There he is, No.19, or is it 56, anyway whichever it is, it's the shopkeeper speaking to a customer in some incomprehensible language. However when he sees the Prisoner, his next customer, he immediately speaks to the woman in English "Would you mind helping yourself to a pineapple madam?" And yet shouldn't this be the other way round? That the shopkeeper should be speaking in English, and then when he sees the Prisoner, his next customer, begins speaking in some foreign tongue? You know the way they do sometimes when you're in a foreign country so they don't know what they are talking about? Or perhaps the shopkeeper did, not knowing the Prisoner is English! On the other hand, speaking that language the shopkeeper might have been making a mistake. That only English should be spoken, so to give the impression that The Village is a typical English Village, in the same way of 'Colony 3,' somewhere behind the Iron Curtain where only English is spoken. Mind you Colony 3 looks a typical English Town, which is more than you can say for The Village, which is a cosmopolitan community. So I suppose its reasonable for the shopkeeper to speak another language, as did the oriental taxi driver. But it was the way the shopkeeper changed language mid stream that made me wonder why.
BCNU
To me it's another strategy by the Village to obfuscate its true origin or background, a puzzling element for any newcomer like No. 6. Or perhaps particularly for him upon his arrival. Hence, the alleged internationality of the Village is rather doubtful, isn't it. The Asian driver, the black Supervisor notwithstanding. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYes true enough. May I also add to the list the sikh in 'The Schizoid Man' who greets No.12 as he leaves his house. The oriental man, and the Moroccan who take part in the Social Group meeting in 'A Change of Mind.' Oh yes and the oriental flower seller in 'A B and C' who knows everyone, who is ill and who is getting better.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU