Bonfire Night

"Remember remember the fifth of November?" Well, I certainly will; especially considering the astonishing firework displays the British put on to commemorate the day Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up British Parliament in 1605. Partaking in bonfire night gave V for Vendetta, for me, a different significance; not in the sense that it made the film more comprehensible, but, rather, gave it more meaning. I was surprised to discover the lack of British people who'dactually seen the film. Despite their enthusiasm towards the traditional holiday, many had never even heard of the movie. I can actually recall viewing, prior to coming to England, a brief documentary on bonfire night--or Guy Fawkes Night as Wikipedia terms it. I vaguely remember watching clips of people roll barrels around a giant flaming pyre, on top of which sat a burning Guy Fawkes manikin. Contrary to what you might see on television, however, there were unfortunately no tribal-like dances or effigy conflagrations--no matter how much I longed to see one. I was also disappointed in the lack of those ominous-looking Guy Fawkes masks. I expected to see a sea of white faces with wry smiles but instead, among the bright explosions of those phenomenal lighting displays, I observed a mass of ordinary faces who were just as captivated as I was. It recalled that awe-inspiring, tearful, final scene in V for Vendetta wherein the cloned multitudes divest themselves of their masks and watch, in rapt attention, their most prominent legislative structure be demolished by V's subterranean, fertilizer-laden plastic explosives. Fortunately, the firework displays were in no way related to any insidious terrorist attack. They were wonderful no less, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to participate in the tradition twice, once on Friday and once again on Sunday.