The Therapy Zone

Number 6 - Hero or Anti-Hero?

    Could No.6 be a good friend, or your worst enemy? Would you be prepared to let No.6 into your own home, or how about living next door? Would you be prepared to help him in a time of need? Could you trust him?

    Well I suppose it all boils down to which side you are on. For No.2, No.6 is an enemy "who must be made to fit," or be broken in the process. To those like No.50-Monique in Its Your Funeral, No.6 is a friend, and he certainly was for No.24-Alison, as he helped her with her mind reading in ‘The Schizoid Man.’ And to Cathy in Living In Harmony.

    Yet No.6 is a resolute man, he can be as ruthless as any No.2, look at how he despatched No.2 of ‘Hammer Into Anvil.’ He can be kind, as he was when he bought a bag of sweets for No.36 during ‘It’s Your Funeral.’  Cruel, in the way he cast aside No.8 and her love for him. No.6 is certainly consistent, in the way he escaped the village in ‘Many Happy Returns’, and thought he had during ‘The Chimes of Big Ben,’ in the way he went running back to his former employers and ex-colleagues - both times! He's certainly stubborn, in not giving up the reason behind his resignation, well not until later anyway. And determined, in his attempts to escape the village! Yet he is loyal, to both his reason for resigning from his job, and his fiancé Janet Portland.

   He is resolute in both rejecting the village and in his attempts to escape his confinement. He has the respect of his superiors, although not liked by all his colleagues at work, Thorpe in ‘Many Happy Returns’ is one such example. He has the love of his fiancé Janet Portland, devoted to him as she is. And in accepting as bizarre story of a man posing as her fiancé. In identifying by the way he kissed her, the Colonel. Yet this is Janet's side of the matter. Her fiancé you will recall resigned from his job, and had not told Janet. And more, after he had handed in his letter of resignation, he was going to do a runner, and not taking Janet with him!

    So how do you perceive No.6, is he the hero, or anti-hero stirring up trouble wherever he goes?  A warm caring human being, or a ruthless survivalist? The circumstances which No.6 finds himself in dictates his actions, to a degree. But would you help him or hinder him, this man of action?

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