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Third Iteration: Jurassic Park
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Jurassic Park, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Chaos, Change, and Control
Sight and Insight
Flawed Human Nature
Technology
Summary
Analysis
The party assembles in the visitor building where exhibits sit partially completed. Before the tour, Gennaro tells the consultants that he summoned them to determine the safety and viability of the park and its dinosaur containment measures before it welcomes visitors. He notes the evidence against containment: the sample recovered from the Costa Rican mainland by Dr. Guitierrez and an alarming pattern of increased infant mortality there.
Gennaro has paid more attention to the mounting evidence of trouble at the park than Hammond and his cronies. This better positions him to make an accurate assessment, but he still needs the input of experts who can use their extensive background knowledge to help interpret that evidence correctly.
Themes
Looking at Gennaro’s evidence, Malcolm quickly assures him that the infant mortality rate is unconnected; its nonlinear signature suggests other explanations. However, he confidently assumes that the dinosaurs have escaped, because the math says that no one can successfully duplicate—or completely isolate—nature in the way InGen wants to do. The sound of an approaching helicopter cut the conversation short.
Malcolm reminds Gennaro—and by extension, readers—about the ubiquity of chaos and randomness in the world when he points to the unconnected spikes in the infant mortality rate and when he predicts that the dinosaurs have already begun to escape. He pointedly rejects Hammond's implicit belief that he can completely control the island just because it is completely isolated.
Themes
On the landing pad, Gennaro discovers that John Hammond has invited his grandchildren to stay on the island for the weekend. Despite Gennaro’s concerns, Hammond completely believes in the park’s safety and security, no matter what “that damn mathematician” (Malcolm) says.
Even as Malcolm lectures everyone about the instability of systems with too many variables, Hammond adds more variables to the island in the form of his grandchildren. This act also demonstrates his character defects, which include pride and a selfish and callous disregard for others’ health and safety.
Themes
