Similarities Between One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest And The Great Gatsby

Ken Kesey and F. Scott Fitzgerald depict two different societies that influence the character’s and narrator’s happiness and actions. Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” portrays an environment with freedom of speech and the ability to go anywhere they choose, yet cannot find the happiness they desire. Within both novels the societies vary; In Fitzgerald’s “Great Gatsby” and Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”; Jay Gatsby attempts to fit into a society to capture the attention of his former lover, also bringing the narrator, Nick, to come into realization of the reality of a wealthy society; While, McMurphy rebels against the society in a ward that enforces a strict routine, in his efforts of convincing patients that they

The “Great Gatsby” depicted a society of wealth that leaves you unsatisfied and wanting more. Gatsby dedicated his life to continue striving for the goal of power and wealth, which furthermore led him to corruption and rejection. His efforts to grab Daisy Buchanan’s attention constantly led to feel rejected from her actions and his own efforts. How society functions in West Egg changes Nick’s opinion on the civilization revolving fortune and corruption. Meanwhile, in the psychiatric ward, the patients are limited to a strict society by Nurse Ratched, main supervisor of the ward, influencing the patients for the worst, instead of improving their stability. Nurse Ratched’s common pattern of classifying the patients made them feel worthless; she divided each patient into the chronic or acutes, as Chief Bromden explains, “What the chronics are—or most of us – are machines with flaws inside that cant be repaired flaws born in, or flaws neat in over so many years.” (Kesey 90.) McMurphy is driven to make a change due to the injustice shown toward the patients, and by doing so he allows the patients realize their self worth and sanity over time. McMurphy changes the course of life for many, meaning life or death for a majority of the patients living in the

Gatsby goes to the extremes of changing his name and moving from the west to the north of West Egg, New York to illegally inherit his wealth through criminal activity, in attempt to win Daisy’s love and affection once again. While living in West Egg, Gatsby creates gaudy, well known parties to try to attract Daisy’s attention from East Egg. He does not discontinue his pursuit of capturing Daisy’s love, leading to a summer relationship consisting of lies and adultery. He is obsessed with his past and trying to recreate the happiest years of his life while being in a relationship with Daisy, as Nick