v+for+vendetta

=V For Vendetta= By Allan Moore (aka The Scariest Looking Dude On The Planet)

"Vi veri veniversum vivus vici." = "By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."
Week 1: (Answers and summary typed by Brett Lewbel)

Discussion questions: Josh 1. What do you think of V's goals? V is a patriot who is trying to save his country from the oppression of fascism. I (Brett Lewbel) equate him with Claus Von Stauffenberg, the man who tried to kill Hitler.

2. What comparisons can you draw from England's new government to Nazi Germany? The fascism, eugenics, V and Stauffenberg, Norsefire references the Aryan nation (Nordics)

3. Why do you think that Evey has chosen to stay with V? She has nowhere else to go and he saved her.

4. V's methods are very extreme. Why do you think he has chosen particular people to assassinate? They are evil fascists and he is doing what he believes is right for his country.

5. How do you feel about the Norsefire government? (the Ear, Fingers, etc.) Their names serve as a metaphor for a supreme dictator, a person with body parts used to control and intimidate people.

6. Do you think that V will be caught? Why or Why not? V is too quick and too dedicated to be caught.

7. Do you think Evey will aid V in his pursuits? V may be able to convince Evey that the government is evil and totalitarian and therefore needs to be destroyed. Evey almost being raped and murdered by a group working for Norsefire may aid in her believing V

8. Why do you think Lewis Prothero said "5. the man from room 5" over and over again? This is a reference to his days a Concentration Camp employee who remembers a victim (V) from that room.

9. What is V's connection to the people he kills? He hates them and they have all contributed, in his mind, to the downfall of Europe and the rebirth of fascism.

10. What is the significance of V's mask? It is a reference to Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up the British Parliament, which V did successfully. It is also a reference to the fact that Norsefire is clueless to his real identity.

Summary: The book club began with a brief noshing on mini cinnamon muffins that Matt brought in. Almost immediately afterward, we discussed the book. As discussion leader, I trained to maintain a consistent discussion. Josh read aloud from his list of discussion questions, all of which sparked immediate response. I was able to make several connections between the novel and Nazi Germany (prompting Matt to tell me to go an entire day without talking about that stuff.) We all agreed at the incontrovertible quality of the book and going by that, it is obvious that we will all have a wonderful time reading it. We had an excellent discussion, and were able to really connect with the book's characters. When I asked the group if they would act like V, if in his situation, their responses were mixed. Some said yes, others said to imitate V would be impossible, and one said no. While certain group members annoyed other group members, I am confidant that this group will have intelligent and riveting discussions.

Characters (Michael Arigot):
__**V**__ - rebellious patriot who conducts many acts of "heroism" for his country while in secrecy behind a mask and costume. He saves Evey Hammond from being gang raped and murdered by killing three men. Blows up the House of Parliament and shoots a big "V" of fireworks into the night sky. Brings Evey to his secret hide out to keep her safe. He ambushes Lewis Prothero and brings him to a replica concentration camp and burns his dolls, dresses him up in make up and gives him back to the government. Blows up a statue of Madame Jusice a.k.a. The Old Bailey. Plans out how to kill the Pastor with Evey. Leaves a certain type of flower, a Violet Carson, (thought to be extinct) wherever he kills someone, he also leaves his sign (a V in a cirlce). He leaves Beethoven's Fifth playing in the Pastor room, the first first four notes of that song are the morse code of the letter V. He then performs "Communion" for the Pastor and kills him with poison (cyanide), also put a large wound in the Pastor's chest. __**Evey Hammond**__ - (16 years old) tries to prostitue hersef to make enough money to survive on her own. Is almost raped and murdered when she asks the wrong man to have sex with her. V saves her and takes her to his secret hideout. Plays a helpless little girl so that V can kill the Pastor. __**Derek, Rosemary, Conrad, Helen**__ - converse after mass at Westminster Abbey.
 * __Evey's parents__** - were taken away from her when she was twelve.

Government Officials:
(Head: Eye, Ears, Finger, Nose)(Fate)

__**Mr. Heyer**__ - speaks for The Eye. __**Mr. Etheridge**__ - speaks for the Ears. __**Mr. Eric Finch**__ - speaks for the nose. __**Mr. Almond**__ - is at the Finger. __**Adam Susan (The Leader)**__ - is head of all the groups. He is the leader of the Head. __**Derek**__ - __**Dominic**__ - __**Mr. Roger Dascombe**__ - __**George**__ - killed on the train. __**Commander Lewis Prothero**__ - collects dolls. Taken from the train by V to a replica of the Larkhill Resettlement Camp (which is where V was held captive in Room V (Five)), where V gives him a tour and destroys all his dolls in a furnace. __**Ted**__ - killed on the train. __**Dennis**__ - the pastor's right hand man, brings girls for him. Also brings some wine for the guards outisde the Abbey.
 * __Frank__** - killed by V when he tries to gang rape Evey with two other "Fingermen" (who were also killed).
 * __The Bishop__** - "Your Grace" - works at Westminster Abbey - does not believe in what he preaches, works for the government but has sex with little girls all the time. Lies to the people.

