George Orwell’s “Nineteen
Eighty Four” and Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s “V for Vendetta” are works in which
the main topics focuses on two societies ruled by a corrupt government. These societies
are being drastically oppressed by a nefarious Totalitarian regimen, which
through the use of mental and physical weapons such as fear, torture and even death,
has established, with iron fist; order in societies previously engulfed by
chaos.
“Totalitarism is an ideology in the classic
Althusserian sense of describing not real social relations but rather the
“lived experience” of real social relations by a social subject for whom
practical and personal interests are predominant” (Resch, 1997. P, 143).
Therefore, Orwell and
Moore’s societies re-directed those social relations, which previously dwelled
in the chaos and disorder, and gave themselves away to bond with the face (at
the time seen as a savior) of a government that represents order and stability;
In both cases: “The Party”.
1984’s Totalitarism
In “Nineteen Eighty Four”,
the Totalitarism is imposed by “The Party”. This entity is composed of a
diminutive percentage of the total population (2%) of the nation belonging to an
oligarchical group, which through the embodiment of “Big Brother”, the figure/face
of leadership of “The Party”, governs over Oceania.
The Party’s control over
society is absolute; the party not only dominates people’s life, through fear
and adoration (I would not say patriotism since the people from Oceania
workshops the image of Big Brother rather than the nation itself) they dominate
people’s actions, people’s feelings, etc. They would step on reality and time itself
for their purpose; they would distortion the reality in our minds, and change
it as they see fit; thus, the laws, our laws, the laws that mankind creates for
the universe, meant nothing…
“It was as though some huge force were pressing down
upon you -- something that penetrated inside your skull, battering against your
brain, frightening you out of your beliefs, persuading you, almost, to deny the
evidence of your senses. In the end the
Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe
it.” (1984, p.55)
The Party decided who was
worthy (those loyal to Big Brother and loyal to the order of society) of living
in their domain and those who weren’t. And those who were not, were “Vanished” from the world, from its
records, as if the person had never existed.
Furthermore, they broke
the bonds and unity of family, and used its components to accuse and even incriminate
those who attempted to betray Big Brother…
“Suddenly they
were both leaping round him, shouting 'Traitor!' and 'Thought Criminal!' the
little girl imitating her brother in every movement. 'Why can't we go and see
the hanging?' roared the boy in his huge voice. 'Want to see the hanging! Want
to see the hanging!' chanted the little girl, still capering round.” (1984, p.16)
Children were taught from
their birth that the Party’s control was supreme, and that whomever attempted
to betray it deserved only death. Now, in the previous quotation we can easily
distinguish how Orwell made a comparison between the big brother and the little
girl; this is a clear metaphor to demonstrate that in this reality “The Party”
takes the place of the big brother, in a sibling’s relation, and society itself
is the little girl, who imitates and does, out of adoration, every single thing
that his “Big Brother” does. In the end, not even Hope could match the strength
“The Party” wielded.
V For Vendetta’s Totalitarism
In “V For Vendetta”
society’s power is held again “The Party” but more specifically by Adam James
Susan, the leader of that party and a man who after the war that affected the
world, and brought chaos and disorder to society to the point that London
itself was in rumbles, stood up and dominated society so it could regain that
order…
“The only freedom left to
my people is the freedom to starve. The freedom to die, the freedom to live in
a world of chaos. Should I allow them that freedom? I think not. I think not.”
(V For Vendetta. Ch. II. P, 6)
By taking away the people’s freedom, the Leader
brought order, and made himself believe that by doing so, the chaos that
afflicted his people would vanish, thus implying that it was a necessary evil. As
in “1984”, fear was implemented as a main strength of power; power implemented
through the radical police, known as the “Fingermen”. And equally as in 1984, a
surveillance of 24/7 to all citizens, regarding their behavior, actions and
even decisions, was the solution The Party believed to be necessary to make England prevail.
In addition, “V for
Vendetta’s” Party used patriotism as an excuse to fulfill all their doings
since, as seen in the quotation above, the Party always refers to their
solutions as the better good of England… “England
prevails”. Consequently, their solution to any type of problem generated in
the country was to ensure people through lies (for example, when V blows up the
“Houses of Parliament”) that everything was fine, and that they should remain
in their homes for their own protection.
Similarities between the systems
It is no mystery that both totalitarian systems
share many points in common; for instance, both systems use the media as their
major weapon of control, especially in 1984 in which the “Telescreen” were practically
cameras that are, as the slogan said ”always watching”; both systems based
their order upon the implementation of a radical “police” department, which
uses violence, torture and other several schemes to keep the population at bay;
both systems utilize lies, which are based on telling citizens that everything
is being done for their safety and well-being.
Another similarity is the lack of spirit that
society presents in both works. In each case, society is always in a passive
state, living life as their government tells them, something that seems greatly
affected due to the fact that in these societies there is no religion present.
