Both of the texts raise questions regarding society and the need for conformity, meaning characters that are deviant are forced into conflict with themselves or society. This idea is reflected in both texts in two forms, including homosexuality and insanity. The character Harding from Cuckoo’s nest and the sub-character of Blanches boy husband in St. Car are both representative of the sexual prejudice in society against homosexuality, addressed by both texts. Harding is described in a femine manor “Slim ivory hands”, insinuating that he is a repressed homosexual; again validating that appearance symbolises and reflects sexuality. The introduction of his aesthetically pleasing wife and continual references to his failure to sexually fulfil his wife’s desire “lack the sexual ability to make the grade” suggests that Harding is aware of his sexuality but also of the response it will receive from society-causing him to deny and repress his sexuality. As a result of refusing to acknowledge his sexuality Harding has ended up in a state institution. “I simply need the nurse to make me happy with my role”, his conflict with society because of his sexuality, means the creation of sub-narratives that run parallel to the main narrative. Harding’s denial of his sexual preferences reflects the indoctrination described extensively in Cuckoo’s Nest “there ain’t no point bucking the system” caused by society’s control. “Society decides who’s sane and who isn’t so you got to measure up” making Harding believe he is ill “Boxed out of his mind”, when he is just ‘unconventional’ in society’s view.
This concept is also conveyed in St.Car through Blanche’s boy husband “there was something different about the boy”, His eventual suicide was a result of the persecution he received from society, which takes shape in the form of Blanche “you disgust me…”. This cameo character also demonstrates the inability to admit ones sexuality because of social pressures to conform “the help he needed but couldn’t speak of”. The conflict that arises from this event is an underlying basis of the narrative, providing reasoning and insight into Blanche, the character and her deviance from society, and further providing evidence into how sexuality has a great bearing upon the conflicts of the individual against society.
The character Blanche symbolises another social minority. In resisting the conformity of accepting the decay of Southern America Blanche is forced into conflict with herself in an effort to cling to what once was “Belle Reve”, meaning beautiful dream. Sexuality features as a poignantly symbolic illustration of the downfall of this character, sexuality being also an elaborate part of her character and display of her conflicts. Blanche is euphemistic and coy about her sexual past despite it being one of the complete opposite: “yes, I had many intimacies with strangers…to pay for one night’s shelter”. The contradictory manner in which Blanche pursues her life is significant of the force to comply with society, which is felt by her. The dual nature of her personality as a result of societies expectations compels her into a state of insanity, or what is perceived to be insanity by the majority. The use of dramatic irony as a language device emphasizes Blanches truths to the audience “I couldn’t believe her story and go on living with Stanley”, this statement by Stella is also a reflection on society, with irony used to undermine it, as Blanche has earlier compromised herself through her sexuality, she is not believed when she states rape. Indicating a “democratic community” that condemns a minority. Blanche is representative of the demise of the southern states of America, again portraying her sexual minority to be symbolic of intolerance and discrimination on a mass scale within society. Blanche is weak and denies her sexuality whereas Stanley is open about his sexuality making him mentally stronger, therefore one can argue that the conflicts that arise in Blanche, like Harding are caused by not embracing ones sexuality. The strength of each character stems from the mind but is represented using the physical; sexuality is the tool that combines them both to create a character to the audience/reader.
In contrast to Blanche and Harding’s denial of sexuality and its resulting weakness, the characters Stanley and McMurphy are symbolically open and demonstrative of their own sexuality and its use as a powerful device to gain or portray dominance. The act of rape is coupled to both characters “he picks up her inert figure and carries her to the bed” Stanley and “statutory with a girl of-” McMurphy both exerting strength through the physical control of rape. Alternatively there is also a frequent reference to the metaphorical rape and sexual battle that occurs between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy “get a bone up over that buzzard”. The physical rape of Blanche De Bois by Stanley and the Metaphorical Rape of the Nurse by McMurphy are indicative of the Zenith reached by these two characters in the narrative. Rape therefore, symbolising the point at which full strength of these characters has been reached, showing that sexuality is symbolic in illustrating the progression of the narrative through its two evocative characters.
