‘The Insane Ones’ is a thought-provoking short story written in 1962 by British author J. G. Ballard (1930-2009). Set in a dystopian future, the narrative explores a world where various nations have been consolidated under a totalitarian regime called the United World (UW). In this unsettling universe, psychiatry has been abolished, allowing individuals with mental health issues to live as they please, but at the cost of facing severe legal repercussions for any crimes they commit.
‘The Insane Ones’: Plot Summary
The story is situated in a world that has enacted a controversial law known as ‘Mental Freedom,’ which forbids any form of psychiatric treatment for those suffering from mental illnesses. In this new social order, the mentally ill are permitted to navigate their lives freely, provided they are held accountable for their actions.
The protagonist, Dr. Charles Gregory, is a psychiatrist whose life has been irrevocably altered after serving a three-year prison sentence for practicing psychiatry illegally in France. His crime involved treating a young girl who, unbeknownst to him, was the daughter of the President-General of the UW. Tragically, she died following a raid on his illicit clinic, leading to his conviction and imprisonment.
As the story unfolds, Gregory finds himself driving along the coast of North Africa when he picks up a hitchhiker, a young girl named Carole Sturgeon. She recognizes him as the disgraced psychiatrist and implores him to assist her friend. However, Gregory, wary of the repercussions he faced for helping a patient in the past, declines her request. The two of them ultimately stay at the same motel, each in separate rooms, planning to continue their journeys the following day.
The next morning, Gregory is awakened by the news that Carole has tragically taken her own life by cutting her throat in her motel room. Upon learning from the police that she was actually the daughter of a prominent official at the Cairo Embassy and had recently escaped from an American hospital, Gregory is left to grapple with the implications of her death. He is tormented by the thought that the oppressive laws surrounding ‘Mental Freedom’ have contributed to her demise.
As he drives away in despair, Gregory curses Bortman, one of the oligarchs responsible for the enactment of the oppressive Mental Freedom laws, blaming him for the death of Carole Sturgeon. He is caught in a moral quandary, torn between his desire to help those in need and the legal constraints that prevent him from doing so.
Upon arriving in Algiers, Gregory reaches out to an old colleague, Philip Kalundborg, who paints a grim picture of life in the United States since the new legislation was enacted. He describes a society in which individuals frequently take their own lives, and the world at large is descending into chaos, which he likens to a madhouse. In stark contrast, North Africa maintains a more brutal approach to those deemed insane, as people with schizophrenia are subjected to blinding and confinement in cages for public display.
While conversing with Kalundborg, a young man named Christian approaches, seeking assistance. However, Kalundborg refuses to help him. Upon returning to his room, Gregory discovers Christian rummaging through his belongings. Christian reveals that Bortman was responsible for having his father disbarred, leading the man to take his own life. In his quest for revenge, Christian expresses his intent to kill Bortman.
As Christian attempts to leap out of the window, Gregory intervenes, managing to pull him back inside. The young man, laughing, suggests that Gregory could face legal trouble for saving him from his suicidal impulse. Christian presents Gregory with a heartbreaking dilemma: if he assists Christian in overcoming his obsession with avenging his father, he would be violating the law by ‘curing’ a psychiatric patient. However, if he refuses to help, he risks being complicit in any violent act Christian might carry out against Bortman.
Over the next two months, Gregory engages in analysis with Christian, ultimately helping him overcome his fixation on Bortman. Just as Christian prepares to return to the States, he reveals a chilling realization: now that he has regained his sanity, he feels a compelling need to kill Bortman and strike a blow against the oppressive system. Gregory is left in a state of helplessness, calling after Christian as he leaves, fully aware that the impending murder will be attributed to him, the malevolent psychiatrist.
‘The Insane Ones’: Analysis
Although J. G. Ballard was not fond of the label dystopian to describe his work, many of his early short stories, including ‘The Insane Ones’ and ‘The Watch-Towers,’ grapple with themes of totalitarianism and surveillance in a manner reminiscent of Orwell, while also establishing their own unique narrative style.
‘The Insane Ones’ serves as a prime example of Ballard’s adeptness at addressing totalitarianism, as his exploration of this subgenre of dystopian fiction remains both ambiguous and, one might argue, satirical. Indeed, satire can carry serious undertones, and one of the most intriguing aspects of this story is its premise, which dances on the brink of dark comedy.
The notion of banning psychiatrists from treating the mentally ill presents a chilling scenario. However, the absurdity of presenting this idea as a form of twisted ‘freedom’ adds layers of irony to the narrative. Ballard invites readers to contemplate the notion of granting the mentally unstable the liberty to act on their most chaotic impulses, provided they are ready to face the consequences of their actions. This is not true freedom; it is a mirage of autonomy, akin to telling a law-abiding citizen, ‘You are free to do as you wish, including breaking the law, but you will face justice for your actions.’
In Ballard’s narrative, the so-called ‘insane ones’ are bestowed with an illusory freedom—freedom from psychiatric care and analysis. But the question arises: why would the totalitarian regime, represented by the enigmatic figure of Bortman, seek to undermine the psychological sciences? Ballard reveals early in the story that the assault on psychiatry originated as a backlash against subliminal psychological techniques that advertisers employed to manipulate society. He explores the idea that psychiatrists are viewed as part of a dubious network of psychological manipulators who wield their power to control and condition the masses.
Ultimately, the United World government prioritizes maintaining control over the populace, even at the expense of increased violence, suicide, and murder. In their eyes, it is preferable to relinquish psychiatric care than to allow the enigmatic ‘mind manipulators’ to retain their influence.