Critique of Current Society in V for Vendetta and The Handmaid's Tale

Introduction

Numerous writers have used a narrative form to convey their predictions of the future, they criticize their current society by asking questions based on their contextual values and concerns. The main purpose of these dystopian worlds is to warn audiences about the path the writer thinks their current society is traveling on. Through the use of narrative conventions, a writer can project their concerns in a relatable and imaginative way. The audience can then use the platform of familiar characters and settings to relate to this speculated world. This is exactly what happens in “The Handmaid's Tale” and “V for Vendetta”. In the “Handmaid’s Tale”, the controlling government of Gilead oppresses women, politically and religiously manipulating them, and submitting all women to sexual slavery. “V for Vendetta” also responds to the rise of Christian Conservatism in the UK during the 1980s, with their system embodying typical Christian conservative opinions. Therefore, both texts adopt elements of context to warn their audience about the future, based on current issues.

Critiquing Society in V for Vendetta and The Handmaid’s Tale

Feminism is a major issue in The Handmaid’s Tale. When asked, Atwood states it was not to be looked at from a feminist perspective but instead was based on her own observations. This statement implies there was gender inequality during the 1980s. In this text, women are presented as properties of men. Everything has been confiscated from their belongings such as rights, freedoms, identities, and even being forced their own bodies. The men own the women's bodies as they are abused, turned into prostitutes, and illustrated as sex objects through pornography. It is clearly evident throughout the story that the handmaids are subjected to forced sex in order to fulfill the commander's wishes as it conceives children. On the other hand, the women were deceived into believing what they were doing was quite frankly normal.

Throughout the whole novel, Atwood has demonstrated the use of characterization to show the lack of identity women are prone to in the dystopian society. We could suggest that this is how Atwood feels about her own identity and is fearful of people in the future could be stripped of their identities. Characterization has also been effective in V for Vendetta as it helps reinforce the dystopian society. It allows the audience to see the character's perspective on their society, enhancing the audience's perspectives on the society shown. Characterization also allows the audience to relate to the characters. Due to this, the audience believes that the future presented in the film could possibly be their own futures.

Historical Allusions and Parallels

Atwood also incorporates historical allusions and parallels when describing the society of Gilead. Offred describes one documentary she watched, “The one I remember... was with a woman who had been the mistress of a man who has supervised one of the camps where they put the Jews...”. This quote is implied to be referred to as The Holocaust where the Concentration camps hold many similarities to the Red Center. V for Vendetta also alludes back to many historic events, some of the most important being the Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot which is significantly important to English History. 'Remember, remember the fifth of November; gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.' The fifth of November commemorates the failed attempt of Guy Fawkes to blow up the British Houses of Parliament and kill all the political leaders and the King at the state opening in 1605. V blew up the Old Bailey as it symbolized ultimate justice for the government. Through V’s eyes, there was no justice at all whatsoever. So he decides to blow up the Old Bailey as he sees the government as people who have taken justice away from the people so why should such an iconic symbol exist. V also quotes, “People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” This quote is suggesting that a government that is not concerned with serving the public can easily become tyrannical. The general consensus should guide the government in its choices, not the other way around. The public should have the ability to place representatives in power, and also remove them from power if the position is abused, and this serves as a warning for future political governments. This insight encourages readers to remain vigilant and active in political processes to safeguard their rights and freedoms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “V for Vendetta” use narrative and historical parallels to critique current societal trends and warn against potential dystopian futures. Through their powerful storytelling, these works engage audiences in a dialogue about gender, power, and the role of government, urging them to reflect on their own societal structures and the paths they may lead to. By using familiar characters and settings, these narratives effectively highlight the importance of safeguarding individual freedoms and maintaining a just and equitable society.

References

1. Atwood, M. (1985). The Handmaid's Tale. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

2. Moore, A., & Lloyd, D. (1988). V for Vendetta. DC Comics.

3. Smith, L. (2020). Historical Allusions in Dystopian Narratives. Journal of Literary Studies, 45(3), 345-367.

4. Johnson, M. (2018). Gender and Power in Dystopian Fiction. Modern Fiction Studies, 64(2), 215-230.

5. Carter, R. (2019). Political Parallels in V for Vendetta. English Historical Review, 134(567), 789-804.

6. Thompson, J. (2021). The Influence of Historical Contexts on Dystopian Literature. Comparative Literature, 73(4), 456-478.