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Why was Chief even institutionalized in the first place?

posted 8 years ago by dudebropal
3 replies | jump to latest

I just don't understand why he was in a mental institution at all. One realizes throughout the film, that he is a perfectly functional and rational human being, just like McMurphy, who has no real reason or right to be even there in the first place.

So, why he is even there at all, pretending to be a mental patient, really escapes my wits. Pretending to be deaf and mute (supposedly to avoid interaction with the nutjobs in the ward) does make little sense to me as well, because those physical disorders are not a justification to be in an institution, nor are an advisable way to deal with mental people, because it is extremely difficult to pull that off. He could have gotten rid of them simply by being assertive, even more so because of his size and intimidating looks.

So, if anyone read the novel, can you please tell me WHY he was even a patient there, in the first place? Because, by watching the movie, I just couldn't find out any explanation for that situation.

[–] cheekyfilm 8 years ago

As a young man, the Chief was a high school football star, a college student, and a war hero. After seeing his father, a Native American chieftain, humiliated at the hands of the U.S. government and his (white) wife, Chief Bromden descends into clinical depression and begins hallucinating. Soon he is diagnosed with schizophrenia. He believes society is controlled by a large, mechanized system which he calls "The Combine."

[–] SnoozeAlarm 8 years ago

>>> He believes society is controlled by a large, mechanized system which he calls "The Combine."

But it is.

Scariest words in English: We’re from the federal government and we’re here to help. R. Reagan

[–] Ashura95 8 years ago

I've never read the book, but from the movie I get the sense that Chief didn't know how to function in society so he fakes having mental problems so that the hospital will take him and "take care" of him for him. Just like how McMurphy fakes being crazy to be in a hospital that's cozy compared to prison, Chief did the same thing. As for being "deaf and dumb", that was just to put the hospital ward off their guard around him, so that he won't slip up and they catch on to his ruse.