What Are The Similarities Between Harrison Bergeron And V For Vendetta

In both the film V for Vendetta, directed by James McTeigue, and the short story “Harrison Bergeron”, written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., there is a struggle regarding the negative control power that government holds within society. The government can be too much in control until the people’s civil liberties are in jeopardy, in which the tables will turn. Rebellion can be high within an individual or a society that feels the need to stand as a symbol for something. This theme is displayed in both the film and short story. Although the human society needs structure, where is the line drawn between the people’s civil liberties and how it affects the government? There are many examples of conflicts regarding how the government works around civil liberties.

constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment from the government. When it comes to the death penalty many states and countries have outlawed this form of sentencing. It becomes a question of ethics when the perspective on issues can vary amongst individuals. In V for Vendetta, the treatment that Evey was receiving while she was being held was irrelevant to a crime they believe she committed with being V’s accomplice. Gordon mocked the situation of the Chancellor being the real threat to their government on his show, and was beaten and killed for his rendition of humor. Also, the torture that was received within St. Marys led to the rebellion of V to commit treason. Where in actuality a citizen would be punishable by death, as V is . There are many controversies today regarding the misuse of official power within the U.S. and other countries. Riots have broken out within the recent years with trying to fight against police officials, but one in particular is the Baltimore riot of 2015. The punishment of an African American male who was known as a drug offender was pronounced dead shortly after his spine was severed in half by a police official altercation. These are examples of the punishment that is permitted and frowned upon within the U.S. yet still occurs today

Another civil liberty portrayed in the film V for Vendetta is pleading the fifth. It is well known that the Miranda rights within the U.S. are delivered to the person who is being taken into custody by police officials. Failure to deliver this warning to the criminal the prosecutor is unable to take the evidence that was said into consideration in the courtroom. Aside from knowing there are exceptions to this rule, our rights should always be protected and not manipulated. Although it is perceived that the government captures and interrogates Evey to provide information on V is a hoax planned by V himself, in reality they may have done the same if not worse had they found her. Evey being tortured and told that she would be killed for not giving the whereabouts of V is a tactic that the U.S. practiced in the seizure of the enemy combatants in Guantanamo Bay. In the event to obtain information from these enemies results in obscure torture such as water boarding, and being confined into small cells compromising their sleep with bombarding their senses. Although this is hypocritical to what the amendment stands for, the U.S. will make the necessary call of action in order to protect the citizens of the country . In “Harrison Bergeron”, the use of the handicaps is an unjust form of torture.