The House of The Scorpion: Film Study

Hello everyone! Today I am going to be doing a film study comparing protagonists of the movie Gattaca to The House of the Scorpion.

In Gattaca we meet Vincent, a boy who was conceived into the world with imperfect genetics. His brother, Anton, is then conceived, but with perfect genes. Anton grows up perfectly healthy and equal to those around him, where as Vincent was left-out. This is very similar to the way that Matt was in The House of the Scorpion. Matt was different than everyone else, and because of this he wasn't accepted like other children. Both of the protagonists face an inequality that is a hardship to them for part of their lives.

As we watch more of Gattaca we learn that Vincent and Anton created a tradition when they were young. They would swim out into the lake and see who was strong enough or less cowardly to go farther. Each time, Vincent lost the game until one day, Anton started to drown. Vincent saves him, and realizes that although he may be different in the way he was born, he's still a human being. This sets him off on a journey. Throughout The House of the Scorpion, Matt goes events and plot-points of the story while figuring out his true self, and how he isn't as different/bad as everyone makes him out to be.

Then Vincent meets with a man named Jerome, who has suffered a terrible accident where he became crippled. He offers his genes tp Vincent, and soon Vincent transforms into Jerome. I think that the real Jerome is sort of like Tam Lin. They share a tight relationship that mirrors the one that Matt had with his bodyguard. There are a couple other reasons as well...

In the end, all turns out well. Vincent is able to fill his dream, and Matt becomes leader. Jerome also kills himself in Gattaca, but guess what. So does Tam Lin! I think that this a strong connection that I can make from the film to the book. Although these aren' the protagonists, they have a strong connection to them. That connection is so strong that when Vincent/Matt left them, they have nothing left in the world, so they kill themselves.

When Jerome kills himself, Vincent is left with plenty of blood and urine samples to last him 2 lifetimes. What does this mean? Vincent becomes the new Jerome for good. T
he same thing happens in the book. El Patron dies, thanks to Celia, and Matt is declared Matteo Alacrán.

There are a couple of other connections to be made, but I don't have that many words... But you do! Comment below with your opinions of Gattaca compared to The House of the Scorpion, and happy reading.