The Theme Of Insanity In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

What defines a lunatic, a madman, a psychopath? In his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey challenges accepted notions about insanity, considering not only what it means to be insane but also who determines this. He explores the relationship between societal norms and the nature of mental institutions; what justifies incarcerating individuals who may simply be misfits in a crazed society? Kesey designs such a distorted reality within the ward that one may assume that it is merely meant to be a depiction of the horrors of mental institutions in the 1960s. However, it provides insight into how society altogether deals with the idea of insanity. Nurse Ratched is an oppressive force who tramples the patients’ nature and conditions them to conform to rules and regulations that she believes will teach them how men ought to behave. She understands insanity as a lack of ability to control one’s nature; instincts and emotional drive ultimately induce harm if not overridden by sensibility or rationality. She is in a position of authority and therefore defines insanity within the ward. She represents the overwhelming forces in society, whether they be monarchs or masses, that establish norms, thereby condemning all other behavior. An abiding sense that Kesey induces in his audience is that Ratched has simply got it wrong. Perhaps, in fact, the healthiest behavior is the most natural behavior. Modern society typically …show more content…
But what if, as in the case of Harding’s wife, the society is itself corrupt? How can an erring society pass judgement on individuals on account of their alleged madness? McMurphy comments, “-hell, I been surprised how sane you guys all are. As near as I can tell you’re not any crazier than the average asshole on the street.”(65) Perhaps the men are not mad but merely afraid of a mad