While many characters have their stories told through out the graphic novel V for Vendetta at the end of the day, the story is about you. I know you're staring at this thinking "But, how can a story that came out in the 80s and is about an anonymous anarchist literally blowing up the government be about me? I'm just hanging out with my pets at home." Well, dear reader, that's because you are V! Confused? Don't worry, I've got you.
In the book Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud there is a concept shared called "closure," the idea being that the audience of a graphic novel fills in what happens between the panels and in turn becomes a complicit part of the actions within the novel (McCloud, p. 63). What this would typically mean is that if an action isn't directly shown but given the context you fill in what happened within the graphic novel, you did that. Alan Moore takes that a step further in V for Vendetta. By keeping V an anonymous character with barely even a backstory it leaves the reader to fill in everything about V ourselves. And when filling in information, whether we are aware of it or not, we will insert parts of ourselves to this anonymous character. In turn, that not only makes you complicit with what V has done in the pages, but it makes you V!
Moore asks the reader to look at the fascist government that is already in place in the novel and to look at V's anarchist utopia the "Land of Do-As-You-Please." Do either of these realms seem like a fair place for anyone to live in? Do you feel sympathy towards or agree with either system and the people fighting for it? It's common for readers to side with V, partially because morally their vision of anarchy is better than the fascist government, but also because by having closure that forces you to be V you feel an automatic sympathy for V and their cause. We see Evey also side with V after watching everything that has happened when she takes up the mantel of V's identity to continue their work.
V calls the citizens in London to fight against their unjust government, but also in turn calls you to fight against unjust systems within your own life. While you might not be able to see yourself within the exact setting that V is, you can see yourself somewhere in there. That's closure and an anonymous lead character at work. What happens in your version of V for Vendetta? Your closure, in turn your own life experiences and norms, will impact what happens outside of the panels of the story on the page. As V says to the crowd in London, "Tonight you must choose what comes next. Lives of our own, or a return to chains. Choose carefully." (Moore, p. 258). What did you choose, reader?
In the book Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud there is a concept shared called "closure," the idea being that the audience of a graphic novel fills in what happens between the panels and in turn becomes a complicit part of the actions within the novel (McCloud, p. 63). What this would typically mean is that if an action isn't directly shown but given the context you fill in what happened within the graphic novel, you did that. Alan Moore takes that a step further in V for Vendetta. By keeping V an anonymous character with barely even a backstory it leaves the reader to fill in everything about V ourselves. And when filling in information, whether we are aware of it or not, we will insert parts of ourselves to this anonymous character. In turn, that not only makes you complicit with what V has done in the pages, but it makes you V!
Moore asks the reader to look at the fascist government that is already in place in the novel and to look at V's anarchist utopia the "Land of Do-As-You-Please." Do either of these realms seem like a fair place for anyone to live in? Do you feel sympathy towards or agree with either system and the people fighting for it? It's common for readers to side with V, partially because morally their vision of anarchy is better than the fascist government, but also because by having closure that forces you to be V you feel an automatic sympathy for V and their cause. We see Evey also side with V after watching everything that has happened when she takes up the mantel of V's identity to continue their work.
V calls the citizens in London to fight against their unjust government, but also in turn calls you to fight against unjust systems within your own life. While you might not be able to see yourself within the exact setting that V is, you can see yourself somewhere in there. That's closure and an anonymous lead character at work. What happens in your version of V for Vendetta? Your closure, in turn your own life experiences and norms, will impact what happens outside of the panels of the story on the page. As V says to the crowd in London, "Tonight you must choose what comes next. Lives of our own, or a return to chains. Choose carefully." (Moore, p. 258). What did you choose, reader?
McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding comics: The invisible ink. New York, NY: Kitchen Sink Press
Moore, A. & Lloyd, D. (2005). V for vendetta. New York, NY: DC Comics
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