 The Penal Colony itself was established by the previous commandant, being an organization of individuals that had an established set of rules and instructions that could not be overruled or manipulated by the next in command and so on, the colony also coherently deals with all penal crimes. A mention of a “Teahouse” and the Cane chair pulled out for the explorer indicates this colony of people may indeed be European and the display of the officer speaking French means the colony itself is french. The purpose of the Apparatus machine established by the colony is described to be in three parts: the bed, designer and the harrow. The harrow is the middle piece of the machine that works to lift a selection of needles up and down in order to embroider a message into the flesh of the prisoner strapped to the automatic bed, this is to show their crimes to the public as well as work as an execution device.Â
The reasons the characters, especially the officer, are so hot is because they are in a sand ridden valley with little to no water besides a bucket for cleaning and the sun is beating down on their position, the officer is even worse off because he is required to wear a padded officer uniform. The officer as well despite the heat is able to keep up the conversation with the explorer about how the apparatus functions and describes the torture the prisoner endures thanks to the machine’s three parts working together needing only some repairs from time to time. He states “the Harrow corresponds to the human form” & “…That is why we have to lose no time much as I dislike it,” which means heÂ
understands well on how the machine works but also understands the brutality of the machine in its operation to the human body. In deeper detail the officer describes the technical procedure as well as how the needles align itself with the skin of the prison before hardening, he also states the positions of the spikes at the head, torso and legs.
The apparatus and the punishment as stated is “Unjust and inhumane” but this is not something that hasn’t been seen before as many times throughout human history whether motivated by hatred or fear there have been many execution systems used with unfair and no trial given crimes for people that sometimes hadn’t even done entirely much wrong. It is hysteria that works as a driving force as well to execute someone without trial or self defense via a court or defense by a jury and this was typically done with witch trials or condemned men by royals under guillotine and other tortures.
Overtime it is clear that the officer seems distressed by the workings of the machine and all the prisoners he has had to condemn and when this random explorer arrives and gives his opinion despite his fear towards the officer and his soldier that the apparatus is inhuman and that he would not listen to his instruction on asking the “Conference & council” to gather a better gag and parts, the explorer would rather leave soon as possible with utter disapproval of the system, now the Officer willingly lays down his clothes and commits himself to the machine he watched for so long because of his broken mental state on morality and order based on the previous commandants notes and rules. The apparatus itself is a symbol for radical solutions and the justification of punishment while sheltering one’s mind from morality and the thought of jury or discussion.
I agree with your understanding of the machine. In that, it is a symbol for radical solutions. To me, the prison system came to mind, especially the sentenced-to-death debate. Although, admittedly it’s a shallow cut. I think yours is a helpful generalization.
The story describes ‘The Officer’ as judge, jury, and executioner. In our democratic society, there is a separation of power, where different crimes have different punishments, and in order to be convicted you must be tried.