V for Vendetta

In the novel, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, the protagonist, V, has a vision of England as a nation of anarchy instead of its current state as a fascist nation. With power of the nation up in the air, the novel presents resistance within society as very weak. V quotes, “But the people are so cowed and disorganized. A few might take the opportunity to protest, but it’ll just be a voice crying in the wilderness” (194). This view on society makes anarchy seem impossible, which therefore makes V’s efforts and goal also seem impossible. If society is not organized enough within itself to be heard, then there could only be chaos, and not anarchy. V has a very idealistic view for society, yet it is almost an unattainable utopia. His methods for attaining this society are also ironic in that he kills in order to force society to come together and fight an unknown villain. His murderous acts seem to cause more chaos than unity.

There are various instances in the novel where the graphic depiction of the text exemplifies the meaning of the story. For example, while Evey is locked in her cell and reads the letter that Valerie left, the images that depict Valerie’s life serve as a powerful view into the history and meaning of Valerie’s message to Evey (156-160). More specifically, the recurring image of Valerie looking onto the pond shows the reader that what is being said along with those images has great significance. Another example of the images serving as a powerful message is seen when Rosemary has her monologue about her husband’s death after his funeral (101-106). Rosemary’s sadness and vulnerability now that her husband is gone is especially highlighted in the graphics. The most telling pictures are of her in her home (p. 103). Here, Rosemary’s sadness can be seen, and it proves to the reader that her feelings for her husband were real, despite his threat to kill her. In this same sequence of Rosemary’s dialogue, the pictures also juxtapose Evey’s life through the graphics. This tactic serves as a comparison between Evey and Rosemary’s life, without directly saying it in the text. Without the pictures, the reader may not have been able to draw the connection of the two women’s vulnerability and lack of security.