Set in the near future, James McTeigue’s V for Vendetta (2005) serves as an allegory of historical and contemporary political climates while glorifying violence and the idea of an armed revolution to fight fascism and injustice in a dystopian political environment. The film depicts an autocratic government that rules over an oppressed society through means such as mass media mediation and corrupt state-sanctioned police. V for Vendetta presents contentious messages as it highlights the negative effects of several past dystopian regimes such as Nazi Germany as well as current social unrest caused by events such as 9/11 while portraying a terrorist, V, as a freedom fighter who condones violence for both his personal vendetta and to overthrow …show more content…
The similarities between the reactionary dystopian environment emphasized throughout the film and our current political cultures it references give rise to the idea that political systems present in the world today could “easily lead to totalitarianism” (Davidson, 2007). Throughout the film, there is evidence of several subtle critiques on the contemporary neo-conservative American government under George W. Bush. There are numerous references to the war in Iraq, domestic spying, and also talk of “rendition,” which can be seen as a comment on “creeping authoritarianism in post 9/11 America” (Porton, 2006). Lewis Prothero, ‘The Voice of England,’ hosts his show on the BTN, British Television Network—“a thinly veiled surrogate for Fox News”—which acts as one of the controlling government’s propagandist channels that helps to induce fear in society and maintain the governments power over them (Porton, 2006). Later on in the film, we see one of the reporters at the BTN saying, “our job is to report the news, not fabricate it; that’s the government’s job,” further implying an authoritarian state created by the Bush Administration post 9/11. Another implicit reference to the American government is the secret state police, who “black-bag the heads of their victims Abu Ghraib-style,” as well as the torture scenes in prisons reminiscent of Guantanamo Bay (Shepard, …show more content…
V condones violence when it is used for the good of society, he uses violence to elicit change and fight for freedom and justice in the midst of political tyranny. He believes that due to the idleness of the citizens, the fascist, authoritarian government has been able to remove almost all civil liberties from them, controlling their jobs, establishing a curfew, and even controlling the types of foods they are allowed. Therefore, V uses violence to awaken the citizens and allow them to gain the courage to fight back against the totalitarian
The book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the movie V for Vendetta both take place in a dystopian future. Each one very different, but similar dystopian societies with many similar aspects such as luring citizens into false happiness, censoring citizens from different forms of literature, and characters who can really see behind the government’s façade and tell what is wrong with society. Similarity between the two ranges from meek things such as a similar setting with both societies residing in London, or more intricate things like similarities between the governments. Since the beginning of mankind humans have long since craved for a feeling of belonging and to be a part of something. Over the long history of mankind this same feeling has led to the growth of civilizations and societies. Eventually leading up to modern day societies with governments such as republics, dictatorships, and democracies. Each with its own different ways of
Imagine a world where civil liberties have been stripped away, a bare façade of civilization left behind. This is a world that is inhabited by people who were once free-willed and strong-minded. These people have become weak and obedient, easily bent to the will of their oppressive government. The world that these words have conjured up in your mind is the same existence that the characters occupy in Edwidge Danticat’s “A Wall of Fire Rising” and Alan Moore’s “V” for Vendetta. Danticat’s story is about a small family living in present-day Haiti with their small, ambitious son. The country is a mish-mash of people amassing obscene fortune while the rest scrape at the bottom of the proverbial barrel just to make ends meet; the class gap is seemingly far apart. In Danticat’s story, the husband spends his days either working at the sugarcane mill or searching for work elsewhere. Each day the husband watches the mill owner’s son take a hot air balloon up into the sky, and each day becomes more envious of the freedom attached to that action. After complaining to his wife about his exhaustion with their current situation he claims that he wants to take the hot air balloon for himself and leave Haiti for a far-away and better place. The following day, the husband makes good on his word, abandons his family, and takes the hot air balloon up into the sky. In James McTeigue’s version of “’V’ for Vendetta”, the country is a futuristic and dystopian London. Corrupt politicians control every aspect of the country and the citizens within. The main character, a masked vigilante by the name of V, grows tired of his country’s lack of freedom and decides to destroy an historic courthouse at midnight on the morning of November the 5th. The building i...
¬¬¬Though most American people claim to seek peace, the United States remains entwined with both love and hate for violence. Regardless of background or personal beliefs, the vast majority of Americans enjoy at least one activity that promotes violence whether it be professional fighting or simply playing gory video games. Everything is all well and good until this obsession with violence causes increased frequency of real world crimes. In the article, “Is American Nonviolence Possible” Todd May proposes a less standard, more ethical, fix to the problem at hand. The majority of the arguments brought up make an appeal to the pathos of the reader with a very philosophical overall tone.
