1) What Christian allusions/parallels rank as the most poignant for you?
2) What lens(es) help you interpret this novel best? Marxist, Feminist, Freudian--or others you have researched and come to own...
3) What concept we discussed, whether briefly or at length, struck you as particularly fascinating and relevant? Type 300+ words extending our discussion(s) to your life experiences and the world's vastness.
READING
Key Ideas and
Details
RL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
RL.11-12.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a
text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how
they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an
objective summary of the text.
RL.11-12.3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding
how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is
set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and
developed).
Craft and
Structure
RL.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with
multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
RL.11-12.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a
story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its
overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
RL.11-12.6 Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really
meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of
Knowledge and Ideas
RL.11-12.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or
poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one
play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
RL.11-12.9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and
early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including
how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
Range of Reading
RL.11-12.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend
literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
By the end of grade 12, read and
comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of
the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
71 comments:
Story 2,
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I feel the Marxist system applies greatly to the book. The system in the book becomes ruled by machines (which does not seem so far off in today’s society) especially dealing with a combine conforming everyone to be the same. This combine heavily relates to the 50’s of America, back in the day when all houses, cars, and lifestyles were equilibrium. Nurse Ratchet holds no position of top authority over this system; however, she maintains a high ranking. As I continue to read the novel, I start to ponder about the big Nurse . . . . I feel she may not be as depraved as what is portrayed. She continues with what she knows, and the only thing she has been taught. Should one be criticized for doing the only thing they know to their best potential? Especially if the society or system approves of such actions to take place in the asylum, as the actions portray “naturally talented” at what she does. Some people do indeed feel that if they were probed up the butt, or restricted of most rights and freedoms, that they would be offended and aggravated to quite an extent. However, this relates to our government, because if our rights were taken away (or to some degree at least) than the chances of a safer environment increases. The choice than becomes do we want our liberty and the possibility of danger, or does America need the laws to be changed as we become a far more strict country leading to safer benefits . . . supposedly. Relating this novel to reality with what most people live in daily has been interesting, as this helps me find a greater interest than what I already have with the book, as I can see what I should do or be as a person in the world we live in.
Marso 1
Ellis, a Chronic, stands out as the most poignant representation of Christianity to me. When we are introduced to Ellis, we understand he came in in somewhat stable condition, but “got fouled up real bad” from overuse of brain therapy. Since his last treatment, he is nailed to the wall in a crucified position (the last position he was in while he was coherent). We are also told that Ellis is one of the two youngest Chronics (16). The obvious parallel to Christ is formulated in the readers mind, but the question remains what or who was Ellis sacrificing for. Christ’s death was a sacrifice to atone for the sins of man. As no concrete evidence is provided, the reader is left to speculate. I believe that Ellis was a “sacrificial lamb” in the sense that following his “execution,” the therapy administered was toned down. The staff had outstretched its bound as it turned a citizen with minor problems coming in (more than likely) into a vegetable. Additionally, Ellis stands as a symbol for the power that authority does have over the patients. He is a concrete, perpetual reminder to do as they are told, not to sin, or in their case break the law. This aspect is a stretch, however, because in Christians believe Christ’s death made forgiveness easier, not served as a harsh example for the punishment for their wrongs.
The other interesting paragraph relating Ellis to Christ is when Ellis tells Billy Bibbit to be a “fisher of men” before they embark on the fishing expedition. To do this, he pulls his hand down from the nails, a seemingly impossible feat earlier in the novel (234). Matthew 4:19 reads, “"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Again, a clear parallel exists; the perplexing aspect though is that Christ said this well before his death, whereas Ellis has been “dead” for quite some time. I find the hand pulling off the wall and coherent message to be the strongest evidence urging the reader to believe that Ellis has been “resurrected” to his earlier condition. The events McMurphy has instigated have helped, drawing a comparison with McMurphy to God.
In any way that you spin the descriptions given of Ellis’s circumstances and words, clearly Kesey intends to instill Christian principles and thought into his novel, an additional reason that his work has been Canonized and is well worth studying.
