What condition would have allowed McMurphy to avoid electroshock therapy, and does he meet that condition?

What condition would have allowed McMurphy to avoid electroshock therapy, and does he meet that condition?

• A. Admit he was wrong to Ratched; he refuses.
• B. Admit he was right to Ratched; he agrees.
• C. Escape from the ward to avoid electroshock therapy.
• D. Sign a release form to be exempt from treatment.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the ward uses a confession of fault as a lever to stop coercive treatments like electroshock. Admitting he was wrong to Nurse Ratched would have shown submission to her authority, which in the story is enough to halt further punishment and avoid the therapy. McMurphy does not meet that condition because he refuses to admit fault. Since he won’t concede, the ward can continue with the treatment, and the electroshock therapy goes ahead. Escaping the ward wouldn’t automatically satisfy the required condition, and signing a release form doesn’t override the hospital’s authority over his treatment. Admitting he was right would not fulfill the stated condition of admitting fault, so it wouldn’t avoid the therapy.

The main idea here is that the ward uses a confession of fault as a lever to stop coercive treatments like electroshock. Admitting he was wrong to Nurse Ratched would have shown submission to her authority, which in the story is enough to halt further punishment and avoid the therapy.

McMurphy does not meet that condition because he refuses to admit fault. Since he won’t concede, the ward can continue with the treatment, and the electroshock therapy goes ahead.

Escaping the ward wouldn’t automatically satisfy the required condition, and signing a release form doesn’t override the hospital’s authority over his treatment. Admitting he was right would not fulfill the stated condition of admitting fault, so it wouldn’t avoid the therapy.