Setting Discussion

1) Why do you think Chief Broomden pretends to be deaf inside the mental hospital?

Chief Broomden pretends to be deaf inside the mental hospital because of two reasons. The first one being if he is deaf people may not bother him as much because they would not get the satisfaction of him acknowledging them. The second reason is that people just do not listen to him in the first place. Maybe because of his background people deep down think he is just crazy and impaired from the moment he was born.

2) During the first meeting that McMurphy attends we learn a bit about his life before he arrives at the institution. During the meeting the doctor says "Don't overlook the possibility that this man might be feigning psychosis to escape the drudgery of the work farm," while reading McMurphy's file. For what reasons would McMurphy fake being psychotic to leave the work farm?

There is the possibility that McMurphy is the type of man who can not stand living in the same area for more than a few months and always needs to see new places and have fresh starts. Therefore being on the farm for my than a few months, McMurphy would try anything to go visit some place new. And this new place happens to be this mental hospital.

3) After this meeting there is a discussion between McMurphy and Harding. They are arguing whether this hospital more resembles a pecking party, or rabbits. What would be another suitable analogy of this system?

Another suitable analogy of the life in the mental hospital would be the nature of farm dog herding sheep. The farm dog would be the nurse on account that she runs the whole hospital and chooses what rooms the patients would be in, and when they can eat. The patients best resemble the sheep because they are always being told what to do, and get very little free will. As well you never see sheep trying to stick up for each other they would rather protect themselves before someone else just like in the meetings held in this facility.

4) Even though this is a mental hospital do you think it resembles more as a jail, or not and explain why?

Back in the time that this book portrays jails and mental hospitals were not that different. The only thing that would set them apart would be the way they were treated. In a jail you are sentenced, and in a mental hospital you are committed. When you are sentenced you stay there until your time is done. Except when you are committed you stay at your current residence until your goal, or what you went there for is finished.

5) In what way will the cleaning these patients do help them rehabilitate back to society?

By doing hard labor these patients get back into the swing of doing actual work. The job they may do when they leave may not be similar to this work, under what the nurse thinks it would still give them the life lesson of hard work pays off. 

6) Which decade do you think this story takes place and why?

I believe this books takes place in the 1960's because you learn that around this time hydrotherapy has been discontinued because electroshock therapy was the new norm. We also learn the Chief Broomden can still remember is time in the second world war. 

7) What word would best describe the mood of this mental hospital and why?

The best word that would describe the mood of this mental hospital and why would be eerie, because there is always this feeling when reading this book that there is someone or something always there making sure that what the main character does is to their plan.  

8) Why would the mental hospital resort to a system that uses electricity to cure their patients?

The mental hospital would resort to using a system that uses electricity to cure their patients because it is painless, and is quite effective. The patients after being hit with electricity wake up stunned and are more compelled to listen and agree with what they are being told. 

9) For what reasons would the mental hospital only allow gambling on the weekends?

They may only allow gambling on weekends to further the idea of rehabilitating back into society, because if work all throughout the week and get weekends off, the normal is to go out and spend your money on entertainment, but because there is not a lot you can do in the hospital they resorted to allowing gambling. 

10) Do you think the system that Ms. Ratched is part of, known as the combine, are trying to make a Utopian society out of their heart, or is it a plot to eventually take control of everyone?

I believe it is a bit of both. For the reasons that they seems to enjoy controlling the patients on the ward, but she allows enjoys helping people on the weekends when she has free time. The way that the nurse controls the patients and getting a grin whenever she wins helps prove the enjoys controlling them, but going out and becoming content with helping people who are less fortunate, also proves she enjoys helping those from the bottom of her heart. Therefore the answer to this question would be a bit of both.

By Devon