The Therapy Zone

Identity

We can see that No.1 hides behind a number of masks until they are stripped away to reveal a face we know so very well, that of Patrick McGoohan. And really when all's said and done, no-one but an egotistical person would make himself No.1?
But there are others who put their true identities behind a mask, those faceless men and women of the assembly for a start. Yet false identities are stripped away, as No.2's persona has died, and he is resuscitated as a new man {I say this simply for arguments sake} his true self having been left back in the cage. Or perhaps the personal mask he wore as No.2. It could be said that the old mask of No.2 was stripped away by the removal of his hair and goatee beard. And having been so stripped away - No.2 can no longer hide!
As for No.48, well he doesn't appear to hide behind a mask of any kind. With No.48 what you see is what you get, and in that perhaps No.48 is the purist of us all.

The Forsyte Saga

I don't know if you are familiar with The Forsyte saga, a BBC drama series of the late 1960's, but there is a kind of Prisoner parallel, which reflects the series to come. And it comes when Soames Forsyte wants his wife Irene watched by a private detective, because he wants a divorce, and needs evidence of there being another man involved with his wife. So the detective agency puts their best operative on the case.
Soames Forsyte is informed that the case will come under the cipher category whereby numbers are used instead of names. The "party being watched" is to be Number 17; the "Watcher" Number 19; Irene's address of "Flat D, Truro Mansions, Chelsea" Number 25; Soames Forsyte Number 31, and "any person we suspect" Number 47.
    Later Number 25 is sent a telegram, Number 9's latest report to hand: "Number 17 left Number 25 three days ago for Victoria station and took the boat train for Paris. She was alone, 19 according to instructions, followed and will communicate further. I judge that you would authorise this expenditure in view of the importance of the matter."

Interesting don't you think? Well it amuses me.