POSC 160 8/30/06
Society says that you need to be a certain way to fit in
- need order so don’t have chaos
McMurphy as the liberator, represents liberty
- tells patients they are not crazy
- Fishing makes them all feel “humanized”
- That was the therapy they needed
- Planted seed that they could do things
- Tried to show them the light
As opposed to the group discussions - Ratched represents authority/order
- devolved into fighting and yelling
- Belittles Billy
- Keeps them there and keep them in line
- Keep it running smoothly
- Language: isn’t that why you have problems, why you are here
- Treats them like little kids
- Breaks them down by exploiting their weaknesses
- Has a difficult job of controlling the patients
Patients are all the people in society
- Voluntary but McMurphy forced to stay there when he rocks the boat
- Can get driven crazy by society’s gears
- Crave the regimentation
- Give up the opportunity to gain freedom in favor of the order/structure/stability
Mental ward as a microcosm of America in the 1950s
- shift to Civil Rights era
Individuality v. how you are supposed to be
- voluntarily committed
- liked the conformity of the ward
- make you feel different by being institutionalized
- We’re also being institutionalized by what society expects
Chief
- symbolic of how things change under McMurphy
- race issue, no speech/dialogue, isolation, McMurphy gets him to open up, realize the advantages of freedom
- too “big” don’t fit in/conform, get beaten down
Natural aspect of life – sex, fishing
- opposed to the unnatural/sterile/institutional look of the ward, like overly rational, bureaucratic aspects of life
- alcohol/party
- Girls
- Natural Scenery/Music at beginning and end
- Fishing
- Sports
8800 Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, California 92020
619-644-7000
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