One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey

One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Psychoanalytic Theory

In the novel 'One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; by Ken Kesley. Freud's psychoanalytic theory is continuously shown throughout the book with the struggle of the id, ego, and superego. According to Freud, each person's ego conflicts to create balance between the id and superego. Freud emphasizes the importance of the unconscious mind by stating that we lock away information through the process of repression. He went on to say, that important mental functions within the unconscious are the id, the primal instinct, ego, the mediator or reality, and superego, which is morality. In the novel 'One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' not all characters distinctly portray one of Freud's psychoanalytic

Bromden shows that in the story he eventually loses his sense of emotions, which in turn makes him seem constantly neutral. He says, "I forget sometimes what laughter can do" (Page 95). Bromden indicates that he hasn't been influenced by his superego in a long time that he isn't able to distinguish the positives. Bromden's id comes into play when he seems to become envious of the fact that McMurphy can be himself while Bromden seems to be stuck within the fog. He states, "It don't seem like I ever been me. How can McMurphy be what he is?" (Page 162). Bromden questions who he is, but seems to slightly show a hint of jealousy as he is unable to fully be who he wants. Allowing his instincts to drive his emotion toward McMurphy. Through this Bromden shows that he is normally in conflict with his inner emotions and doesn't fully accept his id or

Even though McMurphy tries to maintain his defiance against the laws of the nurse, he too shows a vulnerable side. Bromden says, "Everybody could hear the helpless, cornered despair in McMurphy's voice." (Page 274) McMurphy is drawn to Billy and Cheswick who are in need of support, when he sees their deaths as failure and feels a deep personal responsibility for their deaths. McMurphy finally gives into his superego one final time, before the end of the book, when Billy Bibbit committed suicide. Bromden claims,"When he finally doesn't care anymore about anything, but himself and his dying." (Page 319) McMurphy finally understands by continuously going with his instincts to go against the nurse won't get him anywhere, however finally noticing the moral of helping others and accepting his fate. McMurphy constantly has issues with going against his id, but when he does succumb to his superego, he appears to show more caring feelings toward others which seems to be a emotion he wants to