What Is The Main Theme Of INSTITUTIONALISED?

The core of 'Institutionalised' is the tension between conformity and selfhood. Think of dystopian classics like '1984,' where the system crushes dissent, or 'Brave New World,' where people are conditioned to love their chains. But it’s not just fiction—this theme pops up in anime like 'Tokyo Ghoul,' where Keneki fights against the CCG’s rigid categorizations. The system labels him a monster, but his humanity shines through his choices. Even in games like 'BioShock,' Rapture’s collapse shows how ideologies become prisons.

What’s chilling is how easily institutions justify cruelty. 'Institutionalised' stories often ask: Is rebellion futile, or is it the only moral choice? They make you question the rules you’ve internalized without realizing it.

In 'Institutionalised,' the main theme revolves around the struggle between individual identity and the oppressive systems that seek to control or erase it. The story often explores how characters navigate—or rebel against—structures like prisons, mental hospitals, or even societal norms that strip away autonomy. What fascinates me is how some narratives frame resistance as a form of sanity, like in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,' where McMurphy’s defiance becomes a beacon for others. But it’s not just about rebellion; sometimes, it’s about survival, like in 'Orange Is the New Black,' where characters adapt to prison life while clinging to fragments of their former selves.

The theme also digs into dehumanization—how institutions reduce people to numbers or diagnoses. There’s a heartbreaking realism in works like 'Shutter Island,' where the line between treatment and torture blurs. Yet, some stories offer hope, showing how solidarity can flourish even in the bleakest places. It’s a theme that resonates because it mirrors real-world struggles, from authoritarian regimes to rigid workplaces. Makes you wonder: how much of our own lives are shaped by invisible institutions?

At its heart, 'Institutionalised' is about power—who has it, who loses it, and how it corrupts. I’m reminded of 'the shawshank redemption,' where the prison system is a microcosm of societal control. Andy’s quiet resilience contrasts with the brutality of the warden, showing how institutions can break or forge people. Even in manga like 'Deadman Wonderland,' the prison-industrial complex turns suffering into entertainment, reflecting real-world exploitation.

But the theme isn’t all doom. Stories like 'Girl, Interrupted' reveal how institutions can also be spaces of unexpected kinship. The messy, flawed characters in Susanna Kaysen’s memoir find solidarity in shared struggles. It’s a reminder that humanity persists even in systems designed to stamp it out.

'Institutionalised' often explores the loss and reclaiming of agency. In 'A Clockwork Orange,' Alex’s 'rehabilitation' raises questions about free will versus forced morality. The theme echoes in games like 'Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice,' where mental illness is both a prison and a lens for truth. Whether it’s a literal asylum or societal expectations, the fight to define oneself against external forces is universal—and endlessly compelling.