It is written that the Prisoner has no name, that the Village Administration took away any identity he might have had, and gave him a number, Number 6. But is it not possible that we've known the Prisoner's name all the time, but have failed to recognise it? The Prisoner's name, what is it? Why Number Six of course.
Be seeing you
It may seem a trivial aspect or sophisticated talk saying that the Prisoner's name is "Number Six" and not - e.g. "John Drake" or "Peter Smith".
ReplyDeleteBut there's a deeper truth about it. It isn't just a matter of linguistics but the command over language as such means power over the mind of people living there without having an alternative. In this world of indifference the distinction between the signifier and the signified is somewhat contracted to naught in a tautological operation. There is the capitalised "P" of "prisoner" and, most notably, there is the map clearly displaying this fact: the mountains aren't just what they are but they're THE MOUNTAINS, the sea is THE SEA and the village - it's "V" also capitalised - is THE VILLAGE. The meaning of everything is only through and by itself. Epistemologically it's a shocking revelation at the very beginning of The Prisoner. Reality and its representation as a map are one and the same. Terms have become proper names.
For that reason, allow this deviation, dialogue director Joachim Brinkmann in the German dubbing version dropped the word "Village" completely and did not use the usual linguistic substitute "Dorf". In German no native speaker would accept this one as the proper name for - that village. Brinkmann instead uses "here", "this place" or "our community" for it. So, the famous prologue becomes "Where am I?" - "You are here." Or rather: "You are there." Meaning: you have come her, you exist. - BCNU
Hello Arno,
DeleteA very interesting, and thought provoking email. On the morning of his arrival in the Village, he goes to the cafe and asks the waitress "What's the name of this place, where, where is this?" to which the waitress replies "The Village." And I have always taken The Village to be the name of the Village. The Mountains are called "The Mountains" as the Sea and the Beach as marked on the Map of Your Village, it is what they are called. The Prisoner is then called Number 6, and before that he is The Prisoner, it is what he is called, so therefore it must be his name. Has it really been as simple as that all these years?
Regards
David
BCNU
This is a very interesting thought.. Most of all for the Prisoner himself. In this world where reality and representation is (or seems to be) one and the same just the Prisoner himself is the one who fits most in it. He really represents himself, and only himself, and resists being given a number, a representation. So in a manner he refuses to be "real" in this world. He IS real and he isn't.
ReplyDeleteHello NoNo,
DeleteI have sat here reading your comment, it's deep thought, very deep thought. In fact I've read, and re-read your comment, and for myself I can add nothing in reply, which probably means it requires no reply. I find that I could almost lose myself in thought when reading your comment, and that is to your credit.
Kind regards
David
Be seeing you
Hi David, many thanks!
DeleteThat's a big compliment.. Yes, abolutely, nr6de's comment was thought provoking, indeed :).
BCNU!
Kind regards, NoNo