how the idea of ambition was surfaced on gattaca
escalator show aspiration to get into Gattaca
stairs to heaven.
travelling upwards towards the sky
level of status and wealth. when we watch them clean they are seen cleaning underneath the escalator
Gattaca, a film directed by Andrew Niccol, expresses the idea of ambition through symbolism. Symbolism is used to represent an idea through motifs and has an object suggest more than its literal meaning. Using an escalator, the director shows the constant upwards progression that Vincent strives for and his aspirations to get into Gattaca. The escalator constantly travels towards the sky, the one place that Vincent longs to be, more than anyplace else. It never departs down. This could mean that once you’ve moved up, that’s where you’ll stay as your genes will never change and you’ll always be who u are made to be. Having Vincent start as a cleaner, cleaning underneath the escalator to then being able to access it and use it shows his rise in status. Vincent was born as a godchild, a chance at life was never really an option for him. When Vincent arrives as a janitor he is placed right in front of the escalator looking up. everything that he could ever want is at the top of the stairs, yet he can’t achieve what he desires. when he finds himself in position to finally climb, this shows the start of his journey, a new beginning, a chance to finally go to space. Some could say that the escalator shows the stairs to heaven. It the only place he wants be the thing that he has sacrificed everything for, leading right up to the sky and his success.