Number 6 is elected as the new Number 2 in ‘Free For All,’ yet he proves himself to be no different to his predecessors, or those of his successors. The moment he gets the chance he tries to force his authoritarian will on the people. Although it is soon proven that he lacks the administrative ability to manipulate a community such as The Village. Because no-one takes a blind bit of notice of Number 2’s orders as they boom out across The Village. “This is our chance {Number 6 had no chance and Number 2 knew it} take it now. I have command. I will immobilise all electronic controls {that’s not quite the same as sabotaging a rocket old chap}. Listen to me you are free to go….you are free to go….free to go…free to go….you are free to go…..you are free to go. I am in command obey me and be free {but the people do not care to be free me’ old mucker} you are free to go….you are free to go….you are free to go….free to go.” For all his trouble the new Number 2 might well have saved his voice. The people he wants to set free ignore his pleas, and his desire for them to be free! Its always the same, someone always comes along, someone who believes he or she knows what the people want, or what’s good for them whether they like it or not. But half the time the people don't want it, so those in authority do their utmost to force it upon the people, just as this new Number 2 tried to do, thus proving he’s just as much the manipulative dictator as his predecessor!
Be seeing you
Number 6 was trying to give the Villagers the one thing that HE valued the most...FREEDOM. However, the people of the village were either working there or fellow prisoners who had long ago given the idea that there was any hope of escape from the village.
ReplyDeleteNone of the villagers even looked up as Number 6 yelled that they could leave...yet he knew that his own escape could be stopped by a push of a button.
Will you never learn...it wasn't a matter of learning...it was a matter of will and resistance to being forced to do anything contrary to his will.
As for the men sitting around Rover ...perhaps that was a hint of man's looking for something to worship...it can take all forms...sports..food...sex...money. We even have tv shows named "Idol"...so perhaps Rover was enjoying these villagers "worshipping" him?????
BCNU
Karen
Dear Karen,
DeleteWas he, or was he simply out to create chaos, a free for all, so that he could escape The Village in ‘Free For All.’ But it doesn’t matter, because no-one took any notice of him as his voice boomed out across The Village. Prisoner or warder, no-one reacted, such is No.2’s control over the citizens. No.2 asked the citizens if No.6 has the administrative ability to manipulate such a community as theirs. As it turns out No.6 lacked that ability!
I think it was a matter of learning, as well as a matter of will and resistance to being forced to do anything contrary to his will. They are trying to break his spirit.
I like your idea that Rover was enjoying those Villagers “worshiping” it! But I’m not so sure those men were worshipping Rover, more like “it” was conditioning them. Perhaps that cave was the real Therapy Zone!
Best regards
David
Be seeing you
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Therapy Zone, I was amused by all of the scenes of overt "mind manipulation and control" in The Prisoner episodes.
Arrival had the scene with all of the people sitting against the walls ...Change of Mind had the men with the scars on their temples ...the man who made the "speech" about being inadequate...
Have you noticed the use of the pinky-purple light...the first time Number 6 was shown the control center in the Green Dome...every one of the scenes in the hospital "therapy room" had that pink light.
I believe that research shows that pink is a calming influence..so he might have chosen that pink light to accentuate how different those mind control scenes actually were.
BCNU
Karen