An exploration of the use of masculinity and madness in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

Developing this book has been accredited clearly for its role in enlightenment and explaining to the society the various issues that the mentally challenged or the people with psychiatric. The story has been written with humor and total consideration for the rights and the privileges that the mentally deficient people in the society have been denied. It revolves around several factors that the people in the society who are a bit mentally challenged. The deprivation of some basic rights that the mentally incapacitated in the society. The story that has been cited in the book is quite touching. The mentally ill are monitored by a nurse who according to Bromden, uses a lot of force to control the sick. It came as a surprise to the new entrant, McMurphy who sought a transfer after “feigning insanity” while at “Pendleton work farm” so that he could get chance to enjoy soft life at the mental hospital.

Therefore, based on the above understanding, it would be important to questions on how masculinity and madness have been explored in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The mental hospital has only male patients suffering from mental problems. As shown by the factors that indicate the state at which only males are found to be the only ones suffering from mental issues, the challenges that affect only men are well espoused. 3 He proudly mentioned his zest for women and cards. That also points out the nature of his various perspectives on women. His mention of women shows how the female gender is viewed as having low significance in relation to the man. Furthermore, the other members of the mental hospital would also encourage him to have the prostitute and escape.

It points out the specific nature of the state that places men on a better state than women of a similar nature. There would not be any electrocution used to instill fear and gain control if the system would be fairer. Under such a perspective, the general understanding of what the people involved would desire is to have the best services for their improvement. After some time at the rehabilitation hospital, McMurphy staged a confrontation with Ms Ratched which in turn became an entertainment to the other members. McMurphy’s insubordination to Ratched made the other men entertained from what was happening in the room. According to Bromden, all the members seemed mentally ill from what happened at the room. The major reason is that the nurse failed to control the other men due to one person who had a significant hidden interest.

McMurphy was not actually mad as suggested from his actions at the mental hospital. The author has used him to indicate the level of compromise that can be brought about by such person feigning madness. 6 The only reason that brought McMurphy is his desire to finalize his prison sentence in a better place where he would have better treatment. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the mental hospital he was shocked to discover that things were different there. Additionally, the nurse does not seem to realize any aspect of wellness among the patients. McMurphy challenged all the measures that are used to assess such persons on their suitability to undergo mental rehabilitation. The nurse together with those who made the approval to have him transferred to the metal hospital failed to realize that he was not suffering any mental illness.

His ability to manoeuvre the various check measures is one evidence that indicates that there are reasons why these people would not be identified at the mental hospital even with the strict regulations that are meant to tame the mentally ill persons. The men who are in this mental hospital as mental health victims paint a picture regarding the aspect of masculinity exploited here. The harsh tone that is used by the nurse speaks a lot given that she does not allow any member to leave the facility at any moment. In case such is identified, the victims are punished severely. Therefore despite the facility being a rehabilitation facility, it has been taken over by the wrong intentions that focus on ensuring that they would not provide the desired outcomes.

9 As the people understand that the facility is meant to help mental victims recovers and heal to that they get back to their families, it happens differently here given that the many victims are retained and exploited to conduct various activities. Apart from being made to fight each other as a way to ashamed their acts in abide to tame them, the nurse does not focus on any successful action that would relieve the victims and lead them back into their communities. McMurphy for example expected to leave the facility and go back to his family but was disappointed to note that things have changed and the only person supposed to decide on his release was nurse Ratched. Nurse Ratched has the harsh perspective on these patients and has learned the harsh ways of taming their actions.

McMurphy would have been released but it appears that what he has been doing such as insubordination to the nurse might be some of the factors that have led to his delayed release. The treatment that these mental patients is given is actually worse than what any person would expect. It is clear that people undergo significant challenges as they undergo their rehabilitation expecting that they soon would be freed to go to their homes. There is a desire to avoid the challenges but getting into worse scenarios. 13 The case of McMurphy serves as one where his desire to get out of Pendleton work farm to get a soft life at the mental hospital turn out to be the worst expected issue.

The victim endeavored to escape from harsh prison life thinking that would be better. Unfortunately, it turned out the opposite. It is, therefore, a part of the theme that has been employed in this book to educate on such choices made by an individual who expects better through a shortcut. Notably, the various scenarios point to the extent to which the society established a credible ground on which it would stage its fights against any future challenges. Therefore it became evident that such issues were common but mostly to the perceived weak persons. Furthermore, the aspect of madness is expounded further in the text where it was cited that the first cases of madmen were dealt with “during the renaissance period".

The mad people were said to be those who would not compete for any gainful employment opportunities and were in turn locked up with prisoners. 15Similar to the case on the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the mad persons are secluded into a separate place where they would not meet with the other people. The same cases of inhuman practices are evidently playing out in the case of the mental health victims who would be joined by McMurphy. In the health facility, these patients are subjected to daily routines which include fighting that is based on what the nurse desires. It then comes out clear that the health victims are mistreated. The mental health does not consider any of their basic human rights.

One would notice that the mental health victims are subjected to dire punishments in case they go against what their nurse instructs them to do. In a similar way, the nature of the mental health hospitals has been indicated in all cases painting an unpleasant picture over it. The scholars who have championed the fight against the ill-treatment at the mental hospitals run by governments is a significant way that has shaped the way services are offered for the mentally ill persons. 19 In this case, the government had a different view regarding the mentally ill persons and in so it designed a framework for attending to their needs. The worst part is that the government initiative was based on a skewed understanding of the mental illnesses.

In this case, the people who suffered the mental illness would be considered a subject of government approval to have such people taken into the facility where they would be taken through the rigorous processes of making an individual rehabilitated. It is , however, the opposite of what should be happening to the victims. The organizations that seek to establish better health care services for the mentally ill have challenges. It is notable that the antipsychiatry movements have brought significant changes to the health sector dealing with mental illness. 21 As indicated on the themes of madness and masculinity as used in the book, the two have shown significant issues relating to them. The improvements that have been brought forward serve as an indication of what needs to be addressed for better care for the mentally ill persons.