In the Penal Colony

“‘[B]ut they’re a sign of our homeland, we don’t want to forget our homeland […] Now, just have a look at this apparatus’ he added right away.”

These lines show the officer’s adherence to the old ways. He represents conformity and tradition. Even though the traveler points out the impracticality of wearing such a heavy uniform in the tropics, the officer is quick to defend it by regarding it as a “sign of [his] homeland” that he does not want to forget. Directing the traveler’s attention to the apparatus also indicates his efforts to make others appreciate tradition.

“This made it all the more remarkable that the prisoner was actually making every effort to follow the officer’s explanations. With a certain sort of sleepy tenacity he would always direct his gaze upon whatever it was at which the officer was pointing.”

The prisoner does not speak or understand French, the language being used by the officer and the traveler. However, his status requires him to be attentive in front of them. Even though he is tired, his gaze obeys and obediently follows the officer’s explanations and gestures. His duty to attend a language he doesn’t understand highlights his oppressed status.

“Its purpose is to prevent the prisoner from screaming out and it also protects him from biting his tongue. Naturally, the prisoner doesn’t have any choice but to take it, otherwise the strap here would break his neck.”

The purpose of the felt is one example of the penal colony’s indifference and inhumanity. The prisoner cannot resist the brutal punishment or even scream freely. This highlights the prisoner’s lack of free will or agency and the penal system’s absolute control and power.

“‘Our judgments don’t sound all that harsh, the prisoner is to have the rule against which he transgressed inscribed upon his body; the harrow carries out this function. For instance, as regards this prisoner’—the officer pointed at the man— ‘it shall be written upon his body: Honor thy Superiors!’”

These lines employ irony. According to the officer, their judgments are not “that harsh.” This downplays the severity of the sadistic and irrational punishment, which includes engraving “Honor thy Superiors” on the prisoner’s body. The officer’s attempt to soften the brutality and violence of the judgment also hints at the way institutionalized violence desensitizes people. It is possible that the officer has seen worse.

“The traveler glanced over at the man as the officer had pointed at him; he had lowered his head and seemed to have all of his concentration focused upon listening most intently, that he might experience something particularly enlightening. All the same, the quivering of his bulging lips that were pressed tightly together, this made it quite obvious that he couldn’t understand the least bit of it.”

The prisoner’s existence is reduced to that of an object. He has become a spectacle, an object that is gazed upon, “glanced over,” and “pointed at.” On realizing the officer’s and traveler’s attention on him, the prisoner lowers his head, which indicates his resignation and helplessness. He tries hard to listen to them even though he is unable to understand French. His “quivering” lips also indicate his fear and nervousness. He has “tightly pressed” his lips together because he is aware of his lack of agency and ability to have a say.

“It would be useless, just a complete waste of time that we inform him, he’ll experience it upon his body—don’t you know.”

The officer does not find it necessary to inform the victim of his judgment, nor does he approve of giving the prisoner any chance to defend himself. Rather, he believes that it would be a “complete waste of time.” For him, the most appropriate approach is engraving the judgment on the body of the convicted man. This is also ironic; the prisoners never have any chance to see these words as the apparatus is designed to kill them.

“That’s all fact, everything that is pertinent to the case. The major came to me a little over an hour ago, I wrote down his statement and then, right away, I also wrote down the judgment. Then I had this man put in chains. All of this is simple, just as simple as simple can be. Now, if I would have called the man before me and would I first have questioned him, nothing but confusion would have resulted.”

“Everything that is pertinent to the case” does not include a trial or a statement from the accused. The subservient prisoner is “put in chains” because the powerful major was upset with him. Men in power are never questioned or interrogated. The major’s account of the event is simply believed to be true. The officer also believes that questioning the prisoner will result in “nothing but confusion,” showing adherence to colonial ideology rather than objective truth. The prisoner is denied the right to testify on a matter that directly concerns him. This also supports the theme of power and control.

“Normally I kneel down here in the front to observe this phenomenon. Hardly anyone swallows their last bite, they simply turn it in their mouths once or twice and then spit it into the ditch.”

These lines reveal the penal system’s sadistic nature. The suffering of the oppressed subjects amuses the officer; he calls the torturous execution a “phenomenon” that he likes to observe closely. Their outrageous pain does not let them enjoy their last meal, as they lose their ability to swallow the warm porridge.

“The traveler was taking counsel with himself: It’s always quite questionable for someone to step in and make radical proposals to change relationships within a society over against which he’s totally foreign.”

These lines are significant in two ways. Firstly, the idea of moral relativism is explored as the traveler witnesses a different approach to moral agency. He is not satisfied with the penal colony’s brutality, but his position as “totally foreign” makes it difficult for him to question their ways. Secondly, these lines can be read as the traveler’s attempt to convince himself not to feel guilty for not intervening. He is second-guessing himself and making assumptions to avoid making any “radical proposals.”

“Indeed, it’s to be expected that you’ve observed all sorts of unique customs in different societies since you’ve traveled extensively throughout the world, that you have learned to respect other cultures; thus, it’s most probable that you won’t come out full force as perhaps you would were this to be some penal colony in your own backyard!—you wouldn’t be so daring as to throw the full horror right in the face of those who are listening to your well-considered opinion.”

The officer, cunningly yet pervasively, reminds the traveler of his place. The officer is very strategic in his approach. He praises the traveler for his worldliness and then tacitly tells him that he is required to “respect other cultures.” He is also convincing the traveler to refrain from criticizing the system as his status as a traveler does not allow him to speak explicitly with those who expect a “well-considered” judgment from him. This indicates how the success of the justice system relies on complicity as well as active participants; the oppressors threaten people to keep them from speaking against the system.

“If my speech doesn’t drive our new commander right out of the assembly hall so at least it will force him down upon his knees, that he too has to become a convert: to thee, O former Commander, before thee and the ways of old I prostrate myself!—That’s my plan.”

The officer’s obsession with and devotion to the old commander are evident in these lines. He worships the former commander and wants the same from everyone in the colony. Since the new commander is not following in the old commander’s footsteps, the officer is planning to make him “a convert” so that he falls “down upon his knees” to “prostrate” himself. This plan indicates the officer’s desire to revive tradition.

“Perhaps the prisoner felt to be obliged that he entertain his friend for he kept turning himself about in circles in front of the soldier.”

Power dynamics dictate all relationships. Even though the soldier and the prisoner are on good terms here, the soldier remains the man who holds the prisoner’s chain and snatches his handkerchiefs from him. The prisoner’s realization of his subservient position makes him “entertain” the soldier.

“The traveler didn’t say anything at all but it was clear that he couldn’t read it, not one bit. ‘Be Just!—That’s what it says’ the officer repeated yet again. ‘That may well be’ the traveler replied—‘I believe it, that that’s what’s written.’ ‘Well, good’ said the officer, he seemed to be at least partially satisfied.”

These lines suggest multiple interpretations. First, the officer has so devotedly invested his time in understanding and comprehending the old commander’s complex, handwritten judgments that he is the only one who can read them without difficulty. However, another possibility suggests the officer’s delusional state of mind, where he blindly believes in the old commander’s goodness and thinks he wrote, “Be just.” The officer is fanatical about the machine and the old commander. Even though the traveler tries hard, he cannot read it or see what the officer sees. He just says, “this may well be” to satisfy the officer. This hints again at the traveler’s complicity in the system.