The research facility demonstrated that it had the will (and means) to install and staff a field office to study Nell in her own "unspoiled" setting- the environment that made her such a fascinating subject of study. You'd think that they would prefer that setting over the prospect of a shellshocked, uncooperative subject taking up a room at HQ.
shareIt was an idictment of the mental health profession, and the way they handle anyone who is "different". While the doctors probably had good intentions of helping people with their study of Nell, they had no consideration for what was best for her.
shareTo be fair, the people who are in mental hospitals really need treatment. They can't function on their own. For people like that, it's either the street, or the psych ward. Not nice, but it isn't a matter of locking up people just because they don't fit in. There are people who compulsively do themselves real physical damage, and they need help to learn how to stop, and that's just one example. I'm not saying mistakes have never been made, I just mean to say that there are lots of good psychiatrists and psychologists out there who really are just trying to help people.
shareA lot of the people in mental hospitals do not belong there, and for those who do, "treatment" consisting of absolute obedience and mind-deadening drugs is not really helping. It's no better than prison, and I've seen this with children as well as adults in the supposedly nicest private places as well as state institutions. Something must be done.
Let's just say that God doesn't believe in me.
Psychiatrists are "educated" (indoctrinated) into being statist totalitarians who are driven to force ALL people (that they can get their grubby mitts on) into what they have been brainwashed by academia into believing is "normal". It is how "liberals" are conditioned.
"They sucked his brains out!"
They're not all like that. Thank God there are some who really think of the clients first and not themselves! Unfortunately, there are too many of the kind you said.
Let's just say that God doesn't believe in me.
what about that part of the movie where it is discussed what will happen now that the word has gotten out? Something to this effect was said...."first the press, then tv etc. and then talk shows, and soon Nell will need an agent and then something about a million dollars? I don't remember who foresaw all of that but wasn't that part of the reason to remove Nell from her isolation? to protect her from all of that so suddenly? As it was or as I interpreted it, the townspeople that were in the final courtroom scene listened to one of 'their' own speak to them. They now know she exists and what she is, and what she wants. So the final scene (five years later) makes sense......Her new friends are there wishing her happy birthday and spending time with her. She is happy and supposedly didn't have to endure what was speculated could happen to her. And she avoided the hospital by speaking her mind thru Jerry. We didn't clearly understand all that she said, only what Jerry interpreted....don't interpreters sometimes make up words to express the point being made?
shareThat's it exactly. When the people hear what she has to say, even through Jerry's interpretation, they aren't afraid of her and they see she is like them. Some of the older people may even remember Violet and be inclined to think well of her daughter. Once she is seen as just another person, even though she speaks differently and lives in the woods, there's no story and all the journalists have to go home.
Let's just say that God doesn't believe in me.
My assumption was that when you're in a research field, you tend to need flashy new things to get philanthropist to did you and grant writers new material because that's where the money is. Examples of "feral" human beings is so incrediably rare that having one to study would bring in big bucks for the research institution (I actually saw an example of this in a documentary about a real life feral child). I'm suprised that wasn't brought up.
share