1984 by George Orwell fathered the science-fiction sub genre of Dystopian societies that branched into novels as well as film. V for Vendetta is the story of V, a superhuman in a totalitarian London who uses terrorism-like schemes to spark a revolution against the government to finally get his vendetta. The totalitarian societies present in 1984 and V for Vendetta are nearly paralleled in their government structures, propaganda and surveillance; however, the miniscule, subtle differences, easy to overlook, in the “heroes” and the ideologies of their governing officials--thought control and fear control--prove remarkably vital in why one revolution fails while the other prevails. London lays our Dystopian scenes in both 1984 and V for Vendetta.
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Both plaster posters everywhere, England taking on plain white posters with the emboldened words: “STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY. UNITY THROUGH FAITH,” used to indoctrinate the people in an effort to gain and sustain power. Oceania is no stranger to indoctrination through public posters, commonly using the face of Big Brother to relay the message of the words below him “Big Brother is Watching You,” but, most comparable to V for Vendetta are the posters displaying the principles of Ingsoc: “WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH,” (Orwell) used in the same manner for the same purpose of slowly, subtly indoctrinating its people to maintain power. News and Television, however, is one of the most prominent mechanisms used for brainwashing in the two societies. The Grand Chancellor’s government determines what the News relays to its people, convincing them that V’s first attack in the film was a display from them. The film is careful to display the televisions present in many different civilian settings, suggesting that people watch frequently and soak up these lies constantly. Oceania also controls its current news, but takes it a step further by changing the past in accordance with the present. Lastly, civilians of both cultures fall prey to extreme surveillance by their regimes. Oceania utilizes the telescreens present in most homes, secret microphones, and other cameras, while …show more content…
V has a vast collection of art, films, and music, but Winston wanders around the residential areas of the proles. He understands that the future or chance of a revolution is in their hands--and so does V. V’s hijacking of the television network displays that he cares about the wishes of the people, and wants them to be able to make a choice. So, on the surface these two main characters may seem very similar due to their desires to defeat the government and spread the truth. However, this is not the case. Winston is, in all frankness, exceptionally ordinary in all respects other than his ability to see through the Party’s lies. V, on the other hand, is extraordinary. Subject to government chemical experiments, he wound up mutated instead of killed. The extent of this mutation is unknown, but this background allows V to become something Winston never was: fearless. When the push came to shove, or, in his case, when the rats came to gnaw, Winston gave into O’Brien’s torture and betrayed Julia immediately, before the cage was even opened. Prior to his torture, Winston witnessed a man in the cell beg the guards not to take him to room 101, indicating that this random man had survived, and resisted, it before. Winston could not, gave in, and kept his life. However, he lost his spirit. V chose to keep his spirit, but lost his life. Without fear, he was free to terrorize and rebel and stir up the people
Both plaster posters everywhere, England taking on plain white posters with the emboldened words: “STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY. UNITY THROUGH FAITH,” used to indoctrinate the people in an effort to gain and sustain power. Oceania is no stranger to indoctrination through public posters, commonly using the face of Big Brother to relay the message of the words below him “Big Brother is Watching You,” but, most comparable to V for Vendetta are the posters displaying the principles of Ingsoc: “WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH,” (Orwell) used in the same manner for the same purpose of slowly, subtly indoctrinating its people to maintain power. News and Television, however, is one of the most prominent mechanisms used for brainwashing in the two societies. The Grand Chancellor’s government determines what the News relays to its people, convincing them that V’s first attack in the film was a display from them. The film is careful to display the televisions present in many different civilian settings, suggesting that people watch frequently and soak up these lies constantly. Oceania also controls its current news, but takes it a step further by changing the past in accordance with the present. Lastly, civilians of both cultures fall prey to extreme surveillance by their regimes. Oceania utilizes the telescreens present in most homes, secret microphones, and other cameras, while …show more content…
V has a vast collection of art, films, and music, but Winston wanders around the residential areas of the proles. He understands that the future or chance of a revolution is in their hands--and so does V. V’s hijacking of the television network displays that he cares about the wishes of the people, and wants them to be able to make a choice. So, on the surface these two main characters may seem very similar due to their desires to defeat the government and spread the truth. However, this is not the case. Winston is, in all frankness, exceptionally ordinary in all respects other than his ability to see through the Party’s lies. V, on the other hand, is extraordinary. Subject to government chemical experiments, he wound up mutated instead of killed. The extent of this mutation is unknown, but this background allows V to become something Winston never was: fearless. When the push came to shove, or, in his case, when the rats came to gnaw, Winston gave into O’Brien’s torture and betrayed Julia immediately, before the cage was even opened. Prior to his torture, Winston witnessed a man in the cell beg the guards not to take him to room 101, indicating that this random man had survived, and resisted, it before. Winston could not, gave in, and kept his life. However, he lost his spirit. V chose to keep his spirit, but lost his life. Without fear, he was free to terrorize and rebel and stir up the people