V for Vendetta is a movie about the government and its citizens. In the movie the main character is V, a man who terrorizes London wearing the mask of a historical figure called Guy Fawkes. November 5th,1609 Guy Fawkes planned to blow up Parliament because he disagreed with their ways of running the government. In the movie, V doesn’t agree with the government either and he follows Fawkes’s idea of blowing up Parliament. V broadcasts a speech during the movie trying to persuade the people of London to help him in his cause. In V’s speech he uses methods of persuasion, mostly pathos and logos, and makes arguments against the government including forensic, evaluation, and means to an end.
V starts his speech to London using a nonchalant tone. He first, began using a method of persuasion by making it clear to the people of London that he was just like them. In attempt he says, “ I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition.” V also, in the beginning, argues that it’s wrong for them to forget November 5th.
V then points out an argument of truth in the speech saying, “ Because while the truncheon may be used in lie of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there?” V accomplishes to make the audience question the truth of their government. In the text above V also, is trying to make sense to the people. V is trying to persuade the audience that the government did lie to them and deceived them by pointing out facts.
V slowly leads into arguments of injustice and guilt. He mentions injustice in the text as one of the many things the people have given up mistakenly. He also, blames the people for their lost of freedom by saying, “….looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.” V states the argument there that the people of London are the guilty ones who gave their freedom away. Then, V tries to persuade the audience simultaneously by using evidence and facts. He uses facts and evidence by saying statements such as, “..you now have censors and systems of surveillance, coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission.”
V, then furthers his persuasion by attempting to appeal to the audience’s emotions. In the speech he says, “ I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn’t be? War. Terror. Disease……Fear got the best of you and in your panic..” V goes on to explain to the people how they were manipulated by using their emotions they feel or felt. V argues in this time that the blame is put on the emotions of the people. He uses examples of various emotions throughout the text, such as fear and panic.
Toward the end of V’s speech he discusses the end result he expects from his speech. He says, “ Last night, I sought to end that silence….crimes of this government remain unknown to you, then I suggest that you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked.” In his mention of unknown, is also a inference to a problem. V makes his final persuasion by using facts. He explains, “ More than four hundred years ago, a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice and freedom are more than words - they are perspectives.”
Throughout V’s speech he uses collaborations of arguments and persuasion methods. From the beginning of the speech, dealing with wrongness and emotions; to the end of the speech, dealing with facts and solving his problem. All for V’s goal to convince his audience to follow him to form a better nation.
