One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Summary
20th Century History of the Treatment of Mental Illness:
A Review This article describes the development and advances in psychiatry over the twentieth century, which informs a study of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by providing a context for the film's portrayal of the mental hospital, patients, staff and procedures. Palmer notes that early on, mental illness was considered an incurable disease of personal failing or spirituality. Now, mental illness is thought to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Asylums were created with the intention of removing "lunatics" from the community for recovery. The article also discusses various experimental treatments, noting that the lobotomy procedure became very popular for its ability …show more content…
Media representations can significantly affect public images of people who experience mental health problems, particularly when media paints them as dangerous or violent. The article points to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as a well-known representation of madness and cites a study of college students who had considerable negative changes in attitude after watching the film, but no changes after watching a television documentary, which illustrates its influence. The article also addresses the relationship between film representation and newspaper reporting of mental illness, which both communicate societal values via symbolic forms. Crossover between fiction and reality demonstrates society's obsession with the individual. The article also argues that the notion that film representation and newspaper reporting of mental illness are solely responsible for the formulation of public opinion is a myth; the audience plays an active role in creating meanings based on previous interactions with the media and other life experience. Finally, the article discusses current government efforts to build health promotion into national mental health policy and tackle stigmatization through working with producers of newspapers and films. In taking these steps, the article argues that it is important to recognize the ways in which real stories relating to mental illness coincide with fictional depictions and to come to understand the nature of audience consumption of
A Review This article describes the development and advances in psychiatry over the twentieth century, which informs a study of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by providing a context for the film's portrayal of the mental hospital, patients, staff and procedures. Palmer notes that early on, mental illness was considered an incurable disease of personal failing or spirituality. Now, mental illness is thought to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Asylums were created with the intention of removing "lunatics" from the community for recovery. The article also discusses various experimental treatments, noting that the lobotomy procedure became very popular for its ability …show more content…
Media representations can significantly affect public images of people who experience mental health problems, particularly when media paints them as dangerous or violent. The article points to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as a well-known representation of madness and cites a study of college students who had considerable negative changes in attitude after watching the film, but no changes after watching a television documentary, which illustrates its influence. The article also addresses the relationship between film representation and newspaper reporting of mental illness, which both communicate societal values via symbolic forms. Crossover between fiction and reality demonstrates society's obsession with the individual. The article also argues that the notion that film representation and newspaper reporting of mental illness are solely responsible for the formulation of public opinion is a myth; the audience plays an active role in creating meanings based on previous interactions with the media and other life experience. Finally, the article discusses current government efforts to build health promotion into national mental health policy and tackle stigmatization through working with producers of newspapers and films. In taking these steps, the article argues that it is important to recognize the ways in which real stories relating to mental illness coincide with fictional depictions and to come to understand the nature of audience consumption of