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[Abstract] Puritanism, in the history of America, always occupied a relatively significant part and also influenced many people and their thoughts. Although in modern time, people are no longer as strict as before, but the influence of puritan mind can be found in many places, such as film of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in which Puritanism is embodied several times. This article is aim to analyze how two doctrines of Puritanism are reflected in the film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”.
[Key words] Puritanism absolutely authority repression
Puritanism is a rather influential religious belief in American history. It made out several disciplines or doctrines, which could be found in many literature works, people’s lives or other places. It is also shown in the film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. But in the film, among all the principles of Puritanism, two major doctrines are presented, one is the absolutely authority and the other, the repression of sexuality and recreation. These two are demonstrated most in the film and we can find many instances.
The demonstration of absolutely authority
First comes to the demonstration of absolutely authority in the film. Actually speaking, “at the core of Puritan sentiment was an absolutely authoritative Scripture (r1), The Word of God governed and disciplined their lives.”1This is just like the oppressed ward which is controlled by Miss Ratched who obeys strictly on puritan rule, the supremacy of the divine will, the depravity of man, free grace, and predestination. The demonstration of this sort of Puritanism can be perceived from the content and conversation in several situations.
In the first meeting, Miss Ratched primarily mentions the problem between Mrs. Harding and his wife. Then they begin a discussion which gradually changes into a quarrel among all. However, although the meeting ends with shouting and crying, never changes the point which was initiated by Miss Ratched and always is their stress. During the whole process of the meeting, Miss Ratched does not say much, but she controls their minds and topic well. Her keeping of absolutely authority is presented through the never-changing topic here.
This situation indicates that everything is handled in her hand. Although the meeting ends with chaos, everything still goes under control of Miss Ratched who plays like God and represents the absolutely authority. Re-watching the move, we can find that from the beginning to the end, all patients’ discourse is around the topic which Miss Ratched said first.
During the second meeting, MuMurphy expresses his wish of watching baseball game which is out of Miss Ratched’s already-arranged daily routine work. So his suggestion is denied by nurse Ratched. The argument between the two again ends with triumph of Miss Ratched and disappointment and frustration of McMurphy. Here nurse once again shows her unchallenged authority, although sometime something disobedient appears, eventually it will be suppressed and killed. This meeting is another demonstration of puritan doctrine.
Her unfair absolutely authority also can be found in the third meeting in which two issues are discussed, the first one is about Billy’s private affair, and the second is about baseball game once again. She presses Billy to answer question which Billy does not want to talk about. Her behavior of forcing Bill to reveal his secret is once again a kind of embodiment of authority. Billy is unwilling to public his past, while Miss Ratched insists to do that under a pretext that it is a cure and goodness for him. In fact, Miss Ratched does really care about Billy’s love story or something else. What she really minds is whether her great image is challenged, whether everyone and everything goes as her orders and whether her authority is kept perfect-untouched. After discussing Billy’s problem, McMurphy the second time brings forwards watching baseball game issue which without doubt is vetoed by her the second time to make sure that the supreme authority plays efficiently and nothing is changed or challenged.
Then in the fourth meeting, the demonstration of efficiency of her authority reaches the highest when McMurphy gets known that almost everyone, except 3 patients, including him, is voluntary to stay here. Maybe this is most efficient control which manipulates human psychologically and another kind of authority.
There are many situations about this sort of puritan doctrine, but these four are more representative. She has a nickname “Big Nurse” which refers to an oppressive and all-knowing authority. She maintains her power by a wise use of shame and guilt, as well as by a determination to “divide and conquer” her patients physically and emotionally. This discuss above is about the puritan doctrine of authority.
The demonstration of sexual and recreation repression
Next comes to the demonstration of sexual and recreation repression in the film. Except the analysis above, “the word puritan is often used as an informal pejorative for someone who has strict views on sexual morality, disapproves of recreation, and wishes to impose these beliefs on others.”[2]
The repression of creation can be fully illustrated in one situation of a party on the eve of the day when McMurphy plans to escape, he calls his girl friend to take some wine and they held a happy party. During the whole film, we can find that no even one party is held and all they have are only some boring meetings and dull discussion. All of the patients enjoy the wine and celebrate the party in a crazy way, which reflects they are really suppressed for so long without a little creation.
There is another example of repression of creation, when Miss Ratched knows they gamble during the bath time with their cigarettes, she not only eliminates their shower privilege but also limits the amount of their cigarette given to them. As we all know, gambling and smoking are both common recreations among men who do this just for fun. However under the roof of mental ward and strict regulation, even such common behavior is forbidden severely. Any kind of recreations are not allowed and regarded as a violation of rules.
The suppression of sexual desire is illustrated in the situation when Miss Ratched knows that Billy loses his virginity with a prostitute. She becomes furious and feels shame on Billy. Sex is common and human nature, but in her concept, it is shame, evil and should not appear here. So she uses a crude way to express her hatred, which directly causes Billy’s death. She wins at least again. So the control of suppression is so powerful that can kill everyone like an invisible knife.
Most of time, “puritan spirit” in the United States’ political culture that creates a tendency to oppose things such as alcohol and open sexuality[3],” which in the film is fully explained, no wine or sex behavior is allowed and they all live a puritan-like life and enjoy no fun.
So in the film, the two doctrines of Puritanism are demonstrated many times from different angles. The feeling of Puritanism can be perceived all through the film when patients sit around discussing boring topic, when they are forced to swallowed down the unknown pills, when they can not smoke enough cigarettes and when Billy is put down by nurse.
These are the demonstrations of puritan doctrines which still has impact on American life.
Reference：
[1] Online. Zhang xiaoxu. http://www.the-highway.com/articleFeb01.html 4th, June.