=__Week 2:__=

A: Brett Lewbel Matt Pearson/Mike Arigot: Questions

(Matt's) 1. The book is clearly very gritty and brutal. Do you expect this to get worse as it progresses? Yes, definitely there is reason to believe we haven't seen anything yet... 2. Are you able to predict any plot twists, if so what are they? We predict an intense relationship buildup between Evey and V, and further chaos (on V's part). 3. V is a very mysterious character, epitomized by his Guy Faux mask... do you think his face and/or his personality will ever be revealed? No, his identity and background will not be revealed. 4. What has been your favorite scene so far and why? When V murdered the wife beater, and the death of the doctor. 5. When we first met Evey she was desperate, afraid, and prostituting herself. How do you think meeting V will change her as a person? V will set her free by "showing her the bars" and make her a stronger person. //Note from Mike to Matt: How about asking questions that were not asked last week? Oh, and since you read ahead don't answer the questions that you asked!// (Michael's) 1. Why did V leave Evey? and why in such a dramatic way? V's character demands that he make everything dramatic, and in order to change Evey. 2. What was the significance of V's television broadcast? What was he trying to accomplish? He was trying to publicize himself and show people his goals. 3. Who did Evey go to? Who do you think this man is? Is she trying to prostitute herself again? Why is she with him? 4. Do you think V will give London the two years "to try and keep from getting fired from him"? Does this mean no more killing for two whole years? We think he will still kill, but nothing as public as he has already done. 5. How do you think V escaped from the broadcasting studio? What did he do with all the other people working there (other than the one he left there as a decoy)?

__**Summary (Lina Azofeifa)**__ This meeting was not as good as the first one since 2 members of our group were not here. It was still very interesting and good since we got to discuss many different aspects of the book. It was a good meeting even though Matt was not paying that much attention and everyone was concentrating on the gummy bears that Rachel was giving away.

__//**WEEK THREE:**//__

Brett Lewbel-will type summary following meeting

__**Mood and Tone: Lina**__ The mood of this book is very dark, and so is the tone. It is creepy and scary, also very sad. We all agreed that if we had to give the mood a color it would be a very dark red and black.


 * Discussion questions: Josh

1. Why did V give Evey the note from the actress in room 4? V wanted Evey to have the same experiences that he did so that she would start thinking like him. 2. Evey appears to have been enlightened to v's methods. Why do you think so? Evey has been enlightened to V's methods becuase she has now undergone the same experiences as V and gained a first-hand experience at V's past.

3. Why does V go to so much trouble for Evey? V loves Evey and wants her to be on his side so he can pass down his wisdom down to her.

4. Will V get Evey involved in his antics? ** Yeah, absolutely because Evey loves V. Evey could also be experiencing Stockholm syndrome, since she has bonded with her "captor". JOSH JUST STOLE MAH SOUR PATCH KID anyways 5. Do you enjoy the pictures on every page? We all enjoy pictures very much, the pictures are visual flavor to a great story. 6. Do they add to the story? Yes they do add to the story like stated above. 7. Why do you think V tortured Evey himself? To give Evey a first hand experience of what he had to go through, and therefor Evey would have sympathy for V and she would trust him. 8. V left one rat in Evey's cell? Significance? To show that even in the darkest of places there is life and to give Evey hope. 9. So far how has this book changed your thinking as far as government goes? It has not change brett's view of government. 10. If you know the story of Guy Fawkes, what significance do you see in V's mask? V succeeded at blowing up parliament while Guy Fawkes failed at it.

Summary The meeting was vivacious and uplifting, we noshed merrily on cookies and juice brought in by Mike Arigot. We answered discussion questions and had illuminating discussions about government, the elderly, anarchy, and fascism. Returning to the controversial topic of morality, (due to intense prompting on the part Mr. Morone) we discussed V's methods and rationale. Is it moral to attack the government? What if the government is corrupt and fascist? Do we really have the right/ability to judge a cause's legitimacy?In addition to being vivacious and uplifting, the meeting was also informative, as I learned about Stockholm Syndrome (the captive bonds/falls in love with their captors, which could explain why Evey has never left V).

I would like to thank Josh, Mike, Lina, and Matt for their contributions with regards to scripting discussion questions (which gave us something to talk about, on the rare occasion when the whole of our group was focused.) I think we should all also thank Lina for her role as discussion leader (and for typing the answers to the discussion questions.) I feel that this meeting was a good mix of laughter, fun, and productivity and I am looking forward to the next one.

