Jesus wasn't the only one

Other Christian Martyrs

Martyrs of the 20th century

JFK's Sister was Lobotomized

Check this out. It is about Rosemary Kennedy, the younger sister (by one year) of JFK. She was lobotomized at the age of 23, in 1941, because she had mood swings and erratic behavior. Rosemary's father, Joseph Kennedy, feared that she would create controversy and damage his reputation, leading to the operation. Joseph didn't tell his wife about the procedure until after it happened and the family revealed that she was "mentally retarded" in 1961. This is a very sad story of a man putting his name before his children and it is similar to the Big Nurse and McMurphy. I think she lobotomized McMurphy to make sure she had control and power and Joseph lobotomized his daughter to make sure he retained political power. Both are example of getting power in an unjust way.

Charles Manson: a counterculture maniac

As I said in class last week, I've been really into a podcast called "You Must Remember This" by a woman named Karina Longworth. She does a multi-part series on Charles Manson and his cult, looking at their role in the late 1960s counter culture of California. He and his "family" provide an interesting antithesis to Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters since Manson often used hallucinogens to manipulate the women in his cult and take advantage of them (of course under the pretense of opening their minds). Charles Manson is a fascinating megalomaniac, and I'd suggest listening to all of the episodes, but if you want to listen to just one or two, focus on any of the first three that focus on Manson (episodes 44-47). You can find them for free on iTunes here. Or, you can go to the webpage for her podcast here.

Lobotomies

Click here to view an article about a small history of lobotomies. It takes a look at a specific doctor, Dr. Freeman, who performed over 25,000 lobotomies before he was outlawed to perform anyone. This reminded me of McMurphy's lobotomy at the end, as well as rationalized the patient's fear of what could happen to a person after a lobotomy had been performed. I now understand why the patients would follow the Nurse's every command, because she could schedule them to get one. Lobotomies are said to take a piece of a person's soul away. It is a good thing it is not practiced any longer. This article states that it became popular because people were so desperate to find a cure for severe mental illness, especially schizophrenia. It is a sad history for sure.

Interesting short interview with Kesey about his views concerning LSD

This is an interesting short snippet of an interview with Ken Kesey about his thoughts on LSD and acid. He voices how these drugs allow connections to me made in your mind and produce images that would not have been obtained otherwise. The ability to open these "doors" scare people, although Kesey thinks these news ways of thinking are beneficial. He also talks about how he believes LSD took part in great works of art in the early 1960's. This proves to be true with Kesey's own works and is clearly shown through the strangeness of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. 

The Electrocutioner

This is a link to an episode of Gotham where a mental patient begins to use electroshock therapy to help him escape from Arkham Asylum. After multiple attempts of electroshock therapy where he turns the other patient into a "vegetable", the Electrocutioner is able master the skill making others his minions. The Electrocutioner shows the audience how powerful and dangerous electroshock therapy is in the wrong person's hands. Like nurse Ratched, the Electrocutioner is able to use electricity to gain power over the other patients which ultimately helps him escape.

Alternative Cover Art

Here are some examples of cover art for other editions of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I really like these different depictions that emphasize the Chief's part in the story. In the first one, I really like the depiction of the Nurse who looks cruel and machine-like. I also think the idea of her taking out parts of the Chief's brain is very accurate, as she figuratively brainwashed many of the patients on the ward and literally took out part of McMurphy's brain. The second one is much simpler, but shows the Chief (or possibly another patient) going through shock therapy. The figure looks very robot like, though the viewer can tell that it is at least partially human, much like the patients on the ward. Finally, I love the image of the brain with one puzzle piece missing. I think this is a very good visual for the Chief's and other mental patients' brains, as they are not quite all there; however, in some cases it is possible for the piece to be found and returned to its proper place, like for the Chief when he leaves the ward and seems to exhibit general sanity. 

The Joker: Schizo, Mass Murderer and All Around Nice Guy

This is a video from the game Arkham Origins (an okay prequel worth playing) that shows the Joker undergoing a psycho evelutation from his soon to be wife, Harley Quinn. Turns out that the Joker is a schizophrenic. In the video, The joker goes on a rant regarding one's idenity, spirtuality, and life in general. His rant also goes on to point out his view of himself with society looking down on him.

Interview with Kesey

"Please Like Me" - TV Show About Mental Illness

I found this just when browsing the news, but it's a relatively new show.. only a few years old. The theme of mental illness isn't extremely prevalent, however the protagonist struggled with suicidal thoughts (eventually leading to his failed suicide attempt) and it's just about him going through the challenges that come with being a recently-out, young adult. This show incorporates mental illness with much lighter, gentler vibes than books like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Girl, Interrupted." It's refreshing to see mental illness not always associated with darker, grungier vibes.

Monologue of a Mental Patient

In my acting class, I found this monologue, and the way that Jane's perception was warped and more lethal/exaggerated reminded me of the Chief. Jane has just recovered from a nervous breakdown and has attempted suicide, and she is talking to her psychiatrist.

CNN: Behind the Walls of a Mental Hospital

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/health/cnnphotos-lahore-pakistan-mental-hospital/

This article about a mental ward in Pakistan; the photographer was warned that the patients were going to be violent but rather he found that they were actually sweet, kind people. Furthermore, Aun Raza (the photographer/ journalist) said that some of the patients seemed saner to him then other people he met outside of the world. Mental patients are still much very outcasts in society, much like the patients in the Ward. This article allows readers to see what it's like to be inside a mental ward in 2015- which although there are some differences from the ward in the book there are still many similarities. For example many of these patients are there for life because their families cannot afford the meds they would need to live outside the mental hospital. (It even mentions the book!)