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One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Fog Analysis

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In the novel,One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey utilizes the motif of fog in order to provide a symbolic representation of Chief’s escape from reality to one's own comfort zone, ultimately suggesting that society perceives others on the basis of social standards.

Just as the fog is said to be a place of tranquility, in the novel the fog symbolises Chief’s escape from reality. As Chief is about to go to bed after talking with Public relations he says “Nobody complains about all the fog. I know why, now: as bad as it is, you can slip back in it and feel safe. That's what McMurphy can't understand, us wanting to be safe. He keeps trying to drag us out where we’d be easy to get at” (Kesey, 128). Here Kesey suggests that the fog is a region where Chief can escape from the pressure of reality and be accepted for who he truly is. This could be thought of as Chief’s comfort zone where he would not like to escape since he has not much to live for. This is contrary to …show more content…

He is a normal being of society and is not insane. Just as Chief finished his dose of Electroshock Therapy ,or EST, he says “And when the fog was finally swept from my head it seemed like I’d just come after a long, deep dive, breaking the surface after being under water a hundred years”(289). Here Kesey conveys that even though living under the comfort of the fog does seem applicable to many, it is in fact a rather dreadful living situation. Chief is now “cured” and can at last see the reality of life. Being under water represents how Chief was under the influence of authority over his own ideas. And now feels as if he has broken out to the surface and can respect himself for who he truly is. This ultimately suggests how society is now understanding and accepting of others outside the usual social

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