Village Psychology

    What's that sign all about then? Walk on the grass, you see it on the Prisoner's walk through the village on the morning of his arrival. Usually such a sign in the outside world would be Don't walk on the grass. The administration of the Village, allowing citizens to show their rebellious nature? I don't believe it. Mind you, human chess matches are allowed, satisfying the desire for power allowed to citizens who play chess. Also its a way of keeping a large number of citizens occupied!
    There are other ways of keeping the citizens occupied, Arts & Crafts Exhibition for one. Those who took part in that exhibition had six weeks to prerpare their work of art, painting, sculpture, drawing, a piece of woodwork or metal work, anything which comes under the title of Arts & Crafts, not something production made which can be purchased in a shop. And there was the Village Festival, although we never actually witness this Village event. It is only mentioned by No.6 and No.24-Alison in The Schizoid Man, you will recall how No.6 was helping No.24 with her mind reading act, and allowing her to take his photograph for the photographic competition. But of course by the time No.6 is released back into the commuinty, as No.12, the Village Festival has come and gone!
    Other Village activities are Art Seminars held by Madam Professor in The General. Also Music Concerts, one being a Folk music concert held in the Concert Hall, to make nothing of the Display of Mime & Entertainment held in the grounds of some house in the Village. I cannot say which house, because I cannot see all of the poster on the notice board outside the Recreation Hall.
    Carnivals are held, and Balls in the Town Hall, and then there's the Palace of Fun where citizens can take part in amateur dramatics, and entertainment of all kinds. They can even visit the Casino in the Palace of Fun and happily gamble their Work Units away to their hearts content, playing cards, roulette, and on the 'one armed bandits!' And don't forget there is the annual Appreciation Day when citizens are given the opportunity to show appreciation towards those who govern them so wisely! And then there's the annual elections, and No.6 is allowed to 'run for office,' that was a nice psychological touch, seeing as there's no form of democracy in the Village of any kind! No.2 in Dance of the Dead admitted as much to No.6, the Village administration having rid itself of the inefficiences of demoracy.
    Everything done in the Village by the Administration, almost always has a psychologicl reason behind it. Even the bricks and morter, the colourful decorated buildings of the Village have a psychological reason. Indeed on arrival in the Village a person is first hit by Village  psychology, when he or she wakes up in what looks to be thier own home. But then, having taken a first look out of the window, the Prisoner finds he or she, is not where they first think they are. The new arrival in the Village is confused, disorientated by both their normal and alien surroundings of the Village. Unless of course they happen to have lived in an Italiante Village in Italy!
    So psychologically speaking, keep the citizens entertained. Keep them busy, either swimming in the Lido {open air swimming pool},sunbathing, building sandcastles on the beach, or sailing plastic boats in the Free sea. That way, for the most part, the citizens are kept occupied, which makes it easier to control them. Keep them busy, both mentally and physically and they don't have time to think of escape, let alone be actively attempting some project to escape.
   But of course Village psychology doesn't always work. There are always those who will find time to attempt an escape. Those citizens such as Jammers, who will always make time to make plans for mischief.
   On the day of his arrival in the Village, the Prisoner is taken to the Labour Exchange, and is faced with an aptitude test. The Prisoner is given a round peg, and a square hole set in a table. As the Prisoner slowly lowers the round peg, the square hole suddenly changes into a round hole! It has been said that the Prisoner has 'rounded the square.' I would say that psychologically the square changed it's shape, so as to make the round peg fit. Might that not be a psychological demontration that the Village is prepared to alter simply to make the Prisoner 'fit in?'....................................... Nah!
    And what can be made of the canopied Penny Farthing? Well it's completely cycleological, get it, cycleogical!
I'll be seeing you.