Doctor Who Review: Under The Lake – 7 Ways To Sink Or Swim
6. The Complexities Of Language
Two of the things that define sentience in a species are self awareness and complex language. Language is not limited to speech; ideas may be conveyed through hand gestures, facial expression, body movement, even marks on a spaceship wall. Words have the ability to literally shape our consciousness. When concepts are introduced to us our brains create new neural pathways so that we may create long term connections and retain memories. The idea that marks on a wall could turn a person into a communication beacon is fascinating and not so far-fetched.
Cass is a key component in the unraveling of the plot of this story because she is a person who has learned not to rely on the spoken word. She was forced to learn to closely observe the world around her and take in every nuance of a person and place in order to ensure her understanding of a given situation. She knows there is something wrong inside the spaceship even if she can’t quite put her finger on it. She is adamant in keeping her interpreter Lunn from entering the vehicle even if neither of them quite understand why.