Term Paper 09

Nadeem 1 Maham Nadeem Miss Hallman fAmerican Literature 033 May 27, 2009 Shattered Minds: An Analysis of Human Degradation and Its Effect in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest “A hurtful act is the transference to others the degradation which we bear in ourselves” (Simone Weil). Hurtful, malicious acts of degradation are ever-present in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. Innumerable agonizing truths about our world hide in Kesey’s disconcerting novel. One such distressing reality brought forth is the degradation of a human’s mind; victimized mercilessly, Dale Harding struggles to survive in a mentally disturbing environment. Although Harding cannot be considered as one of the prominent characters in the novel, he plays an imperative role in the comprehension of dehumanization and what it truly means to suffer the state of one who deems himself less than human. Degradation encompasses far more than merely humiliating a person. When one human makes another consistently bear in mind that he subsists as a low creature, not worthy of anything in life, a beast who should count his blessings for every single thing this world has spared him. Succinctly, that poor, deprived, unfortunate soul feels that his existence is tantamount to nothing, absolutely nothing, a nonentity. Such feelings can cause so much chaos and mayhem in the mind. Kesey unveils mental turmoil unleashed by Nurse Ratched’s manipulation of anxious sentiments through Harding’s persona. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Kesey depicts Harding as the embodiment of mental degradation.

Nadeem 2 Harding’s degradation occurs due to the brainwashing that takes place in the hospital. “The process began by establishing complete physical control over the [patients]. This makes them feel helpless” (Berger 27). Once inside, the hospital patients’ rights are slowly stripped from them in order to show them who’s in charge. Without their rights, patients in the hospital begin feeling weak and powerless and look to others to help and guide them. The act of deducting rights often constitutes as the first step in degradation. Without civil liberties, patients feel apprehensive and in need of assistance. At this moment, Nurse Ratched, an utterly tyrannical figure, steps in to gain control of the situation. “Her moral righteousness, her shrewd eye and ear…hovered over us, made us uneasy, goaded us” (Codes 183). Harding already feels vulnerable, feeble, and necessitating aid due to the deduction of his rights and privileges. Harding’s feelings provide Ratched with the opportune instance to intervene. Ratched intercedes pretending to be morally upright and representing a figure of assistance. Ratched’s keen eye should make her a great nurse since she is blessed with the gift of observation; instead, her acute perception worries her patients and induces fear in them. The patients’ fear and uneasiness around her supply the evidence needed to reach the conclusion that Ratched’s brainwashing motives and imposition have started working to a certain extent. Since Ratched demands sheer obedience in all situations, Harding hangs on to her every word as if it’s law. McMurphy finds the immense power Ratched wields disturbing. “You mean to tell me that you’re gonna sit back and let some old blue-haired woman talk you into being a rabbit” (62). After stripping Harding of his rights. Ratched’s next brainwashing tactic is to take control of Harding’s mind as she has already paralyzed his body. Harding’s physical paralysis is evident when he has “got his thin shoulders folded neatly together around himself…and he’s sitting very straight near the edge of his chair with his hands trapped between

Nadeem 3 his knees” (54). The poor man is “transfixed” and he deems it “vital to adhere” to Miss. Ratched’s every word and answer her every question (Lupack 38). On this cue, Ratched realizes that Harding’s mind is at an “exposed and susceptible” state (Stripling 109). Ratched takes advantage of Harding’s vulnerability and starts speaking in riddles and using methods of insinuation to confuse Harding. “She doesn’t need to accuse. She merely needs to insinuate, insinuate anything…she has a genius for insinuation” (61). By insinuation Harding means that Ratched has a “genius” for covertly accusing her patients and making them feel guilty even if they’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. As Harding points out, Ratched never openly puts the blame on anyone, but she insinuates and toys with Harding’s mind to make him feel more inferior and defenseless towards her. Basically, Ratched forces her patients to regret their own existence. The way that Ratched insinuates her patients also demonstrates Ratched’s careful tactics; she purposely phrases her sentences to contain a double meaning. Thus people who argue that Ratched is not an antagonist are wrong since clearly she is brainwashing her patients maliciously. Ratched’s deliberateness can be seen when she demand “extensive and precise verbal phrasing” from Harding (Healy 294). Ratched mandates that everyone speak to her in a prim in proper manner which soon becomes daunting for Harding (Essortment). The robotic way in which she addresses Harding causes him great unease; moreover, it frightens Harding and results in his acting defensive about all that he says and does. The utmost proof of Ratched’s brainwashing lies in Harding’s behavior. Although, he has done nothing wrong and should not be defensive, he is! Furthermore, Ratched is pleased with Harding’s “cynical behavior” (Lupack 42). Ratched realizes that she can use her “language to control behavior – shown to effect mind without the use of drugs” (Healy 156). Ratched does not require toxic drugs or surgery

