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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest In what ways does Ken Kesey position the reader to condemn a social society? Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a psychological drama set in an Oregon psychiatric hospital known as ‘the combine’(p. 11) which explores the idea of condemning a social society. Using language features and narrative techniques such as characterisation, Ken Kesey is able to allow the reader to judge a social society. The main character, Randle McMurphy is a criminal who had been transferred to the hospital. Kesey uses characterisation to portray the themes of power in women, rebellion and the reality of insanity. These themes are used to enable the audience to reflect on social society. In the novel, One …show more content…

Randle McMurphy is a key character who QUOTE starts to challenge the system, he uses different traits of his in order to do this, such as his stubbornness, wild temper and free spirit. He does this in small ways at first, such as asking that 'ward policy' be changed so that they can watch the World Series, and is shocked to find the men so unwilling to vote. QUOTE. Another more symbolic example is his attempt to lift the control panel, a feat which he will clearly be unable to achieve; but he makes the point that he tried, which is more than any of the other men would think to do. QUOTE. On several occasions, McMurphy’s wild temper benefits him in his battles with the Big Nurse for control of the mental ward. QUOTE. McMurphy wishes to live his life on his own terms, not that of the social standard, and he spreads this mentality to the others in the ward. This is one reason why the others look up to him so much. He helps them regain some control over their lives during his stay on the ward. McMurphy does this by teaching them how to laugh again, saying that "you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy" (p. ). Chief Bromden narrates “I realised all of a sudden that’s the first laugh I’ve heard in years” (p. 17). In the novel, laughter is portrayed as therapeutic, it represents freedom and an escape from Nurse Ratched’s restrictions. Laughter also plays a vital role in helping the patients deal with their problems and gives them a push toward progress on getting out of the institution. McMurphy also releases his rebellious nature to the others by standing up against all the ward policies that he disagrees with. He does not wish for his life to be dictated to him by rules and

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Nurse Ratched was very controlling and wanted complete power. This caused many of the patients to rebel and break loose from her control. McMurphy lead the ward in this uprising. From brushing his teeth too early to sneaking prostitutes into the ward, he shows Nurse Ratched that she cannot rule him. This story reminded me of Malala Yousafzai and her retaliation against the Taliban.

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Each incident with McMurphy makes her lose her composure, revealing that she is not as powerful as the men perceive. A powerful example of this is when McMurphy smashes her glass windows to prove to her that she is not going to imprison him. When McMurphy smashes the glass, it “came apart like water splashing, and the nurse threw her hands to her ears” (Kesey 201). Previously, McMurphy decided to yield to Nurse Ratched’s rules in fear that he would be kept forever, but when he breaks the glass, he decides to fight for their freedom

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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey

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2. In the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, Kesey uses images of machinery to compare to Big Nurse, Miss Ratched, and the black boy because of the control they maintain in the ward and destroy the patients individuality. As Chief Bromden, the narrator, is thinking about over the years with Miss Ratched, he describes, “I see her sit in the center of this web of wires like a watchful robot, tend her network with mechanical insect skill, know every second which wire runs where and just what current to send up to get to the result she want” (Kesey 29). Miss Ratched is conveyed as a robot by the Chief with how she controls and knows how to control the ward and the people in it.

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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey

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The nurse’s claims are stated when she says, “I’ll admit that my first thought when I began to recognize Mr. McMurphy for the disturbing force that he is was that he should most definitely be sent up to Disturbed.” Until, she contradicts this statement when she adds “We have weeks, or months, or even years if need be. Keep in mind that Mr. McMurphy is committed. The length of time he spends in this hospital is entirely up to us.” Seeing that he is trapped, McMurphy is anxious and struggles to remain calm, cool, and collected with the idea that the nurse may punish him severely with either option she has

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Ted Bundy, born Theodore Robert Cowell, was a sinister serial killer. He is a white male who started his killing rampage around age 28, with an IQ of about 123. He showed no remorse for his crimes and committed them over and over. His case paved the way for novels and films about serial killers. Bundy had a condition known as Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) which is what made him such a successful killer.