=Week 4:=

Discussion Questions- Michael

1. Do you think that Evey will follow in V's footsteps now that he is dead? No, since she is averse to killing people. 2. Why don't you think V wanted Evey to never see what is under his mask? Because he was horribly disfigured and didn't want her to see that. 3. Why didn't V kill the man who came looking for him in the Subway? The man could have been important. 4. Do you think that the man actually thought that he killed V or do you think he just wanted to take the fame for being a public hero?

5. What was the final straw that encouraged the woman to kill the Leader?

__Summary: by Matt__ The meeting was intellectual and thought provoking and I appreciated it greatly. However the group seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish and we always went of topic. I am not excluding myself or anyone in the group from the blame. We're all goldfish. However when we were on topic, Josh read us the questions and re focused our energies when the conversation on the question took undesired turns. We also were fortunate enough to have the insights of Brett Lewbel, who frequently provided irrefutable examples and points to back up his beliefs on the book. Lina and I chipped in when we felt we had something to say, however we were on complete different sides as far the book goes. Lina finds nothing desirable or good about V For Vendetta. When I am in love with it... However Lina's delicious homemade brownies meant i could not get into a heated discussion with her. They were just too good. Mike also helped out in the discussion a lot, and due to the sheer volume and audibility of his contributions, we could not help but take notice. I enjoyed this meeting more than most however, because i got to contribute my artistic background and explain to everyone the style and feel of David Lloyd's artwork filling the book.


 * WEEK FIVE**

Matt- Group leader Michael- Summary of meeting Josh- Food Lina- 5 Questions Brett- 5 Questions

Questions-Brett (Answers typed by Michael)

1. Did you like the book? Why?

Brett - yes, V was rising up against an oppressive government, which I really admire. Matt - yes, because I love everything Allan Moore writes. Lina - no, because I just didn't enjoy it. Josh - yes, because I thought it was an interesting topic with interesting characters. Mike - yes, because it was unlike anything I had ever read before.

2. Would you recommend this book to someone who has never read a comic book/graphic novel before?

Brett- speaking from the point of view of somebody who has never read a graphic novel before this one (which is why I posted the question), yes I would because graphic novels (or at least this one) are easy forums to adapt to and give the story added layer, enhancing the overall plot and making the book seem well-paced and interesting, instead of sluggish and dull Mike, Matt, Josh - yes Lina - no

3. Do you consider V a terrorist or a hero? Why?

All - Hero because he was rising up against an oppressive government for the greater good. Brett - V is a hero because, like Claus Von Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators during the July 20 plot against Hitler, he was not afraid to use any means necessary to bring down horrible oppression.

4. Did V deserve to die?

Brett- no because, like Claus Von Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators during the July 20 plot against Hitler, he was not a dictator massacring civilians, he was a hero trying to eradicate oppression for the greater good Lina - No Matt, Mike, Josh - Yes

5. Do you expect the movie to ruin the book?

Brett- I do not see how the movie can capture the tension and mystique of the book without coming off as banal and I have qualms about the acting quality as Natalie Portman (who plays Evey) is a poor actress indeed. Mike - Yes Matt, Lina, Josh - No

6. Would you change the ending of the book? Why?

Brett - yes, so that V doesn't die. Matt - no, it was good that V was a martyr. Lina - no, because I like the ending. Josh - no, he died a champion. Mike - no, I enjoyed the ending.

7. Do you think that the fact the the book had pictures made it a lot easier to read and understand?

Brett - yes, the pictures enhanced the tension and action of the story by visualizing V's exploits and amplifying the reactions of Norsefire to what V was doing. We were given a face to the villains instead of just words. Lina - no, they were a distraction. Matt - yes, (artist's opinions). Josh - no, they were a distraction from the story. Mike - yes, I love books with pictures, they make it easier to picture in your head.

8. Did you find the pictures distracting from the overall point of the book?

Lina, Josh - yes Brett, Matt, Mike - no

9. Would you've rather the writing portion of the book to be in paragraph form rather than how it was in comic form?

All - no we'd rather it be in comic form because if it was not it would not be a graphic novel.

10. Which of the covers in the back do you like better?

Josh - E Others - D

Summary (typed by Brett Lewbel): The meeting began with some noshing on cookies and munchkins provided by Josh. As we were noshing, we had a spirited discussion about topics completely irrelevant to the book. Then came time to actually get down to business. Using his computer, Mike read the discussion questions posted by Lina and I. The questions led to discussions regarding how weak or strong we thought the story was, whether or not we liked the book and why, and our reactions to the artwork (distracting or useful.) We also became briefly involved in a discussion about morality, whether or not V was a terrorist (as Norsefire labeled him) or a hero (which is a better term in my opinion.) All in all, I quite enjoyed reading V for Vendetta because it was an interesting way of explaining dictatorships and morality. The artwork was top-notch and V was a particularly interesting character.