Speculative Fiction

The main purpose of speculative fiction is to forewarn humanity. By creating a reduced but parallel reality to our own society, a concept is explored in a way that highlights humanity’s problems, creating a microcosm of society. This is achieved in the Andrew Niccols 1997 film, Gattaca, and in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, through the effective use of themes and literary and film techniques.
Speculative fiction forewarns humanity through the extrapolation of societal angst and fears. This is accomplished through the emphasis of the frailties and faults of human nature in a specialised context. Speculative fiction removes distractions in order to focus on one point of view to see how that issue might ultimate affecthumanity. Exaggeration and hyperbole are used to reflect our world through imagination, creating an alternatereality and therefore alternate outcomes. Speculative fiction explores the ethics and morals of our society, asking the ultimate question of “what if”, in order to forewarn humanity.
Andrew Niccols 1997 Gattaca uses the themes of superiority as opposed to inferiority and how these relate to fate to forewarn humanity. He does this primarily throughfilm techniques such as setting and lighting. The film is an extension of the present day attitudes and practices surrounding genetic manipulation, creating an Orwellian society . Gattaca challenges status within our society by taking it to the extreme of class based on genes.
Gattacais set in a manicured world where it proves beneficial to individuals to sabotage society’s rights and values. The setting is faceless and dehumanising. It is based around the idea of perfection and conformity. Humans are taken out of the natural environment and placed into a society controlled by a central system. Sound, costume and lighting are used to contribute to the effect of the setting. The costumes worn by Gattaca employees are sombre uniforms symbolic of an impersonal society. The shapes...