Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Birds and the Bees
This topic, though it is a major theme of the novel, has never really surfaced in our class discussions, probably because it is more than a little awkward - sex. Well, that's not entirely true. Sexuality was discussed just two days ago, though the person discussing failed to recognize the sexual implications of the quote - McMurphy comments that Bromden has "'growed a half a foot already'" (224). While slightly creepy, these references are important. Whether we have acknowledged it or not, sexual references abound in this book. McMurphy, for example, constantly cracks sexual jokes. Sex represents more than an outlet for humor, though - it becomes a symbol for sanity. Unlike the other members of the ward, who have been stripped of their masculinity, McMurphy flaunts his sexuality, paralleling his sanity - he speaks at great length about many of his sexual partners, wears his Moby-Dick boxer shorts, and uses playing cards which depict fifty-two distinct sexual positions. McMurphy's refusal to conform to society mirrors his refusal to desexualize himself. Throughout the book, McMurphy attempts to pass on this stubborn nonconformity to the other members of the ward, and it works - he convinces Billy Bibbit to lose his virginity to Candy (though this admittedly does not end well). As the men become more sexual, they become more sane as well. By the end of the novel, most of the Acutes leave the hospital, free to express their newfound sexuality in the real world. This is not to say that if you are not having sex you are insane. But it's something you might want to think about.
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Thank you, Alex, for pointing this out. I realized the meaning of the "growed a half a foot already" quote as I was reading, but didn't say anything is class, fearing that I had inferred sexual content where there wasn't any. But sexuality obviously plays a huge part in McMurphy's character, and a large part of the nurses power is that she removes sexuality. We should probably be able to talk about this in class since it's central to the novel, even though people will most likely feel awkward.
ReplyDeleteWow, Alex, what an interesting observation. Like Sarah, I realized the meaning of the "growed a half a foot already" but I failed to realize its deeper importance. However, now that you point it out, I can clearly see the parallel between sanity and sexuality. I just noticed as well that on the boat trip, the patients not only acted "normally" but also seemed to let loose. This "normality" surfaced with a young woman on the boat with whom the men interacted, especially McMurphy, further illustrating the parallel between sexuality and sanity. I wonder if we avoided the topic of sexuality in class because people felt awkward talking about it, or if, like me, the class overlooked the parallel between sexuality and sanity.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I'm not gonna give you a compliment sandwich here, I disagree with you for the most part. Sexuality is indeed a large part of McMurphy's character, but that does not make him any more sane than the other patients. He was arrested for raping a sixteen year-old girl. I would not call that sane. When Billy lost his virginity, he may have seemed unafraid of the Big Nurse, but that could have easily been the aftermath of a night of drinking. Harding's sexual nature towards his wife and their relationship led him to the asylum. Also, you can't forget how many times the Nurse hides her natural sexuality. If anything, sex in this novel represents insanity, not the other way around.
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