Arnab Guha
23rd February 2023

Vindictive Visions: An Introspection into V for Vendeta

         "V for Vendetta" is a pivotal graphic novel authored by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. The novel is set in a dystopian future in England and follows the journey of the protagonist, V, as he wages a one-man war against the fascist totalitarian government that regulates every part of its citizens' lives. The graphic novel has been adapted into a film, released in 2006, and has gained a significant following for its commentary on political oppression, individual freedom, and the power of ideas. "V," the masked vigilante, is a highly complicated and mysterious character whose true motives and ambitions are not always clear. He wears a graphic Guy Fawkes mask and black clothing. This persona of him became a symbol of rebellion against the oppressive government of the story's purely fictional Britain.

        This academic paper seeks to explore the significance of symbols in the graphic novel "V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. This paper will provide a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the significance of symbols in "V for Vendetta," highlighting their impact on the plot and their contribution to the thematic richness of the graphic novel. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the themes and messages that the creators intended to convey and to appreciate the artistic craftsmanship of their work. 

The Power Of Symbols: Influencing Society's Behavior Through History, Fiction, And Social Media
        Symbols are an essential part of any society, as they are used to convey meaning and messages in an efficient, convenient fashion. Symbols can be used to evoke feelings, create an emotional response, spark an interest, and even create a level of trust or authority. Symbols are often used to represent nations, organizations, ideologies, or ideologies within a society. For instance, the Indian flag is technically a symbol of the country India, but on a deeper level, it evokes a sense of nationalism and patriotism. while the Christian cross or Hinduism Oom represents a symbol of faith, trust, and devotion. The use of symbols can have a powerful effect on a society’s behavior. Symbols can be used to encourage desired behaviors or discourage undesired behaviors. In the graphic novel “V for Vendetta”, V in the story, uses the mask as a symbol of resistance against a fascist totalitarian government and as a way to rally the people to his cause. The mask represents anonymity and the idea that anyone could be V, and is meant to inspire people to stand up against oppression and fight for their freedom. The mask for the government became a symbol of fear whereas, for the people who were oppressed by the government, the symbol represented faith and strength.

Protesters started to wear the mask as a symbol of resistance, and it became an iconic image of the riots. The mask became a way to express anger and frustration at the government's policies and a call to action to bring about change. The mask has been adopted by various political movements worldwide, including the hacktivist group Anonymous and the Occupy movement. The mask became a unifying symbol, representing a shared vision of resistance, and a way to show solidarity with other activists around the world. (Ott)

The Guy Fawkes mask has become synonymous with the hacktivist collective Anonymous, and has been adopted as their signature symbol. Anonymous is a global, decentralised network of activists and hackers who use their skills to promote social and political change. They are known for their use of online activism, direct action, and civil disobedience, and they operate without any official leadership or hierarchy.

The Guy Fawkes mask has become a symbol of Anonymous' collective identity and commitment to fighting government and corporate oppression. The mask is a symbol of anonymity, similar to how it was worn by the protagonist V in V for Vendetta to conceal his identity from the government. The mask is also used by Anonymous to symbolise the idea that anyone can be an activist and fight for their beliefs. Anonymous' use of the Guy Fawkes mask is significant because it helps to foster a sense of community and shared purpose among members who may be located all over the world. The mask also allows activists to remain anonymous and avoid retaliation from those in power. (Ravetto)

The mask has been used in a variety of Anonymous campaigns, including the "Operation Payback" campaign in 2010, where they launched DDoS attacks against the websites of organizations that they perceived as enemies of free speech. The mask was also used in the "Occupy" movement, where it became a symbol of resistance against the global financial system. The Guy Fawkes mask has become an iconic symbol of resistance, and its adoption by Anonymous has given it a new meaning and purpose. The mask has become a way for activists to express their dissent and call for change, while at the same time, protecting their identity from those who seek to silence them.

Even in the current day and age, symbols on social media have a significant impact on society's behavior, as they provide a powerful tool for promoting social and political change. Hashtags and emojis have become widely recognized symbols of resistance and solidarity, and they have helped to shape public attitudes toward social issues. As social media continues to grow in influence, symbols are likely to become even more critical in shaping society's behavior and inspiring political movements.

To conclude, symbols have the power to shape societal behavior in profound ways, whether through encouraging desired behaviors or discouraging undesirable ones. Their ability to communicate ideas, emotions, and values is key to their influence. V for Vendetta has used the mask to create a sense of shared purpose and inspire people to stand up against oppression. Overall, the Guy Fawkes mask has become an iconic symbol of resistance, and its influence on society's behavior is a testament to the power of symbols in shaping our world.

