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Essay / Comparing Values: Animal Farm and V for Vendetta
George Orwell's “Animal Farm” is an allegorical fairy tale that deeply condemns totalitarian regimes. The novel explores the concepts of propaganda, totalitarianism and tyranny impacting oppressed society by using animal characters to expose the evils of exploitation. Similar to “Animal Farm,” “V for Vendetta” directed by James McTeigue explores the same concepts through the characterization of the main character, V, who juxtaposes the idea of individuality and rebellion against forced conformity. The film shows the citizens' rebellion against the injustice of an oppressive government in England which exerts immense control over the community. This also reveals the difference between the phases of tyranny – “V for Vendetta” is about rebellion and freedom from tyranny, while “Animal Farm” begins with the chaos of expulsion from the government (Jones). Both McTeigue and Orwell resonate with today's audiences by warning future society that a government agency can potentially become corrupt due to its inability to govern excessive power. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay McTeigue and Orwell similarly demonstrate the concept of propaganda and corruption in an anthropomorphic way to explore the values of their times through the stories of "Animal Farm" and "V for Vendetta" with the intention of touching the future audience The governing characters in both texts exercise manipulative control over their people and abuse their power to satisfy their own desires. In "V for Vendetta", Gordon's satirical television commercial shows and mirrors the comparison between Chancellor and V. The propaganda illusion that Sutler sold to the public emphasizes the vague terms "freedom fighter" and "terrorist" to show how they are used subjectively and interchangeably by those who wish to seize power. The use of twin images of Sutler and V as chancellor implies that Sutler's elevation to leader and his judgment of V as a terrorist is hypocritical, dating back to Evey's father who, “…said. that artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover up the truth.” This reinforces the idea that the government uses lies to cover up the truth in order to remain loyal to society. Similarly, this can be seen in "Animal Farm", when Napoleon uses Snowball as a scapegoat for every problem: "The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon's own creation". This directly relates to the propaganda aspects and visualizes the cunning and manipulative characteristics that pigs possess. By revealing false information to his peers, Napoleon makes himself superior by taking all the credit for building the windmill and veiling Snowball as a fraud. Snowball being manipulated as a scapegoat reveals that the other pigs are using lies to cover up the truth for the pig's benefit, thus exploring aspects and themes of corruption through the promotion of Squealer's propaganda. Both Animal Farm and V for Vendetta show the comparison between how leaders use propaganda to be seen as loyal and honest. “Animal Farm” and “V for Vendetta” both reinforce the theme of tyranny and explore the values of government exploiting its power. to satisfy their own desires. The eras of the two texts are diverse, showing the distinctions between Orwell's era, "Animal Farm," and »..