This historical study will compare and contrast the depiction of the “War on Terror” in a pro-government and anti-government plot structures found in Zero Dark Thirty (2012) by Kathryn Bigelow and The Siege (1998) by Edward Zwick. The pro-government view of Zero Dark Thirty defines the use of CIA agents and military operatives to track down Osama Bin Laden in the 2000s. Bigelow appears to validate the use of torture and interrogation as a means in which to extract information in the hunt for Bin Laden. In contrast this depiction of terrorism, Zwick’s film The Siege exposes the damage that torture, kidnapping, and
The novel 1984, by George Orwell, made me paranoid. It made me suspicious of our government's power and intentions. I became aware of the potential manipulation which the government could impose upon us. I came to see that the people I believe to be wholly dedicated to the well-being of society, the people I rely so heavily on to provide protection and security have the power to betray us at any given time. I realised that in my naivety I had gravely overlooked the powerful grip government has over society, and what it can do with that power.
The purpose of any text is to convey the criticisms of society, with V for Vendetta and Animal Farm being chief examples of this statement. Through their use of allusion, symbolism and representation, they portray many of society's flaws and imperfections. Such an imperfection includes the illustration of how totalitarian governments abuse the power they have acquired for their own gain, harming the people they are sworn to serve and protect. Through this abusive self-gaining government, we all are liable to become victims of consumer culture caused by the blind obedience to advertising and propaganda, being unable to form or voice an opinion of our own. But this lack of opinion can be at fault because of our own apathy, the ignorance and slothfulness that is contributed to the role we play in our society and the importance of that role's ability to motivate and inspire change.
Among many theorists such as Brain L. Ott, the V for Vendetta movie is seen as an “allegory for life in George W. Bush’s America” (Ott 2). Because of this, Alan Moore “had his name removed from the credits” (Xenakis 135). But just because
As a viewer, the documentary’s intention to inform is more completely fulfilled by research conducted beyond the scope of the camera lens. Had I never written this paper, for instance, the reason for all the violence embedded within the subject matter would remain as enigmatic as the documentary itself.
...viewer recognizes that agencies, such as the CIA, are valuable in the War on Terror for the data collecting they’re involved in. On examining of the film, the movie’s setting, agencies involved, and the subject matter targeted, the appropriate historical and social themes were connected to the plot. The circumstances in the film depicting the aftermath of September 11th attacks and the U.S. government’s role in tracking Osama Bin Laden were realistic. After the 9/11 attacks, Americans felt that radicalized Islamic groups and their leaders that encouraged these followers to attack America were enemies to their country. Therefore, the film didn’t have to have a poster of Al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden to be used as propaganda to make the point that the radicalized Islamic group was the enemy of the United States; this decision had already been made by the United States.
War is a hard thing to describe. It has benefits that can only be reaped through its respective means. Means that, while necessary, are harsh and unforgiving. William James, the author of “The Moral Equivalent of War”, speaks only of the benefits to be had and not of the horrors and sacrifices found in the turbulent times of war. James bears the title of a pacifist, but he heralds war as a necessity for society to exist. In the end of his article, James presents a “war against nature” that would, in his opinion, stand in war’s stead in bringing the proper characteristics to our people. However, my stance is that of opposition to James and his views. I believe that war, while beneficial in various ways, is unnecessary and should be avoided at all costs.
1984, a novel by George Orwell, represents a dystopian society in which the people of Oceania are surveilled by the government almost all the time and have no freedoms. Today, citizens of the United States and other countries are being watched in a similar way. Though different technological and personal ways of keeping watch on society than 1984, today’s government is also able to monitor most aspects of the people’s life. 1984 might be a dystopian society, but today’s conditions seem to be moving towards that controlling state, where the citizens are surveilled by the government at all times. The 1984 community provided many ways to surveill its citizens, one being The Thought Police.
In dystopian literature, the future of society and humanity is presented in a negative standpoint. Utopian works frequently illustrate a future in which the everyday lives of human beings is often improved by technology to advance civilization, while dystopian works offer an opposite outlook. Examples of dystopian characteristics include an oppressive government, a protagonist, and character nature. Although the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and the film V for Vendetta directed by James McTeigue display different perspectives of a dystopian society, both share similar dystopian characteristics, which include a government who asserts power over citizens, a protagonist who questions society, and characters who are isolated from the natural world.
This movie “V for Vendetta” was taken from a book written by Alan Moore and it was written years before all the things that started happening in the world, like the war, and all the problems that the government is going through. He tells us that “the people should not be afraid of the government, that the government should be afraid of their people”. People can realize that there are no coincidences in this world, everything happens for a certain purpose, because it had to happen.
Graphic novels are very different than textual novels. They give clarity to the text and bring the readers attention by detailed illustrations. Reading a graphic novel for the first time can be challenging to a person, but can also help guide the reader into knowing what is going on by the illustrations shown. Having very detailed panels filled with images and text will let the reader know more about a character by their appearance and what kind of role they will play in the novel. The graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd presents an abundance of detailed information on the panels and demonstrates how certain aspects of the novel can have a meaningful message.
Explore the characters. Are they believable and round, or flat and one-dimensional? Does the major character ( the protagonist) change? What causes the change?