The second (and final) graphic novel on my British reading list, V for Vendetta is another work by Alan Moore. Set in the 'future' (well, the late '90s, but this was written in the early '80s), it envisions a post-nuclear-war world, where England is ruled by fascists, and freedom has disappeared. V, the main character, commits a number of terrorist acts against the oppressive regime, with the intent of toppling the government and freeing the people.
An additional focus of the story is his relationship with Evey, a lost and wandering girl, whom he takes in, and shows her true freedom by first showing her how locked up she is- how much of a prison their current world has become. As he puts it, "I didn't put you in a prison- I just showed you the bars." He puts her through several tests, severely psychological in nature, and gets her to the point where she is truly free- a point which, he claims, exists only when one is willing to die before sacrificing their principles. He implies that the current government exists only because the people let their freedom be taken from them, by strong-willed, evil forces, and that they valued comfort- in this case, a prison- over standing for what they truly believed. He insinuates that the way to get freedom back is to throw off the desire for comfort and follow what you believe- even if it will result in your death. "Freedom is terrifying," he says, as a rationale why people avoid it.
Overall, the work was good, and made several interesting points. First and foremost, this idea of freedom being terrifying, and people preferring comfort and cages. I think there is some truth there, not only in society, but inside our souls. We're slaves to sin- fallen- and without external revelation and assistance, want to remain that way. When shown freedom, we might embrace it, but also long to return to slavery- it's what we know, and what comforts us. Freedom is scary because it means we're responsible- responsible for our actions, our decisions, and directions. If we're oppressed, we may not be happy, but at least we're not responsible for it- or so we think. We are responsible- responsible for letting ourselves be oppressed. I believe that's the message Moore is trying to convey here.
Returning to the idea of governments and societies, the same idea holds, and I see two levels of freedom. As an American, I look back with pride on the accomplishments of our forefathers- but am reminded that they sacrificed their comfort and security for the bold ideas of freedom. In many cases, they gave their lives, because they valued principle over comfort. It must have been terrifying for them- but worthwhile. This first level of freedom is something that Americans, and most of the west, embrace- the idea of a free government, to freely hold elections, etc. While we may not all be brave enough to fight or give our lives for it, I believe we value it. In V for Vendetta, the society does not- or at least, it does not value it enough to fight for it. There is a second level, though, that's harder to embrace- the freedom to live life outside of the expectations of society. How much do we do because we want to, or because we believe it's right? Do we do things because they're expected? Who expects them? Are those things always valuable? I'm not necessarily talking about grand things here- it could be something as small as going to college, taking a job because it pays well, wearing fashionable clothing, etc. Things most of us do, if we can, whether or not we want to, or think we should. We do it because it's expected. That doesn't mean it's bad, inherently- it just raises the question of how often we live that way, and whether or not that is a prison in and of itself. This is a good concept to think on- and I like that V for Vendetta does so.
On the downside, I was a little confused at times by this effort- some people look similar in the artwork, so it's occasionally difficult to work out who's who, and the story line is convoluted at times. I like The Watchmen more, though both are worthwhile.
Rating: A-
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