Larson Pd 5
Once concept we have discussed in class is the idea that we are all robots. I find this extremely intriguing. While reading this book, I instantly realized that the goal of Miss Ratched was to make each patient exactly like the other: quiet, distant, lifeless. Not only do they look like robots, but they act like robots. They all get up in the morning, eat at the same time, take their medication at the same time, and go to bed at the same time. This made it very easy to see that they all acted like robots under Miss Ratched’s command. What I did not figure out was that I act like a robot as well. Everyone wants to think that they are different, but they are not. Technically, we all get up, go to school, go through classes forced to sit in the same seat every day, get home from school, eat supper, and go to bed, and then repeat! Most likely, we have more freedom than the characters receive in this book, but we still act as robots. This really intrigued me when we discussed this in class. I always considered myself unique and different. Truth is, there is a large amount of people who all consider themselves unique and different as well. At first, I found it very hard to believe that everyone wanted to be robots in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but this book has supplied me with a new train of thought. At times, being a robot in this world is impossible to refrain from. We have a schedule we follow each day and this makes it near impossible to be unique and different. This book has helped me realize that I cannot judge the characters for their robot-like characteristics because I often am a robot myself!
Shroll 2
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is best interpreted through a Freudian lens. Clearly portraying a battle between the id and superego, we observe the transformation of the ward, as well as the individual. Before McMurphy’s arrival, the asylum was strictly controlled by the superego, even scared the id out of the patients. To function efficiently in society, one must have a healthy balance of id and superego. If the id overpowers the superego, all hell will break loose, ultimately resulting in the decimation of the individual. However, if the superego overpowers the id, an individual’s bravado will substantially be attenuated… meaning a feeling of submission to the system and a degrading sense of self-worth will develop. Nurse Ratched is correct: the patients cannot function in society. This is not, in many of the patients’ cases, due to a mental illness, but rather due the Nurse’s mantra. Nurse Ratched has nearly perfect control over her id; the only time we see her id bust through her superego is when she arrives at work to the beautiful sight of McMurphy in nothing but his towel. She becomes exasperated and harsh with him, scolding not only McMurphy, but Williams as well. Nurse Ratched displays tight control over her superego for the rest of the novel (or what I have read of it so far, anyway). Following McMurphy’s deliberate ignorance for her closing the vote for watching the World Series, Nurse Ratched proclaims in the staff meeting that McMurphy, “Given a few more days… his brashness will subside, his self made rebellion will dwindle to nothing….” Kesey is displaying a clear battle between the id and superego. The question of which truly prevails will (hopefully) be answered by the end of the novel. I also find it interesting that Cheswick succumbed to the superego for so long, and after portraying a false id, committed suicide. A mind is never truly healthy without a balance of the id and superego.
Herrick 5
This week and last, Mr. C has asked several students about what their plans after high school. What do we want to do? Where do we want to go? Who do we want to be? These questions for the typical high school senior are very common. I realize that I may want to be in a certain job now, but that could change. I find that very interesting and scary. I have decided where I wanted to go to school, now I have to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. I have four years to make my final decision on what my ultimate job will be. I have a very short four years to try and find my way through life. I honestly do not believe I am the only one who thinks this. I also think about going and living without my parents. Right away, that sounds like a great thing, but when you look at what your parents do for you, it becomes a sad realization that the easy life you live now is coming to an end. Freedom is going to come so fast for so many people that they will not even know what to do with it. Even though I am not close with all my classmates, I know for sure that I will miss them. I may not see some of these people until our twenty-five year reunion. I have always said that I can’t wait to leave this school and never have to see another person that is in it. After eighteen years of being with these people, I believe that they will be missed. On a bright side though, I will be able to grow without the comfort of parents or the familiarity of the school. I will be able to live life and know I had the best support in high school. College is scary, but it has many lessons to teach and I am trying to prepare myself for that the best I can.