Thus, people’s religion is in fact the order of its respective government. For
this reason, people would not stand up for their beliefs and rights something
seen or foreseen (In the case of Orwell) for both authors in their respective
societies. As the very same Alan Moore explained:
“...as with most worlds in
science-fiction you are not talking about the future. You are talking about the
present.”
Therefore, implying that
both works are conception, or rather glimpses of what society was heading to.
Lastly, another similarity,
and a crucial one, both systems use a face/mask as a mean to create a physical
entity of “The Party” in power. Even though in “V for Vendetta” the face of
Adam James Susan is the face of the man in power, it is the face of the
cameras, the idea of being constantly watched what the citizens truly fear. The
cameras placed throughout the city projecting a message of: “You are been
watched” even though their function as stated by the parties is: “for your
protection”. On the other hand, The Party from 1984 uses the omnipotent face of
“Big Brother”, face who injects fear directly to the people’s mind, claiming
that “it is always watching”; hence, denying people a place of real personal
freedom.
Differences between the systems
Now, regardless of many
similarities one can find in these two masterpieces, there is one gargantuan
difference that makes one of them far superior from the other. The big
difference between the two powers is that “The Party” from “1984” seeks not
only the unequal order of society, but also, and with more deepness, it seeks
POWER.
“Nevertheless Winston did
not speak for another moment or two. A feeling of weariness had overwhelmed
him. The faint, mad gleam of enthusiasm had come back into O'Brien's face. He
knew in advance what O'Brien would say. That the Party did not seek power for
its own ends, but only for the good of the majority. That it sought power
because men in the mass were frail cowardly creatures who could not endure
liberty or face the truth, and must be ruled over and systematically deceived
by others who were stronger than themselves. That the choice for mankind lay
between freedom and happiness, and that, for the great bulk of mankind,
happiness was better. That the party was the eternal guardian of the weak, a
dedicated sect doing evil that good might come, sacrificing its own happiness
to that of others.”
But it was not as Winston
believed; And George Orwell wrote one of the most exquisite and real plots
twist in Literature…
“The Party seeks power
entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are
interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness:
only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently.”
And thus the reason for
1984’s party is success is revealed. Their reason to govern society through
fear and oppression is pure. They are loyal to their cause regardless of their
actions. What truly matters are our intrinsic motives. Hence, for this group there
are no doubts of the things they did, are doing, and will be doing as far as
their schemes fulfill their goals.
However, on the other side
of the rift, in “V for Vendetta”, Adam James Susan attempts to bring order to a
society which lived in chaos, a society that demanded order.
Ironically that was his
downfall and their greatest weakness “The Party” had. V For Vendetta’s Party had
one clear objective: to abolish chaos and maintain order for the sake of the
people and for the sake of England; but what if the people do not want that
order anymore? Then what would The Party do? That it is the question that Adam
James Susan, the leader of the party, could not answer, and from there, it was
no wonder that V’s Anarchy was so easily successful. V took what the party was
trying to cage and set it free, and unluckily for the leader “lover of fate”,
the people recognize V’s vision of the world and accepted it.
But if the same questions
were to be answered by O’Brian or any member of 1984’s Party, that answer would
have been clear: Order and The Party’s objectives are to be achieved regardless
of society and its beliefs; unlike V For Vendetta’s party, 1984’s follows its
own enterprise. Therefore, the consequences for achieving those goals are
nothing in comparison to the final objective.
Individuals in Totalitarism
Now, when we think of how
the main characters from each novel react to each scenario, we come across
another big difference. On the one hand, Winston Smith, a man who lives a life
who does not fits him starts to unravel his true anti-oppression nature. This
anti-oppression bursts when he meets Julia, a younger woman to whom he loves. On
the other hand, are V, a man whose past drives him to pursue a vendetta against
the people who caused him ill in the past, and Eve, a woman with no hope for
the future, saved by V and taught the true nature of her rotten society.
In Winston’s case, once captured, O’Brien, through
deceitfulness and fear, destroys his mind to the point in which reality itself
could be shaped as the party wanted. Winston is brainwashed to think that 2 + 2
equals 5 and through fear is even drove to betray the woman he loves, furthermore,
O’ Brien manipulates Winston to the point that his love towards Julia changes and
goes towards Big Brother and the government of The Party. In spite of this,
Winston, before finally surrounding finds himself denying everything that
O’Brien is forcing into his weakened mind…
“I don't care.
In the end they will beat you. Sooner or later they will see you for what you
are, and then they will tear you to pieces.' '
Do you see any evidence that that is happening? Or any
reason why it should?' '
No. I believe it. I know that you will fail. There is something in the universe – I
don't know, some spirit, some principle -- that you will never overcome.”
