number and scope of testing of newborns may broaden in the future. Do you think that newborns should be tested for other traits, such as alcoholism, heart problems, or even intelligence? If tests can be performed on a newborn or even an adult, who has the right to your genetic information - do employers, do spouses, and do insurance companies have the right to your profile. Defend your position.

STUDENT VIDEO RELEASE FORM

District guidelines require parental/guardian approval to show a "pg/pg-13" rated video to students.  we will be viewing the video “gattaca” in class as part of a unit on genetics and bioethics..

This film is rated "PG13" because of the following:  Profanity and strong language.

Synopsis “There is No Gene for the Human Spirit” One man defies a system obsessed with genetic perfection.  Ethan Hawke stars as Vincent, an “In-Valid,” who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation.  However, a week before his mission, a murder marks Vincent as a suspect.  With a relentless investigator in pursuit and the colleague he has fallen in love with beginning to suspect his deception, Vincent’s dreams steadily unravel

Nature vs Nurture Pre-implantation and genetic diagnosis Genetic Screening DNA profiling Human rights Genetic modification (recombinant DNA)

PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE: Circle one:

I give my approval for ____________________________ _____________ (student name) to view this video.

I do not approve and want _______________________________________ (student name) to participate in the alternate assignment.

SIGNATURE ________________________________________________________

If you do not approve, the alternate learning experience will be:  Student will research issues in bioethics (from internet and library sources) and prepare a report.