Week 9: Paper Introduction

Silent suffering, chaos, and violence exist in a fascist state that creates an illusion of unity and order. In the film V for Vendetta, the protagonist, V, opposes this type of broken government called Norsefire. He aims to inspire the people of Britain to revolt against such deceiving and corrupt system under the rule of its dictator, Adam Sutler, through destructive means. Journal writer Douglas Bulloch agrees that the film is rightfully charged with the criticisms for its “open approval of symbolic terrorism” (1). However, V’s actions such as his detonation of the Old Bailey is more symbolic, achieving to relay his message to the government and the people, and is not a way to inflict damage through his abilities. The character’s goal as the Guy Fawkes-masked figure is to send his message out through every aspect of his life, from his deeds to his appearance. V is less a terrorist and more a vigilante who attempts to replace their dystopian society with a free country controlled by its people by using radical action. V offers anarchy that is not the presence of social and political chaos but the liberty from an imposing and repressive regime.