Analysis and interpretations
This beautifully written story is accompanied by its striking design. Though the panels are simple in terms of how a graphic novel is, the illustrator has captured the dark and grim atmosphere perfectly with his character designs and colour choice. The story as a graphic novel isn’t as bold and as aggressive as a standard hero or villain comic book, this is shown with the lack of bold colors and emenata, bleed and splash. Even in certain scenes, the haven’t used words like BOOM and BAM. The entire emotion is shown through colors. The light which falls on people is different in different panels. For example, red or purple is often used to represent violence, passion, and anger. Sometimes, it is even used to show dark and grim power, in our context, which was mostly political. Even the color yellow is used to represent the light of hope, optimism, and enlightenment. It is often used in scenes where characters are seeking knowledge or trying to understand the truth of the current situation. To add on to this, the author has used appropriate graphic weightage in different panels to convey emotions.

Such a graphic novel also influenced its own film. Though we can talk about the film for another 1000 words, we will be focusing on one main thing. Which was the ‘V speech’ given by V. It goes like this -
“Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.” (Vendetta)

An interesting interpretation one would notice after a thorough analysis is the number of V words used. Now I don’t believe it’s a coincidence but there were total of 49 V words used. Adding the V, V marked on the wall with a sword. There would be 50 V words. And in roman numerals the symbol for 50 is V.  Though all the scenes were not captured, and some scenes were changed to match the mass media, the film was still an amazing visual storytelling.

At page 87, when we start with the book 2, the chapter starts with a musical note playing side by side as the story progresses. This use of music sheets in the panel is an extremely unorthodox and rare method. What makes its even more interesting, despite being a challenge to pull of such a stunt. The author and illustrator have done so beautifully. Everyone has a different interpretation on how V would have sung the viscous cabaret. This interpretation changes completely based on how the reader views V as. People who view him as a hero, might have interpreted it be bold and powerful, whereas, for someone who interpreted him as a villain will interpret the song as slow and dark. The beauty of a lot of graphic novel is how there are different interpretation for the same panel. And page 89 to 93 capture this remarkably. The themes of death, fear, and melancholy are repeated throughout V's lyrics. Because he sings lyrics like "Inside this bastard's carnival - this vicious cabaret!" and "They say life is a game, and then they take the board away," it appears as if he is outlining society's faults. The lyrics of this song discuss several aspects of Moore's society, but looking at the graphics reveals a much deeper meaning than the words alone. The word "vicious" in this context means cruel, violent, and malicious. It is used to describe the cabaret because it is a place of darkness and terror, and because the people who run it are associated with the oppressive fascist government, whereas, the cabaret is presented as a place where people hide behind masks and false identities, and the use of musical notations emphasizes the idea that even the sounds that are heard are not necessarily what they seem.

One of the most striking features of this graphic novel is the use of shadows. They have used shadows in multiple places to convey a sense of mystery and danger. The characters are often shown in silhouette, with only their outlines visible against a dark background. This creates a sense of unease and tension, and also serves to highlight the characters' facial expressions and body language. One of the most iconic panels in this graphic novel would be when V exits the fire in the Larkhill retirement camp (Moore 67)

 [FIGURE 2]

Such an image would give chills to most people. The use of fire in this scene is complemented by the color scheme chosen by the illustrator. The orange and red tones of the fire contrast with the dark shadows of the Shadow Gallery, emphasizing the sense of danger and risk. Similar to the rebirth of a phoenix, V's emergence from the flames represents his rebirth and transformation, as well as the idea that he is a powerful and unstoppable force that is willing to fight for what he believes in, even if it means risking his own life. This serves as a powerful visual metaphor for his character arc and his role in the story.

         The graphic novel "V for Vendetta" is a masterful blend of storytelling and design, with the illustrator effectively using colors, shadows, and graphic weightage to convey emotions and create a sense of mystery and danger. The use of music sheets and the repetition of themes of death, fear, and melancholy in V's lyrics allows for different interpretations of the same panels, while the iconic image of V emerging from the flames represents his transformation and unwavering determination to fight for his beliefs.

         Ultimately, "V for Vendetta" is a timeless work that continues to resonate with readers today, particularly in the current political and social climate. The story's emphasis on the importance of individual freedom and resistance against oppressive regimes is still relevant and impactful, making it a must-read for anyone interested in political and social commentary, as well as lovers of graphic novels and comics.

 References and Citations

Kohns, Oliver. “Guy Fawkes in the 21st Century. A Contribution to the Political Iconography of Revolt.” Image and Narrative: Online Magazine of the Visual Narrative, Open Humanities Press, 1 Jan. 2013, https://orbilu.uni.lu/handle/10993/2691.

Moore, Alan, and Alan Lloyd. V For Vendetta. DC Comics, 1990.

Ott, Brian L. “The Visceral Politics ofV for Vendetta: On Political Affect in Cinema.” Critical Studies in Media Communication, vol. 27, no. 1, 2010, pp. 39–54., https://doi.org/10.1080/15295030903554359.

Ravetto, Kriss. “Anonymous Social as Political.” Leonardo Electronic Arts Almanac, 3 Oct. 2014, https://www.academia.edu/5214051/Anonymous_Social_as_Political.

Vendetta, V for. “V's Speech.” Harshit Kumar, https://kharshit.github.io/poems/texts/v-speech/.