Symbolism In V For Vendetta

History has a tendency to repeat itself.  One of humanity’s most popular ways of getting its point across is through violence.  When words are no longer enough to argue a point, human casualties not only directly solve the problem, but symbolically send a message to all those affected as well.  Just as the American colonies fought against the British for Freedom when their voice was no longer heard, and just as the Islamic extremists used terrorism to send an evil message to America, both V and Chancellor Sutler used violence to gain a voice in a world of chaos.

In the film, V for Vendetta, Director James McTeigue cleverly informs the audience that there are no coincidences. This information presents itself to the audience through character lines, none more visible than V’s conversation with Dr. Delia. V says that “there are no coincidences, Delia. Only the illusion of coincidence” (McTeigue). At one level V is simply responding to Delia’s statement about receiving one of his roses being a coincidence. Upon further analysis of this film, the statement “there are no coincidences” becomes more apparent that every cinematic technique, prop, lighting, background noise, and more are there for a specific reason. There is nothing in the film V for Vendetta that has not been added to develop the story.

Symbols play a key role in establishing the stories of Winston and V. 1984’s chant for the Brotherhood is the “Oranges and Lemons” English nursery rhyme refers to the bells of churches in London that extends on by people who matter to Winston; and everyone who betrays him. Mr. Charrington gives him the first piece, but is revealed to be a part of the Thought Police, Julia, who betrays him at the end of it all before her mental death, and O’Brian, who instead of his savior becomes his torturer. The Fifth of November is also a rhyme that’s based off real events, referencing Guy Fawkes’s failed plan to blow up the English Parliament on November 5th, 1605. Both rhymes are tied into Great Britain and a passion that varies between the protagonists, providing them with their only link to the past. Television is also a main symbol for the government’s control- both the telescreens in 1984 and the telly in V for Vendetta broadcast only the Party’s views and bias. Gordon, a side character in V for Vendetta, airs his uncensored skit on television as an unintentional way of oppressing the glorification of Chancellor Sutler, before being killed and dragged away from his own home.

V for Vendetta similarly deals with the concept of public apathy in the face of social injustice. Set in a future dystopian England, where a totalitarian government has come to power and dominates all

In the film V for Vendetta, the director, James McTeigue uses symbolism, costume and dialogue to emphasise the idea of everybody having a right to individuality, and the right - and duty – to resist forced conformism.

V for Vendetta opens similarly, immediately addressing the absence of freedom and independence coexistent in 1984. Following a montage of Evie and V, the dystopic qualities of their world are quickly revealed. Curfews set up along with roaming Fingermen emphasis the freedom that has been removed from its citizen’s as well as the implied illegal action towards something as ordinary as going to dinner with her boss. McTeigue emphasises this element of forsaken freedom and independence through the use of the Film Noir with the dark forbidden scenes portraying the danger in Evie’s actions. The use of medium and long shots was used to convey her anxiety while also revealing the scenery dotted with the sinister fingermen. Complete with the tense music playing during the scene it exposes to the audience the dystopic nature of the society present in the film.

The film 'V for Vendetta' directed by James McTeigue addresses the idea of governmental authority and control in our society. One key scene where this is portrayed is in the opening, where Evey goes out to visit Gordon Deitrich after curfew. The futuristic landscape of a totalitarian England is displayed here, where the oppressive party in power have created a culture of fear to ensure the conformity of the citizens. However, in contrast, the final scene of the film where a crowd converges to watch Parliament blow up, illustrates a further idea. That when united, it is the people who have the power to change their society, through rebellion and political uprising.

2a) Describe the differences between the fascist Norsefire government’s and V’s anarchist view of a “healthy country.” How do Norsefire and V define the role of the government and the role of the citizen differently?