Nadeem 4 techniques to coerce Harding into submission. Her verbal attacks are enough to befuddle him. Ratched uses the way she speaks, a demoralizing tone, to brainwash and degrade Harding. After establishing complete physical control over Harding, Ratched commences her self-imposition the brainwashing method of verbal assaulting. The primary reason why Ratched’s brainwashing and verbal attacking techniques work on Harding is because Harding subsists in the mental condition of a child. Harding’s portrayal as a child is evident because he “hasn’t gone through sexual maturity” and his “thoughts are dependent on others” (Kraits 79). Harding has been accused of not being man enough to handle his wife (59). It has been insinuated that Harding is impotent; he is not a man at all etc. etc. However, the truth remains in Harding’s mental condition. Harding has yet to truly experience sexual maturity and therefore can be considered no more than a child. Due to Ratched’s brainwashing tactics, Harding has developed into more of a child since he is now dependant on others for his thoughts and ideas; he no longer reasons through situations and is utterly reliant on Ratched to form his beliefs. As a result, Harding often looks at Nurse Ratched as exemplary and she attacks his “problem with a combination of verbal modeling and demand” (Healy 294). The aforementioned combines to become Ratched’s strategy of conquering control. She treats Harding like a child and thanks to the way she addresses him and mandates most of what she says to him, Harding feels diminutive. Being spoken to in such a manner also makes Harding feel like he has no power and that he must always obey people more significant than himself without ever questioning them. Harding’s negligence of his own importance is devastating. Due to his lack of experience in the sexual world, Harding is regarded as a child; thus, relies completely on superior power to aid him.

Nadeem 5 Harding’s mental degradation occurs because he is willingly dependent on others. Harding is forced “to turn to [his] captors for everything necessary for life – even for permission to go to the bathroom” (Berger 30). The lack of power makes Harding increasingly reliant on Ratched. When he has no other option than to ask and plead for help or permission in every asset of life, Harding loses all of his independence. Repeatedly being made to ask for permission even for the basest tasks such as going to the bathroom enforces who is in charge in Harding’s mind and in this case, Ratched exerts unquestionable authority. For Harding, “excepting the new doctrine would save [him] from relentless pressure and [he comes] to accept the belief system of [his] captors” (Berger 27). Harding thought that if he accepted everything he was told to do instead of rebelling against it he might be allowed to regain some of his lost respect. However, he was mistaken by admitting submission to his captor, Ratched. Harding further asserted the control she had over him. Harding was also under the impression that if he did everything he was told to do he might be treated kindly. Once again Harding’s thought process was skewed as this also did not occur. Instead, Harding was treated as cruelly as possible. Hence his spirit for rebellion was broken (77). Ratched’s deliberate degradation visibly started to show effects. As Harding’s breakdown persists he is “subjected to ceaseless questioning to obtain [his] confession…kept in isolation [from the world], his sleep is disturbed, and [he is] fed an unhealthy and sparse diet. The guards abuse and humble [him]…the only contact [he] had with the outside world is through [his] captors” (Berger 37). Such treatment caused the weakening of Harding’s will. Ratched’s conduct slaughtered his spirit and belief system. Lost were all of Harding’s values. As a result of harsh treatment Harding was willing and ready to follow the dictates of his captor, Ratched. Harding could have rebelled but he did not. “The most telling factor is that [he is] there voluntarily…[he is] a willing participant in [his] own degradation –