[2] Online. Zhang xiaoxu. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritanism 4th, June.
[3] James A. Morone (2003). Hellfire Nation: The Politics of Sin in American History. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300105177.
[Key words] Puritanism absolutely authority repression
Puritanism is a rather influential religious belief in American history. It made out several disciplines or doctrines, which could be found in many literature works, people’s lives or other places. It is also shown in the film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. But in the film, among all the principles of Puritanism, two major doctrines are presented, one is the absolutely authority and the other, the repression of sexuality and recreation. These two are demonstrated most in the film and we can find many instances.
The demonstration of absolutely authority
First comes to the demonstration of absolutely authority in the film. Actually speaking, “at the core of Puritan sentiment was an absolutely authoritative Scripture (r1), The Word of God governed and disciplined their lives.”1This is just like the oppressed ward which is controlled by Miss Ratched who obeys strictly on puritan rule, the supremacy of the divine will, the depravity of man, free grace, and predestination. The demonstration of this sort of Puritanism can be perceived from the content and conversation in several situations.
In the first meeting, Miss Ratched primarily mentions the problem between Mrs. Harding and his wife. Then they begin a discussion which gradually changes into a quarrel among all. However, although the meeting ends with shouting and crying, never changes the point which was initiated by Miss Ratched and always is their stress. During the whole process of the meeting, Miss Ratched does not say much, but she controls their minds and topic well. Her keeping of absolutely authority is presented through the never-changing topic here.
This situation indicates that everything is handled in her hand. Although the meeting ends with chaos, everything still goes under control of Miss Ratched who plays like God and represents the absolutely authority. Re-watching the move, we can find that from the beginning to the end, all patients’ discourse is around the topic which Miss Ratched said first.
During the second meeting, MuMurphy expresses his wish of watching baseball game which is out of Miss Ratched’s already-arranged daily routine work. So his suggestion is denied by nurse Ratched. The argument between the two again ends with triumph of Miss Ratched and disappointment and frustration of McMurphy. Here nurse once again shows her unchallenged authority, although sometime something disobedient appears, eventually it will be suppressed and killed. This meeting is another demonstration of puritan doctrine.
Her unfair absolutely authority also can be found in the third meeting in which two issues are discussed, the first one is about Billy’s private affair, and the second is about baseball game once again. She presses Billy to answer question which Billy does not want to talk about. Her behavior of forcing Bill to reveal his secret is once again a kind of embodiment of authority. Billy is unwilling to public his past, while Miss Ratched insists to do that under a pretext that it is a cure and goodness for him. In fact, Miss Ratched does really care about Billy’s love story or something else. What she really minds is whether her great image is challenged, whether everyone and everything goes as her orders and whether her authority is kept perfect-untouched. After discussing Billy’s problem, McMurphy the second time brings forwards watching baseball game issue which without doubt is vetoed by her the second time to make sure that the supreme authority plays efficiently and nothing is changed or challenged.
Then in the fourth meeting, the demonstration of efficiency of her authority reaches the highest when McMurphy gets known that almost everyone, except 3 patients, including him, is voluntary to stay here. Maybe this is most efficient control which manipulates human psychologically and another kind of authority.
There are many situations about this sort of puritan doctrine, but these four are more representative. She has a nickname “Big Nurse” which refers to an oppressive and all-knowing authority. She maintains her power by a wise use of shame and guilt, as well as by a determination to “divide and conquer” her patients physically and emotionally. This discuss above is about the puritan doctrine of authority.
The demonstration of sexual and recreation repression
Next comes to the demonstration of sexual and recreation repression in the film. Except the analysis above, “the word puritan is often used as an informal pejorative for someone who has strict views on sexual morality, disapproves of recreation, and wishes to impose these beliefs on others.”[2]
The repression of creation can be fully illustrated in one situation of a party on the eve of the day when McMurphy plans to escape, he calls his girl friend to take some wine and they held a happy party. During the whole film, we can find that no even one party is held and all they have are only some boring meetings and dull discussion. All of the patients enjoy the wine and celebrate the party in a crazy way, which reflects they are really suppressed for so long without a little creation.
There is another example of repression of creation, when Miss Ratched knows they gamble during the bath time with their cigarettes, she not only eliminates their shower privilege but also limits the amount of their cigarette given to them. As we all know, gambling and smoking are both common recreations among men who do this just for fun. However under the roof of mental ward and strict regulation, even such common behavior is forbidden severely. Any kind of recreations are not allowed and regarded as a violation of rules.
The suppression of sexual desire is illustrated in the situation when Miss Ratched knows that Billy loses his virginity with a prostitute. She becomes furious and feels shame on Billy. Sex is common and human nature, but in her concept, it is shame, evil and should not appear here. So she uses a crude way to express her hatred, which directly causes Billy’s death. She wins at least again. So the control of suppression is so powerful that can kill everyone like an invisible knife.
Most of time, “puritan spirit” in the United States’ political culture that creates a tendency to oppose things such as alcohol and open sexuality[3],” which in the film is fully explained, no wine or sex behavior is allowed and they all live a puritan-like life and enjoy no fun.
So in the film, the two doctrines of Puritanism are demonstrated many times from different angles. The feeling of Puritanism can be perceived all through the film when patients sit around discussing boring topic, when they are forced to swallowed down the unknown pills, when they can not smoke enough cigarettes and when Billy is put down by nurse.
These are the demonstrations of puritan doctrines which still has impact on American life.
Reference：
[1] Online. Zhang xiaoxu. http://www.the-highway.com/articleFeb01.html 4th, June.
[2] Online. Zhang xiaoxu. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritanism 4th, June.
[3] James A. Morone (2003). Hellfire Nation: The Politics of Sin in American History. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300105177.