The text After the First Death by Robert Cormier and the film V for Vendetta directed by James McTigue represent terrorism in ways that allow us as the audience to respond differently to each. The terrorists, V in V for Vendetta and Artkin in After the First Death both commits terrorising acts, however audience are led to sympathise and agree with V but feel the opposite for Artkin. V is seen as a revolutionary because he has sympathy and a rational mind as he only eradicate those who aid the government to empower the people. Likewise, Artkin is presented as an emotionless killing machine able to murder without remorse. Thus, audience feels hatred and fear towards Artkin, although he and V shares similar motives. Both terrorists are masked
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In the film V for Vendetta, V the terrorist wears a Guy Fawkes mask, who is a freedom fighter and had the goal of overthrowing the government as V did. Many others began to wear the same mask while rebelling against the government as V asks them to “stand beside” him. As audience, we see that the mask V wears became a symbol of freedom to the society and “symbols are given power by people”. This allows us realise that V have the reasons to hide his identity as he intend the mask to give hope to people as it represent the society as a whole. We are shown that there hold “an idea” beneath the mask that can “change the world”. On the contrary, in After the First Death, the terrorist Artkin wears a mask as it have “sense of power and authority” and “disguise themselves to remain free” as they commit “dishonourable” actions. The masks are seen by society as “grotesque, monstrous”, we as audience view them as fearful criminals; we see no meaningful ideas behind the masks as it is purely worn to spread fear throughout the society. They are seen as being no different from cowardice men who hide their identities in order to commit crimes without guilt. Thus, the film V for Vendetta and the novel After the First Death both represent terrorism as hidden ideas behind masks, however the symbol of the mask and the ideas beneath them are different. Therefore, we as audience are led to agree to V’s cause more than
In the film V for Vendetta, V the terrorist wears a Guy Fawkes mask, who is a freedom fighter and had the goal of overthrowing the government as V did. Many others began to wear the same mask while rebelling against the government as V asks them to “stand beside” him. As audience, we see that the mask V wears became a symbol of freedom to the society and “symbols are given power by people”. This allows us realise that V have the reasons to hide his identity as he intend the mask to give hope to people as it represent the society as a whole. We are shown that there hold “an idea” beneath the mask that can “change the world”. On the contrary, in After the First Death, the terrorist Artkin wears a mask as it have “sense of power and authority” and “disguise themselves to remain free” as they commit “dishonourable” actions. The masks are seen by society as “grotesque, monstrous”, we as audience view them as fearful criminals; we see no meaningful ideas behind the masks as it is purely worn to spread fear throughout the society. They are seen as being no different from cowardice men who hide their identities in order to commit crimes without guilt. Thus, the film V for Vendetta and the novel After the First Death both represent terrorism as hidden ideas behind masks, however the symbol of the mask and the ideas beneath them are different. Therefore, we as audience are led to agree to V’s cause more than