The Prisoner-Number 6 contributes nothing to the society of The Village. He's not forced to take employment and earn his weekly credit allowance of Work Units. And he only joins in when it suits him! For example he only makes a carving for the Exhibition of Arts and Crafts {the pieces of which when all put together make a boat} because there is the possibility of escape! And he only ran for Public office, as the new Number 2 because he thought he could bring about a mass break out of The Village! Yes he did help Number 24 with her mind reading act so that she would be ready for The Village Festival. As for Speedlearn, he only involved himself because of what the Professor had said in his message on the tape recorder, that was like a red rag to a bull! Number 6 only went to the Ball in the evening of 'Dance of the Dead' because he thought it would afford him the opportunity to go poking his nose around inside the Town Hall! What's more he only took part in the human chess match because he was interested in the man with the stick! Appreciation Day, well there was the safety of the citizens to consider, which in turn affords the question which Number 2 once asked....why does Number 6 care? And apart from playing chess with the ex-Admiral and the General, his daily Kosho practise {I'm not sure if that counts}and that is about as much as Number 6 takes part in The Village society. Other than that, most of the time Number 6 likes to mind his own business, except at times when he's poking his nose into other people's business!
During ‘Once Upon A Time’ the Prisoner insists, and strong protests
that units are not for him. That he is not a unit of
society, nor a member of The Village….nevertheless he was for all his protestations he is!
Be seeing you
Hello David,
ReplyDeletewhat strikes me is that contradiction between his defiance to contribute to the Village and his values as a friend whom you can trust. He would never be a rat, and in Free For All he noticed the stretcher and that he was in trouble and still tried to wake the sheeple up. I think as a friend he would never hestitate to help you out. But I can see that this doesn't necessarily count as contribution to society, does it?
But there are still his contributions to society before he resigned.. I think. He had become a value property on the open market, a highly valued member of society. He was always loyal, his motives had been checked.
Therefore I think he does care, he really does, even for society, but not for the Village. He cares for the people and freedom. It's the Village that doesn't recognize those contributions as contributions to society. Although from the Villages point of view this might be understandable, too.
Very best wishes
Jana
BCNU
Hello Jana,
DeleteYes indeed Number 6 does help individuals, but that doesn't contribute to society as a whole. And despite the danger to himself, he does continue, right up to the very last moment, to try to wake the people from their lethergy. And yet in trying to give people their freedom, does not Number 6 also bring destruction? What of any person born of The Village who has no proper concept of the world beyond The Village? Wouldn't Number 6, at the same time as trying to bring freedom to the people, destroy for some, what they will only ever have known...The Village?
Prior to his abduction to The Village the Prisoner was loyal, and as you say a valued member of society, and his loyalty continued even when held captive in The Village. All he did was to resign his job, the trouble is it was a job of a top secret, confidential nature. And that made him a valuable comodity on the open market. After all if a window cleaner resigns his job no-one would bother to put him in The Village.
The trouble with the Prisoner is, we know very little about him before his abduction to The Village, as we can only judge him on his actions there. Although one thing we do know is, that he was once a member of the Olympic fencing team. So far from being a lone wolf, the Prisoner can be a team player. So there can be no doubt that the Prisoner contributed to society, most of us do that one way or another. But for the society of The Village the Prisoner contributes nothing, and yet he expects the welfare of The Village to take care of him. But then that's prison for you. You're taken care of whether a prisoner works or not.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Hello David,
ReplyDeleteI agree, you can't force freedom upon people. The attempt can bring more destruction than you want. But still, somehow I think that Number 6s contributes to society. Even if not necessarily in a manner that this particular society would like. But then there's Number 2. telling him that he is just the candidate they need. I know it was blandishment, maybe even sarcasm, but there's some truth to it, too. Also they would want him as a leader, just because of his individualism. This is what makes me think. I think there are both sides present.. It's a very interesting question, in my opinion!
As for the benefits he takes, I doubt if he really would demand for care of the Villages authorities. I had to think about the flowers he didn't want. But you are right, the Village cares for him, and he benefits. Although there is no gratitude, not at all. And I can see that he really would have had a problem if the Village had stopped to care for him.
Very best wishes,
Jana
Be reading you!
Hello Jana,
DeleteYes, I suppose they did want Number 6 as a leader. Number 2 in 'Arrival' suggested that he may be given a position of authority. In 'Free For All,' as you rightly say, he's just the type opf candidate they need. And Number 2 speaking to Number 1 in 'Once Upon A Time' said of himself, that he was a good man, he is a good man, but suggesting that if they get Number 6 he will be better, suggesting that Number 6 would make a better Number 2. Remembering of course that 'Once Upon A Time' was long before the advent of 'Fall Out.'
Really it makes me wonder why they would want an individual like Number 6 as a leader, judging by his reaction of achieving a position of authority in ''Free For All.' As it is Number 6 may not have achieved his ends in that episode, but he sure did in 'Fall Out!'
Thinking about the flowers he didn't want. I think Number 6 was simply being cantankerous at that point, as he had window boxes at the ground floor windows of his London home. If there's one thing that makes Number 6 kick back, or lash out, its when things are forced upon him!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Hello David,
Deleteit's a difficult question, why they would want him as a leader.. but here's an idea. Maybe it is because if they got him, his whole mind and soul, this would have been a proof of their power. And he would have the capabilities to convince others like him to join in, too.
Somehow it also reminds me of the emphasis on individualism nowadays. Individuality, and the possibility to be unique and stand out from the crowd sometimes seem to be promoted as core values. But today it doesn't make freedom any easier, does it?
Best wishes,
Jana
BCNU
Hello Jana,
DeleteNumber 6 as the "new" Number 2. I wonder how that would have worked out? And for anyone else reading this, I don't mean as in 'Free For All, because we know how that panned out!
I like to be individual, I like to stand out from the crowd. I remember when I first went out and about wearing a top hat. I wanted one not because of 'the Prisoner,' but because of 'Downton Abbey,' My wife bought me one. And the reaction to this was varied, but on the whole people liked my top hat, and many times I was complimented on it. But then I began to see two or three other people going about wearing top hats....I no longer stood out as an individual!
As for freedom, perhaps there is no such thing. After all we are all prisoners of one thing or another, don't you think?
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Hello David,
ReplyDeletewe're all prisoners, absolutely. Don't get me wrong, I think it's very good to be an individual. But the thing is, sometimes individualism seems to be (mis)used to make us believe that we are free. And sometimes it's better to know that you are a prisoner.
As for Number 6 as the new Number 2 - I could imagine he would have tried to get rid of most of the monitoring and hospital staff (at least of the experimental section) CCTV cams and the like. But then again, how much time would "they" have given him to do so? And what would have happened to him by the time of the arrival of the new Number 2?
Very kind regards,
Jana
BCNU
Hello Jana,
DeleteI must have missed this one, not been feeling so well over the past few days.
"Being an individual doesn't mean one is free, simply different in one way or another." But is not society made up by individuals? "Sometimes better to know one is a prisoner....mmmmm!!
I can see what you mean in your description of what Number 6 might have done had he become the "new" Number 2. But I'm not so sure they The Village Administration and that includes Number 1, would simply sit back and allow Number 6, as the new Number 2, to to dismantle The Village infrastructure bit by bit!
Very best wishes
David
BCNU