Another use of sexuality in both texts comes in the form of sexism. The loss of sexuality for female characters in a position of strength appears to denote their power, sexuality signifying weakness, as women must remove it to be come powerful. This is shown in the texts by the description of “she chooses to ignore those outsized badges of feminity”, Nurse Ratched or “Divested of all the softer properties of woman hood” The Matron in St. Car. The lack of femininity; femininity being a badge of sexuality, by those in power gives explanation into the femine descriptions of weak characters such as Harding or Mitch.. Sexuality can therefore said to be strengthening or weakening depending on the characters position in the narrative or within society. The character Blanche further raises questions about the different allowances and the lack of equality at the time between men and women “if you’d done this, it wouldn’t cost me that!” when Blanche is being persecuted for her promiscuous past by Mitch she highlights to the audience that a man would be congratulated for having done what she did, reflecting on society’s discriminative nature, seen earlier with the character Harding. Woman and homosexuals are represented as weak by both texts as a reflection of their position in society’s eye. For McMurphy the loss of sexuality is synonymous with the loss of identity, this is evident in the text “frontal lobe castration” “ball-cutter”. This being greater emphasized by the emasculation of the men by the language used by female characters when in confrontation. “Boy” used by both Nurse Ratched and Blanche suggest sexual predation, the men have been reduced to boys thus elevating the women into positions of power. The sexual battles that occur between the Nurse and McMurphy, and Blanche and Stanley are representative of the battle of equality in society, both texts were written in the 1950’s or 1960’s, a time rife with a change in position for women and men as a result in society due to WW2.
However the dominance of a female character over a male is presented in a negative way through the characters of “B-B-B-Bill-y B-B-Bib- Bet” and Mitch, both controlled by domineering mothers. The result of the mothers’ power ensured that both characters were maintained immature, weak and dependant on them, thus causing them to display behaviours considered abnormal in society. Billy is institutionalised by choice “you’re not committed?” and Mitch remains in the control of his mother “too dirty to bring in the house with my mother”. In knowing that both texts represent society one can assume that female power was not a welcome development within society’s rulers; mainly men at this time. The women in power are described inhuman terms e.g. the Nurse is described as an “accurate, precision made machine” and the Matron has her human qualities removed “her voice is bold and toneless, like the fire bell”. This exaggerates to the reader/audience the negative view that is required to be adopted of the women in power. If this opinion were not adopted then there would be no empathy from the audience for the victims of their power and the text would fail to question society.
The women in power can be said to also represent the controllers of society “The Combine” indicating the attitude of society to the first women in power, although this is not necessarily true as the division between men and women in both texts, may stand as a literary device for indicating the extremity of the differences between those in power and the rest of society. The sexuality of each individual used throughout both the play; ‘A street car named Desire’ and the novel; ‘One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest’ relates the to the audience, the ideas addressed by the authors; Tennessee Williams and Ken Kesey, to construct the narrative using a variety of literary techniques and devices. Conclusively the capacity of sexual feelings within the individual can be said to be central to the development of significant characters within the narrative. Sexuality is responsible for the establishment of character identity and thus defining its role in context to the audience/reader. Sexuality develops sub-plots that run parallel to the main narrative by introducing small-scale conflicts within individual characters. Both texts rely heavily on the contrasting sexualities of individuals to portray conflicts that are reflective of the mass conflicts that occur within society. Both texts create a window into society with each character representing a different aspect, McMurphy and Stanley representing male dominance and non-conformity, Blanche also representing non conformity, Harding and Blanches boy husband representing Homosexuality, The Nurse and Matron are representative of the social control and women’s changing position in society. There is some crossing over of complex characters across the roles discussed yet a discriminative society is addressed from every angle by both texts through the use of sexuality.
Description of the character McMurphy from One flew over the cuckoo’s nest, P-12.
McMurphy, One flew over the Cuckoos nest, P-100.
Stanley from St.Car, throws this up to Stella His wife.
Description of Stanley from St.Car.
Harding’s hands are said to be the colour of ivory “carved each other out of soap”.
Blanche is related to pale colours consistently throughout.
Mitch says this to Blanche during her mental decline.
The house Blanche once lived in Southern America, part of the decline of slave labour and Southern way.
The hospital ward is likened to that of a democratic community by those in power.
Both terms of castration are used in description of the Nurse’s desire to emasculate and thus gain power over the men.
He has a stutter as a result of his persecution from society.
A metaphorical representation of society as a machine, from the narrative voice Bromden.