“The Cuckoo’s Nest”

Many individuals may find themselves in a cuckoo’s nest. Not everyone merely is normal or abnormal, sane or insane, but live their everyday lives estranged by society. The society’s environment is constantly changing. Take a look at the economy; observe the wealthy and poor, evolving relationships, some who desire change, and those who don’t. These differences produce cultural abnormality and no-one knows where to fit in. The world is a cuckoo’s nest with revolving doors.

The article Rosenhan exemplifies how no-one knows how to fit in. For instance, there were prestigious people selected to take part in an experiment to determine whether they were insane or abnormal. Unfortunately they were labeled schizophrenics in remission, unable to remove this title. These people were unsure of the rules; for instance, not knowing how long their visit was going to be, to act accordingly to their environment or remain absolutely different from their peers. Unlike the movie “One flew over the cuckoo’s nest,” people couldn’t leave on their own terms. However, in the movie, there were test individuals who would come and go as they please, and attend group therapy. These people had to adjust to a set schedule, try to fit in, prove their normality or insanity.

What is insane or abnormal? Either act as a violation of societal norms or an irrational hatred, and contempt for someone. Many people will discount someone as “insane or abnormal,” if they simply do not agree with what the other person thinks or believes. To get a better understanding of what is, and what is not insane or abnormal, one has to consider many different aspects of life. Being insane or abnormal is usually defined as a person’s ability to think and act rationally. If a person has the ability to understand the difference of what’s right and wrong, then it is considered rational thinking. However, one must ask a question; by whose standard can one define what’s right or wrong? Is it the rules and regulations developed in the beginning of a culture; then, when a child grows older he or she develops the right and wrongs of that culture? I do believe ignoring what is right or wrong in that cultural society is determined by self. Wherefore, that person has chosen to be insane or abnormal by circumstance. Inevitably, when cultural rules are broken by an individual, they are then considered abnormal or insane by that society. But, “those who are really abnormal are actually people who have problems controlling their thoughts and the way they think (Comer, 2013).”

In “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” all characters may have been diagnosed with being abnormal, but in my opinion there were only a few. Chief for instance, was a normal guy. He was probably considered abnormal because of the diagnosis of his father (Forman, 1975). He was not of the same culture as the others. Instead of being in that type of asylum, Chief just needed social skills training, and would probably be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. He was deviant, distressed and dysfunctional. However, Nurse Ratched in my opinion was insane. Instead of helping her patients resolve their inner issues, she acted as if she wanted to cause some type of dysfunction and harm to her patients (Forman, 1975). She wanted to control them, one by using some type of hypnotic music. According the H.Meltzer, he quotes an interesting thought on the presence of music, “The studies present a nice balance between objective measures of the organic effects of music, such as motor phenomena induced by certain selections, and introspective accounts of effects on thought, feeling, and action.” Nurse Ratched had her patients getting the medicine along with the tune. Their thoughts, feelings and actions were all affected.

R. McMurphy also had generalized anxiety disorder; he didn’t want to function in his environment and acted crazy for undying attention. Although, McMurphy was a normal guy, his actions caused his own danger. Therefore, he may have been considered insane in some way, but I wasn’t convinced. Taber was indeed different but not abnormal, he was normal in and out of his environment (Forman, 1975). He was able to adjust to his settings, basically playing the roles.

In the mental health system, there has been some significant change, but medical diagnosis and procedures remain. In the U.S you see major changes, but other countries still practice techniques unimaginable. Take for instance McMurphy, he strangled Nurse Ratched, was them assumed insane, and had to undergo psychosurgery. At that time is was called leucotomy around 1930’s which was dated back in the late 1800’s. A small part of his brain was destroyed or removed (Forman, 1975). This evidence provides proof that not all treatment if effective. To many people get misdiagnosed. There are many reasons behind a misdiagnosis. One, being different from those around you creates a means for being abnormal. Determining the deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger is not always a fact for labeling. If a person doesn’t tell you that they are deviant, distressed, show signs of dysfunction or danger; how can one determine a guaranteed diagnosis? It is not possible; the only possibility will lead to misdiagnosing the individual.

The part in the movie that struck me as particularly compelling is when McMurphy introduced his fellow asylum partners to the outside world. He tried very hard to get them to participate in normal activities they’d seem to have been kept from. Their boat trip was amazing, watching them work together, laugh, and fight was socially normal. I noticed that when they returned to the asylum, their troubles seemed to overtake them. They were most happy outside the institution than they were inside. Another scene I found to be amazing is when Billy was able to speak without stuttering once he seemed to achieve manhood. But, when Nurse Ratched wanted to remind him of what his mother thinks, which she did frequently, he began to withdraw and stutter. The thought of his mother caused his depression, therefore leading him to death. I was appalled, how Nurse Ratched couldn’t take into account that this was the problem. However, I was amazed that McMurphy did pick up on her insanity, but before she could be found out, she basically put him to death for strangling her.

References

Comer, R. J. (2013). Abnormal pychology. (8th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

Forman, M. (Director) (1975). “One flew over the cuckoo's nest” [DVD].

Meltzer, H. H. (1928). The psychology of abnormal people. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 19(6), 437-439. doi:10.1037/h0068351