Through Dysart's character Shaffer asks these questions and the audience struggles with them along with him. Although the plays central issue is Alan's mental stability, his passion is envied by Dysart and this envy becomes another important force. As much as Alan's internal struggle is a tension in the play, the morality of changing an individual is just as prominent. The question of "the value and justice of curing many of those individuals society considers insane" is one psychiatrists have been asking since Freud (Klein). Dr. R. D. Laing points out the difference between viewing a patient as an object-to-be-changed or as a person-to-be-accepted (Klein). Although insanity is considered a "disease" that does not necessarily mean that one must be cured and changed back to normal. If we assume that "normal" is ideal we discredit the individual. Normal must also be defined. The question of "What is normal?" is not so easily answered. Psychiatrist Carl Jung put great emphasis on the process of individuation. "He had a deep appreciation of our creative life and considered spirituality a central part of the human journey," which lead to his concerns with curing someone's individuality along with their pain (Hollis). Individuality is praised in society when it leads to positive things like art, inventions or new ideas. However, when individuality is played out in a negative or violent way the personality along with the bad actions are condemned. This double standard makes Dysart question his job and how he should deal with patients including Alan. Individuals are ones who "see and feel more deeply than ordinary folk Such depth is to be envied – isn't it?" Brantley asks readers, "even if it prohibits its possessors from fully belonging to human society." .
In Act 35, Dysart talks to Hesther about how he is going to take away Alan's pain and "his Field of Ha Ha, and give him Normal places for his ecstasy" (Shaffer 108).