The Head / The Eye / The Finger / The Nose / The Ear Symbol in V for Vendetta

Each of the different institutions of the Norsefire government is named after a different body part: the Head represents the Leader’s offices on Downing Street (the location of the real-life headquarters of the Prime Minister), the Eye represents surveillance, the Finger represents law enforcement, etc. The implication of these names is that the Norsefire government itself is a human body. Interestingly, this way of conceptualizing government isn’t unprecedented in English political thinking. For many hundreds of the years, England itself was personified as a body in political speeches (there are still some echoes of this in the English language today, such as the phrase “the body politic”). In Thomas Hobbes’s political treatise Leviathan, Hobbes argues that the ideal government should be as whole and well-formed as a human body—and the famous cover of his book shows an enormous king, composed of the bodies of his people. The names of the different branches of the Norsefire government suggest that big government itself is a character in V for Vendetta: a huge, grotesque giant that must be defeated.

The Head / The Eye / The Finger / The Nose / The Ear Symbol Timeline in V for Vendetta

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Head / The Eye / The Finger / The Nose / The Ear appears in V for Vendetta. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...admits that it is. Suddenly, the man produces a badge and claims to be a “Fingerman” (law enforcement officer). Two more fingermen step out of hiding. The woman is terrified: clearly,... (full context)

Fatherhood, Mentorship, and the State Theme Icon

...Parliament. The first man, Mr. Conrad Heyer, claims to speak for an institution called “The Eye.” He explains that video surveillance has captured some footage of the terrorist responsible for the... (full context)

The Leader next asks Mr. Finch to speak for “The Nose.” Finch explains that the terrorist used a set of highly sophisticated explosives to blow up... (full context)

Vendettas, Revenge, and the Personal Theme Icon

...Dascombe is working at his broadcasting office. Mr. Almond knocks and tells Dascombe that the fingermen have found Lewis Prothero. Officers lead Lewis Prothero into the room: his face has been... (full context)

...to his car, accompanied by his wife, Rosemary Almond. Two friends, Conrad Heyer (from the Eye) and Helen Heyer, Conrad’s wife, greet the Almonds and ask if Derek has any information... (full context)

At the “Ear” headquarters, Heyer and his colleagues eavesdrop on conversations throughout London. They note darkly that Bishop... (full context)

At the Nose, Dominic and Mr. Finch stay up late, working and discussing the V Case. Dominic has... (full context)

At the Nose, Dominic and Finch are still researching the guards at Larkhill. The vast majority are dead.... (full context)

...hell did I hit him?” The “him” is Peter Creedy, Derek Almond’s replacement at the Finger. Immediately after V finished broadcasting his message to London, Creedy was sent to meet with... (full context)

...the guard watches. The figure shows Evey surveillance footage of Evey being attacked by the fingermen last November. Evey realizes that the figure knows about her relationship with V. Afterwards, the... (full context)

It is September 3, 1998 at the Nose. Mr. Finch has returned from his vacation. He’s sitting with Dominic, discussing upcoming deadlines and... (full context)

At the Head , the Leader sits before the Fate Computer. Suddenly, he sees a message on the... (full context)

It is November 5, 1998. At the Ear, Mr. Etheridge, a high-level executive, sits alone. Dominic enters the room and asks him if... (full context)

At the Head , the Leader stands before the Fate Computer, enraptured. He praises Fate as the ultimate... (full context)

...his home, mock-conducting the skyline. Suddenly, there is an enormous explosion, and multiple buildings—including the Ear and Eye headquarters—burst into flames. Outside the Eye, Conrad Heyer rushes away from the flames,... (full context)

...urgent message: the broadcasting headquarters at Jordan Tower have been blown up along with the Ear and the Eye. The Leader has no way to broadcast to London now. Suddenly, the... (full context)

At the Head , the Leader sits staring at his computer, reasoning that he’s entitled to some “tenderness”... (full context)

As Rosemary leaves, a group of Fingermen, including Mr. Creedy, approaches Harper, whom they address as Ally. Creedy tells Ally that he’ll... (full context)

It is November 7, 1998. At the new Nose building, Dominic has taken over as the new head—Mr. Finch has been mysteriously absent from... (full context)

...Helen Heyer, whom he knows is the wife of Conrad Heyer, the head of the Eye. Helen explains to Ally that Creedy is planning a military coup, to be fought with... (full context)

...through the streets (surrounded by guards), Harper cheerily tells Creedy that his predecessor at the Finger, Derek Almond, was a superior man—yet even Almond died because of his job. Creedy, Harper... (full context)

At the Head , the Leader sits in his chair, silent and seemingly grieving. A guard enters the... (full context)

...have gathered: following the Leader’s death, authority over the country will “naturally” pass to the Finger, headed by Creedy himself. (full context)

...that reports of her death were “exaggerated.” V announces that tomorrow, Downing Street—the location of the Head —will be destroyed. Henceforth, V concludes, the people of England will have to choose for... (full context)

...V into the lily train and sends the train—packed with explosives—on its path to destroy the Head (located above the area between Whitehall and St. James, exactly as V specified). (full context)

V for Vendetta

Alan Moore

The Head / The Eye / The Finger / The Nose / The Ear Symbol Analysis

The Head / The Eye / The Finger / The Nose / The Ear Symbol Timeline in V for Vendetta