All the time in
which Winston was being tortured, what suffered the most was not his body, it
was his mind. O’Brien used facts and logic to overcome Winston’s spirit and
hope, he crushed human spirit and hope alike. O’Brien was always one step
ahead. O’Brien and the Party from “1984” through the use of logic, facts and
fear, ripped off the armor that made ideas bulletproof and shot it in the head
with a Desert Eagle.
As for V, the
self-proclaimed villain of the story, at first it would seem like V was too
much an enemy for a Party that was at the edge of despair (Peter Creedy trying
to take Adam’s place); however, at the time, what society needed was something
that could change the oppression and mundanity that the party has imposed. To
accomplish this, V’s solution to this totalitarian scheme was, of course, Anarchy,
a “Romantic Anarchy”. V understood that in order to fight extreme order, the
antithesis was necessary, chaos and disorder…
“Anarchy wears two faces, both creator and destroyer.
Thus destroyers topple empires; make a canvas of clean rubble where creators
then can build another world. Rubble, once achieved, makes further ruins' means
irrelevant. Away with our explosives, then! Away withour destroyers! They have no place within our better world. But let us raise a toast to all our bombers, all our bastards, most unlovely
and most unforgivable. Let's drink their health... then meet with them no more.”
The world is a stage,
in which each character must play its part, and when the time comes and any
character attempts to fulfill other’s role, characters such as V will rise. Through
anarchy and extreme ideologies (In this case, terrorism as a weapon to fight
the oppressive system), V woke up society from its trance induced by fear and
order, and showed it the way things really were…
“Everybody
should be their own leader.”
V, nor hero, nor villain, opened society’s eyes and
show it that that claimed all powerful, untouched, omnipresent government was
in fact quite touchable and that in this play that the world is even the
government has one specific role.
Conclusion
As a final comment, I find
an imperative to mention the remarkable analysis and vision (almost a
prediction) that Orwell and Moore & Lloyd did when they created “Nineteen
Eighty Four” and “V For Vendetta” respectably, since their vision was a
foreshadowing of what society are becoming (especially in the case of “1984”
which was written almost 70 years ago).
Now, when reading the
novel “1984” and the graphic novel “V For Vendetta”, one big concept that was
addressed and at the same time was not is Hope. In “1984” it is clear that, in
the end, hope was completely destroyed. Winston was defeated and all that he
was became something completely different; a shadow created by the government. So,
what is it that George Orwell intended to show humanity with these events? My
conclusion is that he was not trying to give us a picture of what the future
will be, but rather he was giving us a sort of warning that, eventually,
society might become something similar to the society in his novel; if the
totalitarian systems manage to control society that is. Furthermore, this idea
can be connected with the sense of Hope presented in “V for Vendetta”, since in
“V for Vendetta”, V tries to wake people up so they can take their rightful places
in society, and not be merely pawns of that society. And as it was stated
before, V used Anarchy as a weapon to achieve his goals. Moreover, if we are to
connect this idea of the people waking up and taking their rightful places, we
find ourselves thinking in the idea that Orwell explained of the proles and the
medium classes advancing into a higher social hierarchy.
In that idea, Orwell
illustrated the thought that all these social classes (proles, medium class and
higher class/inner party) are embedded within an endless cycle, since at some
point the lower classes will start a revolution in order to change society and
overthrown the people in higher ground, however, by doing so they established themselves
in a higher position in the pyramid becoming that that was overthrown.
Therefore, the endless cycle goes on. In addition, anarchy is a tool that
allows that cycle to continue; V is a character destined to exist so that the
levels of society can be changed again and again. So, can the cycle be ever
finished? Can humanity live as equals or there is a beyond-humanity necessity
for having different categories such as proles, middle class and higher class
to coexist? Or perhaps to truly live life: must we become a Finch from “V for
Vendetta” who after seen it all decides to alienated himself from society? Alienation
is a wonderful way of living, but, we humans, by nature are social beings.
In any case, and following
V for Vendetta’s perspective when a totalitarian regimen becomes active, the
best possible way to take it down is not through rationality, logic and facts,
it is through madness. Because when facing an enemy that can distortion our
reality and the past itself, only madness can trusted.
Finally, rather than
asking you the obvious question of: “what would you do if you were in V or
Winston’s place”; I would like to ask you: What would you do if you were a
member of the totalitarian Parties (whichever)? Imagine you are a member of the
“royalty” of society, where nothing is denied to you and where you do not feel
compelled to stand up for your rights and beliefs. Would you stand up and fight
for a society that seems distant to you? Would you stand up for the people you
consider lesser than you? And more importantly… why would you do it? I am
asking you to place yourself not as the “prole” or the “victim” of the story,
but rather as the master, the one to blame, the one who has everything and
needs nothing.
When 2 + 2 equals 5; V
will be the real answer.
“Ave Atque Vale”
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