Nadeem 6 sexless, spineless but safe from the big bad world, [he] has surrendered to the Big Nurse and the Combine” (Discordia). The lack of rebellion reinstates Harding’s compliance with the way he is handled. Harding could rebel. He would probably be put down but nonetheless he could go against the Big Nurse’s wishes and revolt. However, by adhering to her every word Harding has willingly allowed his own dehumanization. Harding decided to wave a white flag without ever even putting up a fight. After all the prior treatment he received from Ratched Harding decided that it is not worth it to fight against her. He thinks that he is a lost cause, a rabbit in the world of wolves (62). Harding willingly accepts the belief system of Ratched without putting up a fight for his rights. Since Harding refuses to contest for his civil liberties, Ratched becomes stronger and gains power whereas he becomes weaker. McMurphy even outlines for Harding that “you’re up against a guy [Ratched] who wants to win by making you weaker instead of making himself stronger” (58). Ratched portrays the “guy” who constantly makes herself stronger by making those around her feel feeble. Devouring Harding’s strength to become stronger becomes one Ratched’s main strategies in the novel (109). Harding doesn’t stand a chance against Ratched because he acknowledges her as stronger than himself. In reality, Ratched’s strength derives from Harding’s weakness. Harding candidly declares that “the ritual of our existence is based on the strong getting stronger by devouring the weak” (62). Again, the same concept is blatant. Ratched become more powerful not by instilling fear in Harding’s heart, but instead by making him sense his weakness and inadequacy in comparison to her. Harding perceives Ratched as “some kind of giant monster…bent on sadistically picking out our eyes” (57). The key to degradation lies in the “manipulation of perception” (Lupack 83). Harding perceives Ratched as a giant monster and so he feels tiny next to her. As mentioned previously, Harding has yet to gain sexual maturity and he

Nadeem 7 has the mental condition of a child. Most children are afraid of both monsters and sadists; Harding calls Ratched both these names. Harding’s attitude towards Ratched implies that not only has he bowed down to her, he also fears her immensely. Harding says to McMurphy “all of us in here are rabbits of varying degrees, hippityhopping though our Walt Disney World” (62). Once more, Harding’s “Walt Disney World” with “rabbits” entails perception. Harding views himself as a rabbit thereby giving Ratched the opportunity to label him a rabbit. By referring to Walt Disney World, Harding recognizes that what he feels is not real. Harding lives in a world that is merely a perception of reality, a mirage. Sadly, Harding does not have the power to shatter this illusion and emerge into real life. Harding believes himself to be incompetent. He even says that he is “completely conscience of his inadequacy…he’s a frightened, desperate, ineffectual little rabbit…and worse she knows he knows it and reminds him every chance she gets” (60). Harding criticizes himself and his inadequacy, ironic because Harding does not have an inadequacy. Ratched’s mental degradation has succeeded because Harding views himself as a rabbit, as ineffectual, a being without power. Harding has not truly succumbed to Ratched who realizes his absolute defeat and so she reminds him “every chance she gets”. Harding believes that “in defense, [he] the rabbit becomes sly and frightened and elusive and he digs holes and hides” (62). To shield himself from Ratched’s treatment the rabbit, Harding or better yet he perceives himself, becomes instantly becomes wary of Ratched. He’s so insecure that he has become defensive for no reason. Harding should stand up for himself but Ratched’s degradation is complete and she has taken control of both his body and mind! Once Ratched ascertains her complete control, she shows an illusion of mercy. Ratched “offers [Harding] a sense of security at the cost of [his] freedom” (Discordia). Ratched allows

Nadeem 8 Harding an illusion of security for him to hide from the Combine in return for every ounce of independence Harding contains within him. Like a devil’s barter, Harding has sold his soul for what he sees as security. Ratched has more than succeeded in her endeavor. Not only does she have power over Harding’s body and mind, she has also made herself seem like the only safehaven available to Harding. Ratched makes Harding weak by preying on his mind and making him feel like a little rabbit. Once she gains absolute power over his mind, Ratched gives Harding the illusion the she is the only safety he will ever know. Harding is depicted as the embodiment of mental degradation in Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Nurse Ratched establishes herself as the supreme authority and uses a combination of brainwashing tactics, verbal assaults, and manipulation of perception to gain total control over Harding, his body and mind. Harding makes it possible for Ratched to succeed since he refuses to rebel against her and fools himself into believing that he is inadequate compared to her. Harding’s mind remains that of a child and due to that he feels like a “rabbit” and Ratched treats him as such. When Ratched undoubtedly has domination over Harding she pretends to be his security so that he will always be her slave.

Nadeem 9 Works Cited Berger, Melvin. Mind Control. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Junior Books, 1995. Coles, Robert. The Moral Intelligence of Children. New York: Random House, 1997. Discordia, Josh. "Review of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." 21 APR 2009 Web.08 May 2009. . Healy, Jane. Endangered Minds. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990. "In Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” a psychiatric ward becomes a metaphor for the oppressive nature of American society.." One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest analysis. June 2002. Essortment: information and advice you want to know. 27 May 2009 . Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. New York: Viking Press, 1976. Kraits, Brian. Sex and the Mind. New York: Random House, 1997. Lupack, Barbara. Insanity as redemption in contemporary American fiction. New York: University Press of Florida, 1995. Stripling, Mahala. BIOETHICS AND MEDICAL ISSUES IN LITERATURE. New York: Greenwood Press, 2005.