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Tuesday 23 September 2014

Schizoid Man!


     Patrick McGoohan once explained that Number 6 is Number 1.Who Number 6 is trying to beat, in fact is himself. Well that’s how we understand the situation to have been from ‘Fall Out’ when Number 6 finally comes face to face with Number 1. But what about prior to the advent of ‘Fall Out,’ is it clear that Number 6 is in a struggle against himself. Yes Number 6 wants to know who Number 1 is, but does Number 6 know that he is Number 1?
   When Number 2 is called by Number 1 on the telephone, to whom is he speaking? Is it Number 1 calling from within the rocket, or is it Number 6 speaking as Number 1 from a telephone kiosk? And then there is the case when having been a breakdown in control in ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ and Number 2 reports himself to Number 1, when Number 6 is still in the office of the Green Dome. How are we to account for that? It might be thought that Number 6 could have reported Number 2’s breakdown, but that would mean Number 6 speaking to Number 1, and that would not have done at all. Besides would Number 1 have spoken to Number 6? If he had, it would have meant he would be talking to himself. In any case, for Number 6, it was more damning to have Number 2 to report himself. Prior to that, when Number 2 is speaking to Number 1 on the telephone during ‘Dance of the Dead,’ Number 6 is clearly seen on the wall screen shaving in his bathroom. Number 1 tells Number 2 that he wished he could be the at the Ball, as Number 2 said she wished he could come too. Of course Number 1 couldn’t be at the ball, not if Number 6 was going to be there at the same time. It’s rather like never the twain shall meet. As Number 1 and Number 6 are supposed to be opposites of the same person, this would give the game away much too early, on the basis that according to the library order of ‘the Prisoner,’ ‘Dance of the Dead’ is the second episode in the series.
   It is always possible that if Number 6 was in two minds, a schizophrenic, he could have telephoned Number 2 speaking as Number 1 from a telephone kiosk to give instructions. And yet there are situations when this is impossible. And situations that develop, which seem to be impossible for Number 6 to be aware of at the time.

Be seeing you

12 comments:

  1. Numbers are re-used in the Village, e.g. there are a few number 8s and quite a lot of 2s. The same number can refer to different people, depending on when it is used. So the person designated with the Number 1 in "Fall Out" may be a different person from the Number 1 in "Arrival".

    Also, when Number 2 is speaking to Number 1 on the phone, does a Number 2 ever ask to be put through to Number 1? I don't think we ever see this made explicit (I could be wrong though). Oh, they're speaking to their boss for sure, and it's implied that it may be Number 1 giving the orders, but perhaps they're speaking to Number 1b! Or Number 3.

    As for Number 6 speaking to himself, he has a little internal monologue when he wakes up in "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling"!

    Be seeing you
    ZM72

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    1. Hello ZM73,
      You are right of course, several numbers are re-used 22 is another such number, with other numbers being subdivided such as 113 and 113b, and the members of the Town Council are all sub-divided 2s.
      That's an interesting thought, that the No.1 of 'Arrival' may be a different No.1 in 'Fall Out.' Well we are all No.1. Seeing as there are different Numbers in The Village, why not different No.1's? And sometimes people change their numbers as 93 in 'A Change of Mind' previously he is 256 in 'The General.
      And that's a good point that No.2 never calls No.1, No.1 always calls No.2. Except at the end of 'Hammer Into Anvil,' when No.2 calls No.1 to report his breakdown in control. Or at the very least he reports himself to a superior on the red telephone. Because we only assume it is No.1 on the telephone, as there is no real evidence that it is No.1. As you say it could be anyone.

      Ah yes, I had forgotten about the brief internal thoughts of No.6 in 'Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.'

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

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  2. David is thinking with the blinkers on and assuming that there is only one #1, i.e. #6. But #2 will have his own #1 and so on to #48 and beyond. Now we know why #6 and why no #7s, it's beginning to make more sense.

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    1. Hello Anonymous,
      If I can manage to see beyond the obscurity of my blinkers - of course we all have our own Number 1, in other words our inner-self. What's more we look after Number 1, because if we don't who will?

      I was told the reason why there is no 7 in The Village is because Patrick McGoohan said 7 is a lucky number. However I presume you are alluding to the fact Number 6 is also Number 1, and 6+1=7, hence no 7 in The Village because that would have been giving the game away too soon in the series. However we don't get to know who Number 1 is until 'Fall Out.' So on that basis I really don't see why there could not have been a 7 in The Village. After all the digit 7 does appear on 73s headstone in 'Hammer Into Anvil,' And there is also an extra with the digit 7 as part of the number on their badge.

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

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    2. Where are your 'reasons' why #6 and why no #7s referenced? They do not appear to be in line with current thinking.

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    3. Hello Anonymous,
      Regarding Numbers 6 and 7.
      As far as 6 is concerned, I, like many other people have my own ideas as to why that particluar number. I have theorised about it in the past, but have never made any claim as to the definitive reason.
      And regarding Number 7. Many years ago I recall a member of the production crew stating Patrick Mcgoohan saying that the number 7 does not appear in 'the Prisoner' because it is a lucky number. However I cannot remember which member of the production crew that was, and I've no idea whether it was, or not, ever written down. As I say this was many years ago. I will endeavour to try and trace it, as I have many interviews with members of the production crew on tape. If I am succesful I will let you know.
      Very best regards
      David
      BCNU

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    4. So in other words you don't actually know. And you call yourself a leading authority on the subject. Nanos gigantum humeris insidentes.

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    5. Hello Anonymous,
      I responded to you in a friendly and courteous manner, and this is what I get in response, simply because I don't have the information immediately to hand! In future spare yourself the time of making any comments as I shall never respond to anything from you again.

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  3. No matter which way you look at it the 6/7 debate leaves enough room for deliberations and musings. There's the apparent absence of the 7 while the number is actually present although more or less hidden, more or less by intention or coincidence one must add. We have discussed this before haven't we. Look: http://www.match-cut.de/spdln/spdln81.htm#spdlne - BCNU!

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    1. Hello Arno,
      We have indeed discussed this topic before, there are more 7s in 'the Prisoner,' nay in The Village than is drempt. As yourself, Jana, and I are very well aware of.
      Very best regards
      David
      BCNU

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  4. Hello David and Arno,

    to be honest I'm glad that there is no apparent reason why the "absence" of Number 7 is emphasized in the series the way it is. It adds to the mystery. Even if there were reasons given, maybe even by McGoohan himself, this doesn't mean that they have to be the only truth, or that they have been conscious when the series was made.

    Personally I like that 6+1 theory, but there is one big problem to it: If you want to tell that there is no 6 because 6+1 is 7 AND you want to think that each Prisoner has his own Number 1 (which I do, too), then there would be no Number 10, when there's a Number 9, and there would be no Number 8 neither, because Number 9 would be the new Number 7, for 8. And so on. Not many numbers left to name the Prisoners, wouldn't you think? So you can't apply this rule to anyone else but Number 6.


    Very best wishes,
    Jana
    BCNU

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    1. Hello Jana,
      That's a pretty fair comment. And perfectly true in what you say about the numbers. I particullarly like the idea that 9 would be the new 7 for 8.

      Will email soon.
      Have a good weekend
      Very best regards
      David
      BCNU

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