Similarities Between Gattaca And Uglies

The movie Gattaca and the book Uglies both take place in a futuristic society where there are ideal features people need to fit in to the world around them. The main characters are both lacking in these features and both don’t fit in. Tally is told she can’t turn pretty, unlike all the other sixteen year olds who are being operated upon to change their physical features to be pretty. Vincent has a heart problem and is profiled as an “invalid” because of his heart problem. Both Vincent and Tally have important people in their lives that fit the idealistic figure that they are trying to achieve. Tally’s best friend Peris becomes pretty and she feels left behind. With the exception of one swimming race, Vincent is always second best next to his brother Anton. Anton was able to have his genetics changed and becomes a “valid”, someone who successfully had their genetics changed to make them to the best of their ability.

In Uglies, everyone is born ugly and stays ugly until the age of sixteen. At that age, they have an operation that changes their face and body structure. Lesions are also unknowingly planted into the brains of

the patient. After the changes are made, they are transported into “New Pretty Town”, the place where the newly pretty people go. This is the place all the Uglies dream of going because of the parties, lack of responsibilities, and for the most part, fitting in.
Tally is talked into following her friend who ran away, with the hope that bringing her back would allow them both to turn pretty.

She goes to a place called “Smoke”, somewhere people runaway to in order to avoid the operation. While she is there, she meets the couple who formed this secret community of ugly people. These people tell her about the lesions that the surgeons place in the brains of those receiving the operation. With this newfound knowledge, she is convinced she no longer wants to become pretty. Eventually, one of them is able to acquire the information needed to possibly reverse the damage done by the lesions. The only problem is, there is no willing subject to try the cure. Tally volunteers herself to turn pretty and try the cure. Essentially, sacrificing her life to try to fix the society that has become out of

control.
The movie Gattaca’s idealistic features are having their genetics manipulated to become the best of their ability. Vincent does not have his genes altered and is therefore classified as an “invalid”. He takes on the role of an employee at Gattaca, a corporation for space exploration, posing as a Jerome Morrow. Jerome is injured in an accident, paralyzing him. When there is a murder at Gattaca, there is DNA found at the scene of an unregistered “invalid”, Vincent. He is able to maintain his cover until he is tested to go up into space. The scientist who tested him to go into space discovers who he really is. Because he had a son of his own who didn’t turn out to be all the doctors promised, he covers for Vincent and allows him to continue on to his mission in space. As he is beginning his journey, the real Jerome end his own life so Vincent can live out his life as who he is.