Tuesday, April 14, 2009
McMurphy
McMurphy's laugh (and all that it represents) seems to be the only glimpse of sanity we see in the hospital. Can McMurphy's actions bring back the sanity of other patients, the sanity they most likely had before they were brought into the hospital? We will see, but McMurphy was clearly only admitted by pleading insanity as his defense. Will the clarity that McMurphy represents (in such an unclear place) cause other patients to step back from the situation and realize how mistreated they are and give them the power to do something about it, or is the nurses system already so ingrained into them that none of them can see it even with the spark of normalcy that McMurphy is proving to be?
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5 comments:
I think the goal of the character McMurphy is to test the definitions of insanity and sanity. His bet to have Nurse Radchet lose her temper as well as the gambling are used to try and coax the Acutes into thinking they aren't the crazy ones, merely victims of their surroundings and a judgmental society. I think his character will entertain them, maybe have them rethink their treatment however, not strive to change it. They are still "sick" whether they need the extent of institutionalization or not. Billy Bibbit is obviously suicidal and Mr. Harding has an apparent nervous personality disorder. This, i think is a hurdle that they just will not be able to jump, whether they want change or not.
Due to the christ reference, I feel as though McMurphy is going to fight for change but ultimately perish under the institution.
I belive that the character McMurphy is introdued to make the reader think about insanity and sanity. He become friendly with the acutes and begins to convince them that they are not crazy after all, they just do not fit in with there surroundings. McMurphy has a goel in mind of going against Nurse Radchet and in doing so he creates a bet with the other Acutes that he will be able to cause her to loose her "cool".In the end I think that he is going to win the bet but become another
I do believe that McMurphy will be able to bring some glimse of sanity back into the patients. Already he is trying to get them out of what the Chief calls "the fog" and bring back a little normalty of the outside world into the hospital. MCMurphy has the "smell" of freedom, dirt from the outside world, sweat and his big attention grasping laugh. The Nurse has full control over all patients and workers, but McMurphy already has people breaking out from hiding in their tourtise shell from fear of Nurse Radchet. This is seen when McMurphy has the doctor come over onto his side of the line, when the doctor recommends a carnival. At first no one will say anything, but then slowly one of the patients gets up and approves of the idea. This could be forshadowing that McMurphy will slowly but definitely capture the control Nurse Radchet has wrapped around her so tightly and will bring in a new sence od sanity to the ward. The patients and even the workers under Nurse Radchet are being oppressed by her constant insinuations and once McMurphy plays her own game on herself, it will releave some of the tension that is making everyone in the ward become and stay insane.
I feel that McMurphy is going to be able to control all the people in the hospital but too much control will make him explode. He has a minuplative personality that will attract their attention. Is this what they need? He could very well test the boundaries and limitations of sanity and insanity.
In response to what Rob said, this could change the entire institution from a matriarchy to a patriarchy, thus perpetuating havok upon the entire administration of the hospital.
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