The various cinematic features and imagery used in V for Vendetta and Fahrenheit 451 display the theme of individuals and their fight to overcome oppression. The cinematic features in V for Vendetta include sound, camera angles and flashbacks. McTeigue cleverly uses different techniques in scenes which leave an impact on the audience, how the individuals are able to unite. The music in the background which plays each time the bombs destroy a government building, creates the theme of freedom. With each explosion, there is a sense of each individual becoming freer in the society in which they no longer want to live in. As the music intensifies, achieving victory. Flashbacks are important to the theme of oppression because

To continue, V for Vendetta was Allan Moore 's response to what he witnessed as a corrupt government under the rein of the late Margaret Thatcher. V for Vendetta is a graphic novel that demonstrates what would happen if humans fully committed themselves to the social contract, the law of nature, as illustrated by Thomas Hobbes. V for Vendetta is set in a

Of the many symbolic masks, the Guy Fawkes mask stands out as one of the most effective, often being used as a “masked identity” in order to make profound statements. Not only does this secret identity create more attention to the “masked one” but it also diverts attention to the cause rather than the identity. Literally using a mask, Fawkes was the main influence of the character “V”, in James McTeigue’s, V For Vendetta. V’s connections and motivations to Guy Fawkes, his attempt to justify himself as a terrorist, and V’s concealment of his true identity, collectively define the message that V conveys to his audience: to break parliament and take control of their own country.

It’s a title with a strong letter used as somewhat like a alliteration to exaggerate the ideas within this film, ‘V for Vendetta’, directed by James McTeigue, this defines what the true meaning of injustice which seems to be over exaggerated through action, sci-fi and thriller scenes. ‘V for Vendetta’ is a type of film where in a future, where there was a British tyranny or corruption in the government, a shadowy freedom fighter plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman. This film shows the message of the best advice is to stop fighting it and embrace the fact that you have been given an opportunity if you chose to view it with a different set of eyes. And yet there will be many who miss this opportunity as they feel a false sense of security operating in the belief systems that harbor fear, anger and hate rather than letting go to face the very emotions that enslave them.This film uses fancy quotes or catch phrases, with a strong act of violence in acting around the main character(s), especially the protagonist ‘V’ and to the eventuality, ‘Evey’ at the end of the story. Special effects and the fanatical costume visuals (with the famous Guy Fawkes mask) all is used intently to make the audience with a tint of exhilarance, to make them think, what does this mean? What is the idea that V is trying to show in injustice? Through elements found in the film I’ve found that,......

2. Altieri, C. 2003. The particulars of rapture: An aesthetics of the affects, Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press.

Symbols are used to signify values and ideas, carrying meaning beyond that which appears to be described. Political symbols, in particular, represent the ideals that define a society, and as such, are compelling forces. Some such symbols can be used to instill fear in people and subdue them to allow corrupt regimes to continue to asserting their dominance in a society and maintain control. In the face of such injustice and oppression, other political symbols can, arguably, carry an even greater value, as they can give strength to the marginalized, giving them an emblem under which they can express their ideals. Simple objects can hold such power since the ideas they symbolize are timeless, transcending a single

“V for Vendetta" is a movie about freedom, about human struggle against the state, the government of the sacrifice of a symbol. V for Vendetta was born from the successful combination of a sudden, seemingly incongruous things: out of the comic’s conventions and the anti-globalization pathos. I think this movie is a combination of the of Lewis Carroll’s abstract absurdity and George Orwell’s totalitarian nightmare. Alice meets with Hitler. Evey dressed up and went out on a date, but instead of rabbit hole, she found the black "funnel". Once the British had already made a movie "It Happened Here," an alternative fantasy on the theme of the Nazi’s occupation of England - now the enemy did not come from outside but from the inside. In the near future, England is living under a power of tyrant, neurotic clown with flabby face. Supreme Chancellor autocratically governed the country. Bishops are concerned about the moral health of the nation. People are constantly live in fear of external threat after the tragic virus attacks a few years ago. Every person sentenced to death if he keeps a Koran. Same thing for the "unnatural" sex. There was nothing else to be executed for;