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The Beat Generation of the 1950’s and early 1960’s encouraged a new lifestyle for young Americans striving for individualism and freedom, which included rock and roll music, long hair, relaxed style attire, vegetarianism, and experimenting with drugs (“Beat Movement”). Many young Americans of this era wanted to experiment with new social and cultural concepts, rebelling against “normal” American life. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, written by Ken Kesey, portrays the gruesomeness of conformity through the lives of patients in one of the asylum’s wards. The novel shows how the patients are confined to strict rules and limited freedom because of Nurse Ratched’s power.

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When McMurphy first arrives, the patients were very confused by his upbeat, loud and confident personality. When McMurphy introduces himself to Bromden, he states, “Chief, you may be big, but you shake my hand or I’ll consider it an insult”(Kesey pg23). Bromden doesn’t know what to make of McMurphy's comment, but he immediately took a strong liking to the new patient. As McMurphy begins to challenge the nurses by pulling off antics such as sitting and watching the blank television, he provides Bromden and the other patients with comedic relief. This is something the men haven't experienced during their time on the ward.

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One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey reveals the insensitive treatment and dehumanization of the mentally ill. The origin of the book is a story of an individual in a mental hospital. Ken Kesey’s character observes the daily life in a psych ward and reveals

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McMurphy is the inciting force to the conflict in the novel. One of McMurphy's main objectives in competing

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This madness in Mcmurphy gives the men hope throughout the novel. The irrational behavior can be judge as reasonable in many cases. Mcmurphy is a big, loud and confident man. He’s different from many other patients in the ward. When he first entered the ward he was laughing and telling jokes.

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Perspective In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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The characters in the book have formed a mutual relationship with Nurse Ratched that allows them to take advantage of her. They know her weak points as well as how to get the doctor on their side to support them in the battle against her. McMurphy acts out partially for the attention of being the hero in the ward and partially to feel in charge of an aspect of his life that he has no control over. The other patients look up to him as the courageous patient that can help them get their way, which was never possible before. They all want to feel empowered and have the power to make their own decisions and can fulfill that desire by pushing Nurse Ratched around.

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Conformity In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Essay

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In the struggle between freedom and power, McMurphy’s sacrifice allows freedom to prevail. His leadership in a rising rebellion parallels many of the countercultures that arose during the 1960s. His rebellion fights against Nurse Ratched in the way that the countercultures fought against the government and society in the past to the present. The men in the asylum are unknowingly unhappy before the arrival of McMurphy. Through his antics, the men are saved from society in the form of Nurse Ratched’s regime.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, considers the qualities in which society determines sanity. The label of insanity is given when someone is different from the perceived norm. Conversely, a person is perceived as sane when their behavior is consistent with the beliefs of the majority. Although the characters of this novel are patients of a mental institution, they all show qualities of sanity. The book is narrated by Chief Brodmen, an observant chronic psychiatric patient, who many believe to be deaf and dumb.

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1468 Words | 6 Pages

Ken Kesey author of the fictional novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest published in 1962 has taken the opportunity to write about the hippy culture and how society shames difference. Readers are taken to a mental institution in Oregon in the 1950’s and experience what it is like for the outcast people. The men in the ward are run by Nurse Ratched and have lost control of themselves. Majority of these men are in the mental hospital because they have checked themselves in, but not McMurphy he is a convict there for psych evaluation. Do to Nurse Ratched the men loses control over themselves and they haven’t realized till McMurphy walked through the door.

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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Analysis Essay

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His rebellious and free mind makes the patients open their eyes and see how the have been suppressed. His appearance is a breath of fresh air and a look into the outside world for the patients. This clearly weakens Nurse Ratched’s powers, and she sees him as a large threat. One way or another, McMurphy tends to instigate changes of scenery. He manages to move everyone away from her music and watchful eye into the old tube room.

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