A life time fan and Prisonerologist of the 1960's series 'the Prisoner', a leading authority on the subject, a short story writer, and now Prisoner novelist.
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Friday 7 November 2014
Teabreak Teaser
Who issued the
termination order against Roland Walter Dutton, and why was his name used and
not his number 42?
Termination orders may not have been among No. 1's main tasks unless it was a very important case, that is. Here, I think there's reason to be sceptical if RWD was one and if he was actually "terminated". Well, he wasn't, physically, was he. His mind was taken away and perhaps - to quote a saying of the P09's No. 2. - they had given it back to him after the curtain of the masquerading carnival had fallen. This said, I don't actually know who it was. But I'd like to remain suspicious because, after all, in the Village there's always more to the picture than meets the eye. - BCNU!
Hello Arno, That's right, Roland Walter Dutton wasn't physically terminated, they just took away his mind. But I very much like your phrase "they had given it back to him after the curtain of the masquerading carnival had fallen." In THEPRIS6NER Two said to Six they might take his mind, but that they will always give it back. But with Dutton I don't think that was the case. I also think that the doctor wasn't intended to go so far with Dutton, he "damaged the tissue!" And perhaps that the termination order came too late. the black side of the termination order being rather like the black cap worn by Judges as they used to sentence Prisoners to death. Indeed as Emporer Nero does at the Prisoner's trial, sentencing him to death.
Hello David, I could imagine that it was the Doctor who issued the order. To get rid of evidence of his failure. As for the name, maybe giving it back to him is a symbol that due to the termination order he is no longer considered to be an inmate of the Village?
Hello Jana, There is an unused scene for 'Dance of the Dead' in which the doctor stands over two grave diggers, as one of his failed experiments is buried in the woods! Somehow I don't think it was the doctor who issued the termination order, because at the time when Number 6 was handed the envelope containing the order, the doctor was at the dance with Number 2! I like your idea of the use of Dutton's name instead of his number on the termination order, because he's no longer an inmate of The Village. But then again, if Dutton's number 42 had not been observed on his badge, and the number is never referred to, to have used the number 42 on the termination order, might have made the viewers ask "Who's this 42?"
Termination orders may not have been among No. 1's main tasks unless it was a very important case, that is. Here, I think there's reason to be sceptical if RWD was one and if he was actually "terminated". Well, he wasn't, physically, was he. His mind was taken away and perhaps - to quote a saying of the P09's No. 2. - they had given it back to him after the curtain of the masquerading carnival had fallen. This said, I don't actually know who it was. But I'd like to remain suspicious because, after all, in the Village there's always more to the picture than meets the eye. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteThat's right, Roland Walter Dutton wasn't physically terminated, they just took away his mind. But I very much like your phrase "they had given it back to him after the curtain of the masquerading carnival had fallen."
In THEPRIS6NER Two said to Six they might take his mind, but that they will always give it back. But with Dutton I don't think that was the case. I also think that the doctor wasn't intended to go so far with Dutton, he "damaged the tissue!" And perhaps that the termination order came too late. the black side of the termination order being rather like the black cap worn by Judges as they used to sentence Prisoners to death. Indeed as Emporer Nero does at the Prisoner's trial, sentencing him to death.
Very best regards
David
BCNU
Hello David,
ReplyDeleteI could imagine that it was the Doctor who issued the order. To get rid of evidence of his failure. As for the name, maybe giving it back to him is a symbol that due to the termination order he is no longer considered to be an inmate of the Village?
Best wishes,
Jana
Hello Jana,
DeleteThere is an unused scene for 'Dance of the Dead' in which the doctor stands over two grave diggers, as one of his failed experiments is buried in the woods!
Somehow I don't think it was the doctor who issued the termination order, because at the time when Number 6 was handed the envelope containing the order, the doctor was at the dance with Number 2!
I like your idea of the use of Dutton's name instead of his number on the termination order, because he's no longer an inmate of The Village. But then again, if Dutton's number 42 had not been observed on his badge, and the number is never referred to, to have used the number 42 on the termination order, might have made the viewers ask "Who's this 42?"
Very kind regards
David
BCNU