Ma , Zhaodong

Professor Klepper

English 113B

December 3, 13

Different characteristics of Evey

The movie “V for Vendetta” was based on the 1982 graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore. The story depicts a future United Kingdom which is controlled by a fascist leader named Norsefire in 1990s.  Norsefire has exterminated his opponents in concentration caps and rues the whole country as a polic state. He was trying to control people through government-controlled social media, such as newspaper and television network. According to Del, “language was used as a political tactic for changing public consciousness suddenly becomes a tool for radical social change. Human beings think in language and if you change the language, then you change how people think.  (Del).” V, the main character in both film and graphic novel, is an anarchist revolutionary who dresses in Guy Fawkes mask begins to break down the government and inspire people to rule their own lives themselves.   

The story was also affected by the political climate of Britain in the early 1980s. Moore visualized that Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government would lose the 1983 elections to Michael Foot’s Labour government. The Labour government wanted complete nuclear disarmament. In the chance of a nuclear war, disarmament could allow the U.K. to escape relatively unharmed.  Despite that, Moore believed fascists would instead weaken Britain under that scenario. Still, Moore's scenario remains untested. To some extent, the story reveals some facts that will make people think much about real life.

With the exception of V, Evey played the most important role in both the movie and comic book.  She was the person who carried on V’s duty in the graphic novel and helped V finish his dream in the movie, which is to inspire people to do something rather than knowing something wrong and still do nothing. Instead of V, Evey went through everything and witnessed victory. Therefore Evey , in some extent, was the clue of the whole story.

Even though in both movie and comic book Evey experienced the same transformation from normal person to V’s inspiration person and join the battle, there are many differences between both. First, in the movie Evey was a runner for the British Television Network. However in book, Evey was a young teenager who was suffering from poverty and resorted to prostitution to survive. Although they both were caught and nearly raped by Fingermen during the city curfew and being rescued by V later, they have different reactions because of their age. Second, After being saved by V, the young teen wanted to repay V, so she help him kill Anthony James Lilliman who is a peadophile bishop. After that, little Evey discovered that V is far more sinister than she suspect. Compared to the novel, Evey in the movie has much independent ideas about killing people. She was trying to tell the bishop the truth so that he can escape V.  She experiences mercy and guilt before V kills the bishop. After that, young Evey was abandoned by V alone in the street. In contrast, Evey in the movie was trying to escape from V. therefore, age makes the most difference between the two Eveys.

Moreover, their family background is also different. As the comic book says, as a child Evey grew up on Shooter Hill in southeast London. Her mom died following an unclear war in early 1980s and her father was arrested and executed by the Norsefire. She was sent to a youth hostel and was forced to work at a factory. In the movie she has an older brother who is killed by a virus that was secretly developed by the government and first tested on V's fellow inmates at Larkhill. Therefore that is one more reason that would make Evey want to help V. Her parents then became political activists and participated in anti-government protests. She was sent to television network to work several years after re-education.

At the end of the story, rather than helping V finish his dream, Evey in the book decided to pick up the mask and become the other V. She carried on the duty of helping people out of the fascist government. In some extent they both win the battle though in different ways. In the movie, V finally woke up people and broke down the government. However in the book, V just woke up Evey and made Evey carry on his mission which according to Williams “represents a key quality essential for any revolution attempting to change the "order of things" rather than repeating the political mistakes of the past(Williams).”

This movie seems like an action movie, but it was full of brilliance. The story was filled with darkness, love and hope. As Wong says “It embraces living without fear. What V has taught her causes Evey to throw her arms up to the rain, like Tim Robbins' character in "The Shawshank Redemption (Wang)."

Works cited

Del Gandio, Jason. Rhetoric for Radicals : A Handbook for 21st Century Activists.

Beverly Hills, CA, USA: Pomegranate Press, 2008. p 120.

Williams, Tony. "Assessing V for Vendetta." CineAction 70 (2006): 16+. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.

COSETTE WONG, SENIOR, RIO RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL For,the Journal. "'Vendetta' Puts Ideas into Action." Albuquerque Journal: 0. Mar 21 2006. ProQuest. Web. 3 Dec. 2013 .