Those are the words of No.12 of Administration, and the choice facing No.6. Such is the price of deliberate destruction of official property, for which the full penalty is recommended.
Well let us pause and consider for a moment. A fine, well what meaning would that have, after all Work Units are worthless are they not? Was it not No.2 playing the role of a High Court Judge in Once Upon A Time who fined No.6 20 Units for speeding? No.6 pleaded with the Judge that he couldn't pay. 'Twenty Units, nothing!' So I took it that Work Units are worthless as a currency in the Village, well it would have to be, wouldn't it. Have you ever seen currency, money, cash used in the Village? Citizens use a credit card, and never handle cash. So it's no wonder No.6 accepted the fine, to have simply handed over his credit card would have been the easiest thing in the world.
So what about imprisonment? Isn't the Village already a prison? And that being the case, what is there for a Prison within a prison? Solitary confinement for No.6, possibly house arrest! In any case I'd have thought solitary confinement would have been no punishment for No.6, seeing as how he much prefers to keep himself to himself, perferring his own company to that of others. See how in both It's Your Funeral and A Change of Mind No.6 has built himself a private gymnasium, after he used to use the gymn in the Recreation Hall. But then no man is an island, for at times later in the series, we see No.6 pacing up and down like a caged animal, unable to relax even to eat a ham sandwhich and drink a cup of coffee. No.6 may be a loner, but he cannot do without the day to day interaction with fellow citizens. I just wonder how long No.6 could stand solitary confinement? Perhaps he would not welcome it so well as I first thought.
BCNU
No comments:
Post a Comment