V for Vendetta

Directed by James McTeigue

"Beneath this mask there

is more than flesh...

Beneath this mask there

is an idea, Mr. Creedy,

and ideas are

bulletproof."

Overview

V for Vendetta deals with issues of race,

sexuality, religion, totalitarianism, and terrorism.

Its controversial story line and themes have,

inevitably, made it the target of both criticism and

praise from sociopolitical groups.

It shows us a dystopian world where political

power is above individual freedoms and people

are oppressed in the name of unity.

‘People should not be afraid of their

governments. Governments should be afraid

of their people.’ V is a man who wears

a mask, he is an

enigma. His mission is

to overthrow an unjust

society, by any means

possible.

Evey is a young girl

who is frightened – she

should be.

Main characters- Evey

Evey is a young girl

whose parents were

imprisoned

She fears standing out

She is ambitious

She wants to be an

actress

She has few friends

She works for BTN

Main characters - V

V is the man in the

mask

He alliterates

everything with V

He is passionate about

art, literature and

music

Pop culture and high

culture

He believes in freedom

Main characters- Chancellor

SutlerHigh Chancellor of England

Gained power in a coup

Dirty politics behind his rise

Linked to Three Waters and St Mary’s deaths

Has large secret service and control of everything

Main characters – Mr

CreedyHead of secret police

called ‘fingermen’

Ambitious and ruthless

Known for his black

bags

“ a man seemingly

without a conscience,

for whom the end

always justifies the

means” - V

Chief Inspector of Norsefire – the party that rules

England

Asked by chancellor Sutler to track down V

Fair but pragmatic

Lonely

Begins to uncover unpalatable truths

Believes in justice

Gordon Deitrich

Evey’s boss

Older man

Clever, but lonely

Invites young girls to his house regularly – not

because he wants to because he has to

Key Themes

Power and control

Political freedom

Free speech vs censorship

Art and literature’s power to lift the human spirit

Totalitarianism

Justice and revenge

There are numerous references to the number 5 and

letter V, which itself represents "5" in Roman

numerals:

* The story begins on the 5th of November

* The title of each chapter begins with the letter V.

* The character V is seen reading and quoting from

Thomas Pynchon's novel, V.

* Beethoven's fifth symphony is used by V and noted

for the prominent use of three short notes and one long,

which is the Morse Code identifier for the letter V (the

BBC used this code as a call sign during World War II,

most famously in the sense of "V for Victory").

* The series identifies V as the prisoner from Room V

at Larkhill Internment Camp.

* The access to V's hideout goes from the closed

Victoria tube station, the damaged sign of which

resembles a sideways V when Finch locates it.

* V's personal motto consists of the Latin phrase Vi

Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici (By the power of truth, I,

while living, have conquered the universe) - five

words that begin with the letter "v". V identifies the

origin of the phrase as Faust.

* Guy Fawkes Night happens on 5 November.

* The government consists of five branches,

associated with the five senses.

* At Larkhill, V is injected with Batch "5".

* V's last word, at the end of the series, starts with

a V.

* Much of V's dialogue uses iambic pentameters

(verse with five stressed syllables per line).

How is the world shown in the film similar/different than the one we know

today?

“People should not be afraid of their Governments. Governments should be

afraid of their people.”

Is violent social change EVER justified?

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”

-Edmund Burke.

QUESTIONS AND QUOTES TO CONSIDER:

Throughout history there have been many instances when people opposed

oppressive governments. What examples can you think of that are

noteworthy?

Some of these resistance movements were non-violent and others involved

violence. V said that violence can be used for good in the context of justice. Do

you agree?

“Those who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety

deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

-Benjamin Franklin.

“Terrorism is the best political weapon, for nothing drives people harder than the

fear of sudden death. What luck for rulers that men do not think.”

-Adolf Hitler.

“If you’re looking for the guilty, you need only to look into a mirror”

-V.