History has a tendency to repeat itself. One of humanity’s most popular ways of getting its point across is through violence. When words are no longer enough to argue a point, human casualties not only directly solve the problem, but symbolically send a message to all those affected as well. Just as the American colonies fought against the British for Freedom when their voice was no longer heard, and just as the Islamic extremists used terrorism to send an evil message to America, both V and Chancellor Sutler used violence to gain a voice in a world of chaos.
In the film V for Vendetta the viewer is welcomed to a dystopia in which the government not only controls its citizens, but removes their privacy, civil rights, general freedoms, and even regulates what types of foods, jobs, and materials one is allowed. As the plot moves along, Chancellors Sutler’s actions to reach this dystopia are revealed. His use of biological warfare against the “weak” minorities of England was not only violent, but cruel, heartless, and sickening. His intentions were not for the well being of his country, but for his own selfish greed and control. Chancellor Sutler was able to take advantage of the chaos, uncertainty, and fear within the world and manipulate the lives of his people with lies and a nonexistent hope.
On the other hand, V took the fear that still existed in peoples’ minds, but helped them to realize they shouldn’t be afraid. In his plot to regain control on November Fifth he did made what could be his most important move. He gave a nationally broadcasted speech to the citizens of his country, exposing and reminding the citizens of England what their government was doing to them. He helped them to recover the fact that this new life, this life that they had become accustomed to, had considered normal, was not in fact a country in which “England would prevail,” but rather a country which needed a face, and an idea. V slowly created a