If there is one thing that fans agree on, it is that the Prisoner has many layers as in the poverbial onion. For example, the first layer is of a secret agent who resigns his job, and is forcebly detained to prevent roaming free, and possibly falling into the hands of the other side.
The second layer places the action firmly in a fantasy world, like Alice In Wonderland. The village is a place out of this world, and outside time. The one fact is established beyond all dispute, the Prisoner is angry, but why is he angry? He behaves as many people would behave when frustrated beyond bearing their daily lives...and many people act out their frustrations in day-dreams, or indeed nightmares if conflict is too serious for the conscious mind to find a solution.
Why does the village reflect all the attributes of a Communist welfare state? Physical well-being and mental, moral, and spiritual enslavement accompanied by fear and retribution.
You can strip away the layers, and still be no wiser at the end of the day!
BCNU
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