Caña, Analyn C.
III-9 BS Psychology
Reflection Paper on “One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest”
There is a thin line between “normal” and “abnormal”. R.P Mc Murphy
is a normal person even though he is suspected to be insane that is why he
is admitted to a mental hospital. Despite the fact that he is admitted to
asylum, he was able to feel the freedom from the jail where he came from,
and was able to interact with his inmates in the institution. Thus, while
having a group meeting he was able to observe the actions of other inmates
and see what the problem is. He was able to play basketball, cards, go
fishing and establish relationship or connections with them. On the other
hand, Chief has established insanity because of pretending that he is deaf
and unable to speak, in which the product of pressure inside the asylum and
the staffs working there. But then, even if he is schizophrenic, deaf, and
unable to speak he was able to observe his inmates and knows how they
interact with each other. Therefore, insanity can be acquired by a person if
he/she is being pressured by the environment he is in as well as the people
that he encounters.
For me, the thing that Mc Murphy must have done to avoid his tragic
death is that he does not underestimate the power Nurse Ratched, who has
influence inside and out of the institution, someone who can do and that he
must not been so confident that he can change all the things that he does
not like inside the institution. In addition, Chief should have let his so-called
savior, Mc Murphy, live even if he experiences severe physical pain.
In my own opinion, the main character has benefitted in the counseling
or the group meeting that has been done inside the institution because with
the use of it he was able to observe the way his inmates react and talk to
one another. Although, for me, the group meeting does not give help to the
Reflection on One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest
people who is mentally-ill because Nurse Ratched does not give an
intervention regarding to the concern of the inmates who is being the topic
of the meeting but let the inmates quarrel with one another and did nothing
but just stare to those people. During the group counseling, the nurse just
manipulates the fear and desires of the inmates that is why some just nod
while some keeps their mouth shut. The so-called group meeting makes
Nurse Ratched achieve her personal goal which is orderliness and power
over the inmates.
In relation to Abnormal Psychology, I was able to observe the way
people with mental illness behave unlike with the normal behavior the
regular people do. There are actions and behavior being done by those who
are disturbed people, mentally-ill individual and those with traumatic
experience. I was able to witness how a mentally-ill person behaves when
there is someone who is manipulating them. With the help of the movie, I
become aware of some abnormal behaviors and using it I will judge less
those who belongs to the people with unusual actions. Thus, the knowledge I
gained will be a great help especially when I pursue my studies to be a
licensed Guidance Counselor. As a Guidance Counselor I will surely
encounter some cases that concerning mental illness and abnormal
behavior. In addition, I realized that there is really a quiet thin line between
“normal” and “abnormal”.