Criticism And Narcissism In Adrian Veidt's The Color Green

Adrian Veidt is neither a hero nor a villain in this story; this is because he is a morally ambiguous character. Veidt is the epitome of a living paradox since both good and evil reside in him. Good and evil are like oil and water: they do not mix. At times, he can be a two-faced individual whom he has a face of an angel and a mind of a devil. Moreover, he can use what is in his disposal, especially his influence, for either good or evil intents. Even though Veidt does not have royal blood running through his veins, he maintains a kingly atmosphere. Despite having an air of sophistication around Veidt, the subtleties of his dark nature become prominent in the way he dresses and handles his affairs. Furthermore, Veidt is a charismatic person;

An individual’s personality reflects on how he or she dresses (“Dressing and Personality Development”). Likewise, the way Veidt dresses his alter ego says a great deal about him. The purple robe that he wears signifies royalty (“The Color Purple and The Color Violet”; 1.18.4). The purple color represents that Veidt regards himself as highly as a pharaoh (11.8.6-8), since his actions reflects those of a ruler. Like a king, Veidt incites inspiration to those who admire him despite his narcissistic character flaw. The creation of the “‘Veidt Method’ self-improvement booklet” (10.346) probably targets those dealing with self-esteem issues or individuals who are self-conscious about their image. The target group is likely these individuals because Veidt convinces people to believe in what he himself believes in; in which an individual’s potential is limitless as long as he or she believes in his or her self (11.378). However, the true objective of the “Veidt Method” can arguably be to exploit the weaknesses of certain individuals in order for Veidt’s fortune and reputation to continue to grow (11.22.3). Nevertheless, Veidt’s arsenal is not limited to indirect confrontations, but he also relies on his connections to make significant differences to his

Veidt wields his influence to manipulate others to do his bidding. By using his influence and charisma, he successfully manipulated missing writers and artists into creating the “alien” creature (8.11.1-6; 10.17.1-4). However, Veidt disposed of them because they are no longer of use to him and it ensures that his plan would operate successfully (10.18.4). Moreover, despite Veidt using his influence to control what movies to air (3.11.2; 5.18.2; 8.3.3), this may noticeably be an act of kindness; this is because it sublimely manipulates the public to be more receptive towards alien invasions. By exposing the public to apocalyptic scenarios in the form of movies (3.11.2; 5.18.2; 8.3.3), it would have lessened the damage on the minds of people and they would quickly be able to recover from the initial shock. Veidt’s personality is two forms from the opposite ends of the spectrum, in which his character can fluctuate between the realms of heaven and