Summary Of The Novel 'West And The Rest' By Stuart Hall

The War on Terror is a complex mixture of varying viewpoints and opposing arguments. However, what is heard in the media cannot always be trusted according to Stuart Hall. In “The West and the Rest,” Hall conveys the concept that a person in power can use said power in order to convince audiences of their own ideology further known as the “Regime of Truth”. This perspective is translated into Alan Moore’s graphic novel V for Vendetta as he portrays a strict London society in which the voice of one individual governs the people’s beliefs. Using Halls definition of the “Regime of Truth,” I will analyze how the visual and textual evidence in V for Vendetta illustrates underlying references about the War on Terror.
“The West and the Rest” discusses

The well-known voice of Fate convinces the people in the society they are living for the greater good. In chapter four the author makes a reference in which is related to Hall and his concept of the “West” and the “Rest” as the novel states that its either “us or them.” This phrase was also employed in “The West and the Rest” itself as Hall describes this is a way in which a division in a society is created. In V for Vendetta this divide is between those in government positions and the members in the society who blindly follow their corrupt ideals. People in the government represent the superior “West” as described by Hall and those individuals like V who disagrees with their ideals are categorized as the “Others.” However, Fate is not the only one with a discourse. V in disagreeing with the society portrays his own discourse as he is striving for a change that can only be completed through radical actions. In V for Vendetta the audience learns of the disgusting habits the priest has adopted. Moore illustrates the priest as an older gentleman who finds pleasure in raping little girls. This is a prime example of how someone uses their power for the worst. The priest has his own “Regime of Truth” in which he preaches his discourse to a large audience. His discourse is the significance of living a sin free life however; he does not practice in what he encourages others to. This concept furthermore illustrates how a person in power can display what appears to be an accurate idea but uses his power for an alternative manipulative purpose. On page 37, the seventh panel shows an accurate description of what the “West” would be considered in this novel. The way that the panel is illustrated the main figures face is illuminated. The panel also depicts that there are a variety of hands in which are hailing and saluting him. This action