The Experiment (1999)
By John Darnton
Cloning; Nature/nurture; Organ harvesting; Senescence
Skyler discovers that he is a clone meant to provide “spare parts” for a rogue scientist’s child.
Skyler dislikes his well-regulated life on a protected coastal island. Although he has never been to the mainland, he is increasingly suspicious of the Physicians and Orderlies who regulate the island, the mysterious illnesses that strike apparently healthy adolescents, and the dogmatic devotion to science ingrained in the adolescent inhabitants. When he finds his lover eviscerated in the Big House’s operating room, Skyler realizes he must escape the island or perish himself. His arrival on the mainland is shocking, and when he encounters a newspaper image bearing a striking resemblance to himself, Skyler treks to New York to find this “twin”. He discovers newspaper reporter Jude, and immediately they begin to investigate the mystery behind their uncanny resemblance. With the help of Tizzie, a biologist identical to Skyler’s dead lover Julia, the “twins” unravel the mystery of their origins. Genetic testing proves that Skyler is Jude’s clone, and they discover that his fellow island dwellers, the Geminis, were clones as well. The clones were produced by a community of rogue scientists intent on prolonging human life beyond normal life expectancy; essentially organ banks for the scientists’ children, the clones are raised on the private island for future harvests. The Lab experiments as well with gene therapy that utilizes telomeres to prevent senescence, but the experiment backfires and leads to premature aging in the wealthy subscribers seeking the fountain of youth. Skyler and Jude must destroy the Lab in order to escape those who would kill to keep its secrets.
Tizzie, who specializes in twin studies, explores the conflict between nature and nurture in twin separated from birth; she finds fascinating the striking psychological and behavioral convergences between individuals who share genes but have dissimilar upbringings. Skyler and Jude, genetically identical if not exactly twins, share similar ticks and gestures; their similarities evoke questions of how much behavior is determined by genetic composition. Jude is able to predict Skyler’s actions and thoughts, which leads to questions about how differentiated Skyler actually is; as Jude’s clone, Skyler might be a mere extension of Jude. Because Skyler develops into a strong individual character, however, Darnton is able to tackle the provocative contemporary debate surrounding cloning to create “spare parts.” Some characters question the individuality of the clones, asking whether or not they have souls or can be considered separate from those whose DNA they borrow. Cloning presents as both a moral quagmire and a threat to natural selection, as it could potentially increase harmful genetic mutations typically inhibited during sexual reproduction. Moreover, harvested organs can replace worn or diseased ones, yet cannot prevent system failures from general cell senescence. Gene therapy is offered as a flawed alternative to delaying senescence, as it leads to genetic mutations which actually increase the aging process. Ultimately, no feasible aging inhibitor is represented in the text, as present moral and scientific complications undermine the failed experiments.
Evaluation: This concept is neither original nor terribly suspenseful, but Darnton attempts to add variations through the senescence plot. Here, genetic modifications might stand as an alternative to contemporary anti-aging techniques – plastic surgery, special diets – and could complement debates about the use of stem cell research to cure degenerative, age-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
– Natalie Champ