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Evan Dever
Mr. Parmer
Intro to Lit
20 November 2015
Terrorism in V for Vendetta
The difference between a good terrorist and a bad terrorist is the outcome. The
protagonist, V, in Alan Moores V for Vendetta, is a mysterious anarchist, vigilante, and
freedom fighter who kills political leaders, police forces and breaks laws in the hopes to start a
revolution. V uses a series of bold and deadly tactics in the attempt to open his peers eyes to the
corruption of their fascist political party ruling the United Kingdom called, Norsefire. V was
affected directly by Norsefire in his younger years. V was an inmate at Larkhill Resettlement
Camp one of many concentration camps run by Norsefire where they take Jews, Muslims,
homosexuals, black people and political prisoners for extermination. V eventually escapes and
adopts his new identity, V, as he wears a Guy Fawkes mask and costume. In Alan Moores V
for Vendetta, V demonstrates a way of life that displays violence and terror that can be
considered necessary or good within certain situations pertaining to desperation and change.
V is a terrorist. Depending on who is talking, V could be considered a psychotic
sociopath who murders innocent people or he could be considered something as monstrous as a
Godly figure who changes his nation for the better. V is a hero. He battles his government
because he feels like he has no other choice. He cannot watch the corruption of his country any
longer. The first time we see V in the novel, he saves another main character, Evey, from a group
of right-winged secret police force called, fingermen, who attempt to sexually assault Evey. V
fights off the fingermen and brings Evey up to a rooftop and informs her of the importance of the

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date. As he quotes Guy Fawkes rhyme, Remember, remember the fifth of November, the gun
powder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gun powder treason should ever be forgot
(Moore 14). Immediately after this quote, the houses of parliament are blown up. Within the
following days, V breaks into the news room and addresses the nation of London as to why he
did this. We learn a lot about V from what he says. Rather than blaming the government or
anyone else for the blowing up of the parliament houses, he blames the people of London. His
theory is, people should not be afraid of their government. Government should be afraid of their
people. Blowing up the parliament houses was a sign of desperation. He needed to make a bold
move in order for people to realize how far he is willing to go for change. During this time, news
reporters call V a satanic villain. They claim V hates his country and just wants to see people die.
Alan Moore shows us two sides of the story and allows the reader to decide who is in the wrong.
V is attempting to start a revolution due to the corruption of his government. Without violence
and instilling fear, nothing will be changed. Through desperation, V has no other choice but to
continue terror on the most corrupt leaders of London. V explains to Evey that violence can be
used as means of Justice. V's actions are not evil because that is not his intention. His intention is
to show his government that he is well aware of the corruption and is not afraid to do anything
until it stops.
Vs next victim, Lewis Prethero, is a religious fueled right winged insane television host
who only cares about himself and money. Prethero is considered the voice of London. His words
are merely propaganda for the government and he talks down upon anyone that is not considered
normal. He blames the problems of London on the Muslims, Jews, gays and other minorities.
For this corruption, V eliminates him. Sending shockwaves through the nation, Vs popularity
continues to rise. All of the deaths and fear that V is responsible for pertains to change. V uses

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violence in a way that can be justified. Everyday people in London start to question if V is
actually a bad person. In certain circumstances, the people obeying the law are the villains and
the people breaking the law are heroes. There are two sides to every story. We see many common
characteristics in Alan Mores fictional government, Norsefire, as we saw in Adolf Hitlers Nazi
Germany. Standing up for what one believes in is an essential part of life. Even if it is considered
wrong, weird or unlawful. To promote change, one may need to go up against all odds. Like V
said, Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain.
Everybody. Everybody has their story to tell (Moore 120). V continues to murder. He kills every
worker that took part in the concentration camp from which V escaped, Larkhill. As well as
killing, he attempts to remove all fear from Evey. V locks Evey in a room that is made to feel like
a Norsefire holding cell. He then puts her through an experience similar to what he went through
at Larkhill and waits for her to admit that she is not afraid of death. Once V is convinced Evey is
fearless, he tells her the truth and does not see her until the eve of the revolution. Before Evey
goes, V says to her I didn't put you in a prison, Evey. I just showed you the bars (Moore 132).
Evey is gracious of all that V has done for her and London and kisses him. Through the end of
the graphic novel we see London changing. The people are willing to fight back. Through the
bravery of V, we see people starting to support V. The people of London spray paint Vs all over
town. People start to buy Guy Fawke masks. The majority of the population sees V as a symbol
for change rather than a terrorist. The purpose of everything V has done is to promote change and
stop the corruption in London. The only way this change can occur is through absolute chaos. By
creating anarchy the government is forced to choose between killing off the people of London
and allowing the revolution to occur. Evey says to the detective at the end of graphic novel V is
my father, V is my mother, V is my friend, V is you,V is me. He is in all of us (Moore 246).

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Through violence and terror, V started a revolution and gave the people of London a
voice. V is an example of a terrorist with good intentions and good results. The way Alan Moore
portrays V in V for Vendetta teaches all of his readers some valuable lessons. If one ever feels
like they are being taking advantage of or are restricted of certain freedoms, stand up and fight.
With enough people and good intentions, change will occur. The next lesson Alan Moores, V,
teaches us is selflessness. That being said, ironically he said this in an interview about why he
severed his ties with his agency in Washington, "It is important to me that I should be able to do
whatever I want, I was kind of a selfish child, who always wanted things his way, and I've kind
of taken that over into my relationship with the world" (Itzkoff). Never put money, power or selfriotousness over family, friends and morals. The final lesson we learned is patriotism. Never let a
government take the voice away from the people. If the voice is taken away, unite as a country
and fight as one.

Cited Sources

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Itzkoff, Dave. "The Vendetta Behind 'V for Vendetta'" The New York Times. The New
York Times, 11 Mar. 2006. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.

Moore, Alan, David Lloyd, Steve Whitaker, Siobhan Dodds, Jeannie O'Connor, Steve Craddock,
Elitta Fell, and Tony Weare. V for Vendetta. New York: Vertigo/DC Comics, 2005. Print.