V's Hand Comes Off (Situational Irony)
Early in the novel, when V rescues Evey, one of the Fingermen attempts to apprehend V by grabbing his hand. In an instant of situational irony, the reader's and the Fingerman's expectations are undermined when the hand comes off and V releases tear gas from his sleeve. The irony is emphasized further when the hand explodes, killing two of the Fingermen.
Cutting Between Points of View (Dramatic Irony)
Throughout the story, the authors cut between different characters' points of view. In doing so, the authors inject the story with dramatic irony, as the reader knows both what is happening with V and what is happening with the detectives trying to track him down. In one example, Finch and Stone figure out that V's next target will be Dr. Surridge, and so they dispatch Almond to her house. The next panels show that V has already arrived, and the scene is made especially tense because the reader knows Almond is on his way.
The Reassuring Sound of Big Ben (Situational Irony)
Late in the novel, Stone stands with police officers, observing a crowd of rioters who are expecting V to give an announcement. The officer comments that nothing is likely to happen as it is getting close to midnight. Both men then hear the sound of the Big Ben clock chiming, and they remark that it is a comforting sound. In this example of situational irony, a moment passes before Stone remembers that V blew up Big Ben nearly a year earlier, and so the sound is coming from the public broadcast speakers.
Multiple Meanings of England Prevails (Verbal Irony)
The Leader and members of the Norsefire party often end conversations with the tagline "England prevails." The statement is ironic because of its multiple interpretations. Norsefire members use it in the sense that England as a fascist state will prove more powerful than the people through persuasion and oppression. However, by the end of the narrative, when the government is collapsing, the statement turns out to mean the opposite: England, meaning the people of England, prevails over the corrupt and power-hungry few people who try to control the country.
