Monday, April 20, 2009
The senses
I just thought of something interesting. The Chief's perception/hallucinations are completely visually based (not auditory) - he sees things that aren't there or that aren't happening and the phrase he continually uses is "I seen it" or other phrases that really emphasize "see." And along with seeing these things, he'll feel sensations of cold when there's no literal cause. Interestingly enough though - he chooses to create deficits in two other senses (if we consider the voice to the use of a sense) - hearing and speaking. It seems ironic that he admittedly feigns (fakes) being deaf and mute and yet truly believes he sees and feels things that are in fact fake. Could it be that as he faces reality more and more, he has less hallucinations and that will slowly push him to break out of his "pretend" deafness and muteness? With his focus on McMurphy being "his own self" - being real is he somehow growing inspired to be his own real self and does that start with the senses?
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4 comments:
I think that soon Chief will begin to break out of his shell because he is discovering things that are real that he enjoys. When he wakes up in the night he talked about how he enjoyed the feeling of the cold linoleum underneath his feet. he talked about how he felt it as real for the first time in years and that he could now recognize the tile as real. So I think that Chief will begin to some out because he is starting to rediscover the world that he was missing which seems to be related to something that happened to his father...
That is very interesting. I never thought of that. It is extremely ironic that he pretends to be deaf but sees things that are fake. I think that eventually he will break out of his pretend deafness and muteness as he faces reality, but this will be hard because he is scared that people will find out. He fears the consequences from Nurse Ratched. I agree with David that it will start with the senses (feeling the cold floor, etc). Without McMurphy as sort of an idol in a sense, Chief may not come out of his shell.
As Sam pointed out, I did not even consider this while reading on my own but i completely see your observation now. I agree that Chief will break out of his shell but will McMurphy's latest actions prove to be a setback for Chief? With the leader of the group stepping down to trying to blend in (trying to get himself released from the hospital) might just make all of the rest of the patients realize that if he can't stand up to the authority then none of them can.
I think that Chiefs hallucinations were definitely a result of his experiences in the war. However, I think that Chiefs hallucinations are more a result of the lack of laughter in his life until the moment he saw McMurphey. I think that McMurphey may be Kesey's way of showing Chiefs pathway to sanity except more in the form of a spontaneous, animated new patient who is finally able to show Chief some positive energy. I think what the fog represents is neutral energy, the energy induced by his medications and treatments which don't make him comfortable but merely content. In turn, I think that becoming happy definately starts with the senses, and I believe that Kesey wants his reader to realize the healing power of a sense of humor.
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also i think that chief couldnt really think clearly enough to tell a story before the story starts. like i think that the story picks up where it does because of McMurphey's arrival and its healing power on the ward.
im not sure
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