Valerie Page could’ve been just a side-note in Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta, but her story plays a central role in both convincing V and later Evey to fight against the fascist Norsefire party in this dystopian Great Britian. Valerie’s story brings a deep humanity to those put into prison camps and killed by the government for being “different.”
Valerie Page
Valerie was an acclaimed actress who originally came from Nottingham. While in grammar school, she meets her first girlfriend. Valerie’s teachers dismiss lesbianism as an adolescent phase. Later as an adult, she comes out to her parents and is kicked out the house. She heads off to London to pursue her film dreams.
When Valerie stars in The Salt Flats, she meets her girlfriend Ruth. They’re happy for a while, until the war between the United States and the Soviet Union and the world succumbs to an active Cold War. When the Norsefire party comes into control of Great Britain, they outlaw homosexuality and ship off gay people to “resettlement camps.” Ruth is arrested and then turns in Valerie. Ruth feels so guilty about this that she kills herself in her cell. At least, this is what Evey believes happened.
Valerie is sent to the Larkhill Resettlement Camp. The prisoners there are experimented on, particularly concerning their sexuality and gender-identities. While there, Valerie sneaks a pencil into her cell and writes out her life story on toilet paper. Before she dies, she passes her letter to the cell next to hers, the one containing V.
V is greatly inspired by Valerie’s story and Valerie’s love of people, even after what she’s been through. He then destroys the camp and escapes. V’s psychological transform is complete when he dons the Guy Fawkes’ mask and goes out to set the people free from the Norsefire party and their oppression.
Wanting a protege, V creates an elaborate charade where he puts Evey into a fake Larkhill. He gives her Valerie’s letter, hoping that Valerie receives the same inspiration as he did. Evey does, and Valerie’s story lives on.
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Valerie’s story is my favourite part of V for Vendetta.
It makes me cry every time. <3
Me too. On both counts. I think her story makes V for Vendetta go from a good story to a great story.