What is the purpose of Spivey's carnival suggestion?

• A. To create a morale-boosting event for the ward.
• B. To showcase the staff's control over patients.
• C. To test a new treatment.
• D. To celebrate the ward's anniversary.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is understanding why a patient would propose something like a carnival in the ward. Spivey’s suggestion is meant to lift spirits and give the residents a sense of normalcy and shared joy amid the oppressive routines of the institution. It’s about morale: a chance for patients to participate in something fun, feel a moment of freedom, and build camaraderie with one another, which can undermine the despair that the ward aims to impose.

This isn’t about testing a treatment, and it isn’t primarily a display of staff power or a celebration of an anniversary. The point of the carnival is the emotional benefit for the patients, a brief respite that reaffirms their humanity and agency even within the system.