Is V a terrorist

Document Type:Thesis

Subject Area:English

Document 1

The film has been given some awards including Prometheus Special Award and Saturn Award for Best Actress among others. In summary, the film begins after the world war, in the year 2027. London is a police state, that is occupied by the neo fascist government. This government imprisons and executes immigrants, Jews, Muslims, opponents, atheists and other “undesirables”. The Irish are considered as inferior to the British and the Nordic. His or her actions are politically motivated. Therefore, terrorism is the unlawful use of threat, violence or force either against the state or government or the public, that is civilians. It involves activities that are dangerous to human lives and a violation of the criminal laws. On the other hand, a freedom fighter leads people into a revolutionary struggle for a political goal, in particular, to overthrow the government which is often characterized by oppression, tyranny and dictatorship.

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He or she leads the fight against oppression with the aim of obtaining justice and freedom from oppressive rulers and laws (Avdan &Uzonyi, 935). On the other hand, the government that V is fighting against works towards benefitting nobody but their own selves. Hence, it exercised oppression of the minors, silencing those who oppose it through murder, imprisonment and torture including its own. V uses the tactics of terrorists to target those oppressing the civilians in the land. For instance, he bombed the Parliament, a common tactic used by terrorists to destroy their targets. He also uses force to bring about socioeconomic change as well as to challenge the corrupt state of the government. They wanted a good and peaceful life in which they would not be afraid of doing anything, such as having different opinions with the government (Paik, 169).

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With the appearance of Mr. V, the vigilante, their dream seemed to come true. They had their hopes renewed. At first, they feared that he would be arrested and executed after bombing the parliament, just like other government offenders. At first, one might think his actions were driven by a thirst for personal revenge on the people who imprisoned and tortured him. However, a close examination of the film shows his actions were motivated by a quest for revenge for Valerie Page, a prisoner before his time. During his imprisonment, he found a letter in the room in which he was imprisoned. In the letter, Valerie Page explained that she was imprisoned and tortured because she had stood firm on her freedom to love and had refused to love. She explained how the government was oppressive and the people completely did not have the freedom to do anything.

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In addition, he was committed to fulfil his quest. During the firefight, Creedy asked him, “Why won’t out die?” V responded saying “Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof,” (McTeigue). He had an idea that the government would be afraid of the people and not the other way round. He bombs buildings, tortures people and makes them feel intimidated. During his protests, many are killed. Those working for the government out of necessity are also killed in cold blood during his bombing activities. He also punishes those who do the wrong while holding himself accountable to no man. However, while terrorists target the widest population of people, the vigilante chooses his victims methodically. For change to take place, it is inevitable to experience pain.

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He fought and in the process died but change came to the people he fought for. They matched into the Parliament and destroyed it marking the end of the tyrannical and corrupt government. So, is V really a terrorist? No, V is not a terrorist. Rather, V is a heroic freedom fighter. Keller, James R. V's Terrorism. V for Vendetta As Cultural Pastiche: A Critical Study of the Graphic Novel and Film, McFarland and Company, Inc, Publishers, 2014, pp. Paik, Peter Y. Between Trauma and Tragedy.

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