Black Mirror's White Bear deals with the punishment of a murder accomplice. The criminal Victoria is a prisoner in a park that is especially build for her and her actions. The park will exist in its form as long as she is able to participate in it. In my eyes, this makes the punishment very unique, cruel and torturous. The fact that she is only eating once a day and is under a huge amount of mental and physical stress makes me doubt that she is able to go through that ordeal for more than a month.
On the one hand, Victoria is removed from society and can't commit any more crimes, on the other hand we ask ourselves when she is going to be released. That brings up the question at which point criminals are completely rehabilitated and are not a danger for the society anymore.
What is, in my opinion, the most important fact is that the park owners make her lose her memory every night and that she is not able to remember what happened to her.
Does it really happen if she doesn't know it already happened? Her torture lasts a finite period of time - and then is erased and started again. One could say her punishment is to live the worst and most scary day of her life, over and over again. And that is the only day she lives.
I think the institution is a money - making park, and the society feels nothing but joy and pleasure for the torture of Victoria. The crowd cheers when they see her suffering and crying.
5 comments:
The onlookers shown in "White Bear" are psychopaths if they find this enjoyable day after day. They think that her being reduced to animalistic ways is fun to watch - crazy.
I completely agree with the statement you made about the "Justice Park" becoming more of a money-making park instead of serving its purpose. I believe the onlookers do not care if justice is in reality being served, it seems the only thing they care about is knowing she is guilty of the crime and are probably fine with seeing her completely confused and terrified.
I agree with you, i believe the justice park cares more about the entertainment it is providing rather than actually helping Victoria. It seems as if they are more entertained in punishing her rather then actually helping her realize the crime she actually committed.
It definitely is a profitable institution. It is almost like a zoo with onlookers of some type of creature. It's always going to be a different crowd but it would eventually be less attractive further on and people would no longer come until they make a new park for a new criminal.
I agree that they are doing this for profit. I also think that they are doing it for their own entertainment. They clearly don't have a life messing with this woman every single day .
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