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Use Of Christian Imagery In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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Through Ken Kesey’s use of Christian imagery throughout One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but especially in this final section, Kesey allows McMurphy’s altruistic ways to shine through, giving the men of the ward a sense of individuality. Foremost, Kesey utilize a biblical reference when Bromden describes McMurphy as “a giant come out of the sky to save us from the Combine” (234). Bromden’s description is a direct reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ. In the book of Mark, it is described that “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). In this way, Kesey compares McMurphy to Christ’s second coming. The purpose of Christ’s second coming is to save His faithful believers from the …show more content…

Billy, in this way, is comparable to Peter, in that when he is confronted about his actions that McMurphy led him to complete, he denied them stating “They m-m-made me! Please, M-Miss Ratched, they may-may-MAY-!” (265). As an audience, we know this is not accurate, as Billy was proud of actions “[taking] the girl’s hand in his and [grinning],” proudly introducing her, stating “This is Candy” (263). Here, Kesey implements this Christian comparison to explain, that although McMurphy is leading these men to independence in the same way Christ led his disciples to live holy lives, there will always be someone who is not strong enough in themselves to stand their ground, and when faced with discrimination will deny their following. Another, arguably the most apparent, comparison Kesey implements is McMurphy’s metaphorical Last Supper. When McMurphy and his followers broke into the medicine on the ward, they then “sat around [together] drinking it” in a sort of metaphor to the drinking of wine, representative of Christ’s blood, that occurred during Jesus’ Last Supper with his

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A Christ figure is an element of literature that draws an allusion between a character and Jesus. A Christ figure is often used in to demonstrate how one should act in society. The idea of a Christ figure is presented in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey through the character Randal McMurphy. The idea proven in this novel is that sometimes one must sacrifice himself for the greater good. In the beginning of the novel, like Christ, McMurphy came from wilderness and he begins to collect followers by rebelling against Ratched.

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In Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main theme that society embraces people who conform to oppressive standards is reiterated numerous times throughout the book. The book is narrated by a schizophrenic, Native American man named Chief Bromden. He is large in physical stature, but is often treated as if he were invisible. Kesey depicts conformity through Bromden’s lack of perception of how size is related to power, and how Bromden’s view evolves following McMurphy’s arrival on the psychiatric ward. Prior to Randle McMurphy’s arrival on the ward, Chief Bromden spent most of his time in a delusional fog, in which he was able to protect himself from the realization that he is a big person.

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In addition, Ken Kesey uses the electroshock therapy table to serve as an example of the consequences that would occur if an individual were to rebel against the power of Nurse Ratched. It is associated with crucifixions similar to that of Jesus Christ in the Roman time period with “clasps on his wrists, ankles, clamping him into the shadow [and a] crown of silver thorns over the graphite at his temples” (283). Kesey references the crucifixion of Christ to characterize McMurphy as a Christ figure. He is being sacrificed in exchange for the patient’s freedom. In the hospital, Ellis, an acute, is an example of the consequences of not abiding by the hospital’s regulations that serve as a reminder for the rest of the ward members to conform to the rules inflicted by Ratched.

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