Assignment
The film V for Vendetta directed by the Wachowskis brothers in 2005 is riddled with symbolisms and thought provoking concepts. Your job is to choose four (2 in the form of a short answer responses; 2 in the form of short essays)of the following questions or quotes and exemplify your abilities as a Critical Thinker to not only breakdown the symbolisms, but to also relate the issues presented throughout the film to modern society and you personally.
Essay Questions and Quotes for Analysis:
- "There is something terribly wrong with this country... [and]... if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror." (V's Broadcast) What part did the citizens of England play in what V considers to be "terribly wrong" with their country? List some or all of the examples of what is wrong and explicate why they are wrong.
- How did the news station use the footage they captured of "V" being shot once the doors to the recording studio were forced open by police? What words did they use to describe the entire event and for what purpose? What were they trying to prevent or instill in their viewers? What does this say about the role of media in our own lives?
- The "Censor" was mentioned by V and is the agency in charge of keeping the items placed on the black list by the high Chancellor Sutler. What kinds of objects, things, and knickknacks would be found within the "vaults of the Ministry of Objectionable Materials?" Why do you believe these items were confiscated and criminalized by the Chancellor?
- "People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people." ~V
- Aside from the implied past history between V and Luis Prothero, the "Voice of London," why do you suppose V killed him first?
- "Violence can be used for good" ~ V
- "Artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up." ~ Evey's father
- "We are both fugitives in our own ways." & "You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it." ~ Gordon Deitrich
- What is the intricate relationship between the St. Mary's school; Three Waters; and Larkhill?
- "What if the worst, the most horrifying, biological attack in this country's history was not the work of religious extremists? ... If our own government was responsible for what happened at St Mary's and Three Waters... if our own government was responsible for the deaths of almost a hundred thousand people... would you really want to know?" ~Detective Finch
- Why was Gordon Deitrich kidnapped after the airing of the non-censored version of his last show? What were the severe implications made by the comedy skit that enraged the High Chancellor enough to have him killed?
- "Our integrity sells for so little, but it is all we really have. It is the very last inch of us, but within that inch, we are free." ~ Valerie
- How did the torture endured by Evey and Valerie's story "free" her?
- Why was it that when Chancellor Sutler stated that he wanted everyone to "remember" why they needed them (the government) did the next scene show the locals of London watching nothing but tragic events being reported on the news? How is the media being manipulated yet again to influence people? Can you say that there is a likeness in this scene to the media in our society?
- What is the significance of V instructing Creedy to mark his front door with an "X?" How is this foreshadowing Creedy's end?
- "Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea and ideas are bulletproof." ~ V
- "He was Edmond Dantes. And he was my father, and my mother, my brother, my friend. He was you, and me. He was all of us." ~Evey
Study Guide tips
Here is a list of some topics you should research to assist you with your responses:
1) Martial Law and the conspiracy theories associated with Martial Law within the past 15years (especially current theories).
2) Look up foreign policies post 9/11 during the "war on terror"
a. Pay specific attention to language used by political leaders and even in the media.
b. Try to recall your own memories (if applicable) of what was going on within the U.S. following the attacks on the towers and the pentagon.
3) FEMA Detainment List
4) The Ebola Virus and theories circulating the epidemic.