Hallstrom 1
I think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is best interpreted through the Feminist lens. The reason it helps me interpret it most is because throughout history, women have struggled to gain and sustain power in our society. They were discriminated against, lost jobs, and lost privileges. The ideal features of a woman were their femininity, maternity, care, nurture, and dependency. Women were not seen as matriarchy, independent, or strong. In this book it clearly shows a woman dominating a powerful role in society and it is contrary to the stereotypical woman figure. Nurse Ratched gains control in the hospital, but seems to fail in her ability to heal and help her patients. She appears more matriarchy rather than maternal and she manipulates complete power over the staff and patients of the hospital which contradicts society’s view of a woman. The way the patients describe her appearance makes her appear manlier but the one thing they always point out is the size of her breasts, making them her only characteristic of a female. When Chief describes the way she “robotically” walks down the hall, it reminds me of the Marxist lens, which I also think is another lens that helps me understand the novel. The idea of the combine changing everyone and turning them into what society wants them to be. The feminist lens helps me because it gives me the ability to understand the author’s way of contradicting society. In a way, Ken Kesey’s life was a way to stand out in society. He experimented with psychoactive drugs and was in legal trouble. I feel like this novel was his approach at interpreting a society run by a woman only to make it end badly, giving me the idea that he would rather have a man’s approach to society.
Myrlie 2
When reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I find that applying the Freudian lens to be the most insightful of the three lenses that we have discussed. With the setting of a mental institution, it is easier for me to psychoanalyze all of the characters. The most obvious symbolism in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is that McMurphy represents the id. The mental institution and all of the residents are the superego. They are being influenced to behave fully as society expects by the Combine, and also by Nurse Ratched. Big Nurse has a firm hold on the residents until McMurphy shows up at the insane asylum. McMurphy shows the members of his ward how powerful it can be to listen to your id. McMurphy reminds me of how Abraham freed the Israelites from slavery. The residents are slaves of the ward even though most are there voluntarily. They do not have the willpower to leave the hospital. After I looked at the whole novel from a Freudian viewpoint, I theorized that people choose to become “crazy”. After nurse Ratched asks, “Must we go over past history?” (50), the residents start making absurd remarks so they do not have to talk about their past. I find that passage to be very interesting. A reason why the residents do not want to discuss their past could be because they feel guilty for choosing to be “crazy”. Billy Bibbit is voluntarily at the ward because he does not have the guts to stand up to the disrespectful nature of society. When Billy chose to be admitted into a mental institution, he reobtained narcissistic bliss. However, when thinking about this theory one must also think about those born with a mental illness. Do they subconsciously decided to be immersed in narcissistic bliss their whole life?
Van Ede, 5
In any novel, but especially Mr. Kesey's work, Christianity allusions can generate a powerful and arousing connection with the right audience. In my opinion, one of the most interesting series of allusions took place in the description of events leading to McMurphy's first electroshock therapy. As the door opens to the EST room, Bromden describes, "I smelled that singed smell and heard that gnash of teeth" (276). This passage is frighteningly similar to many biblical descriptions of Hell. A description of Hell from Matthew 25:30 dictates, "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Another passage from Revelation 21:8 points to the significant smell of Hell, "which burneth with fire and brimstone," in deep correlation with Bromden's description. Moments later, some sort of supervisor says to Bromden, "I wash my hands of the whole ordeal" (276). This passage relates deeply to Pontius Pilot saying almost the exact same thing before allowing Jesus to be crucified. Even McMurphy's electrocution is biblical, as he asks for a "crown of thorns" while being placed on the cross shaped table in the EST room (279).
Although many events within the novel were overwhelmingly Christian, some remained more covert. One specific occurrence I debated whether it may or may not be a Christian allusion was Billy Bibbit's death. Towards the end of the novel, I envisioned Billy's character to represent Judas in the Passion of McMurphy. A few hours after the last supper of sorts, the drunk party of revelry from 298-309, Billy falls under Nurse Ratched's (Satan's) will. Like Judas, Billy (although not as extreme) betrays McMurphy by letting Nurse Ratched gain back some of her power in a previously chaotic situation. Even more similar, both Billy and Judas commit suicide from their guilt for their actions.
Christian allusions are ubiquitous in the novel and provide a clear sense of connection, however, it is interesting to note how connected yet dramatically different are the teachings of McMurphy and Jesus.
Koehn pd. 7
I believe the Marxists lens helps me interpret the novel the best. One of the novel’s most prominent themes is the theme of oppression and the struggle for power. This would fit directly under a Marxist characteristic. Whether from the government, society, Nurse Ratched, McMurphy, Dr. Spivey, or the patients themselves, all are trying to gain power to some extent and at the same time are being oppressed by some force. Chief Bromden talks about the Combine throughout the novel. To Bromden, the Combine has a complete monitor on his actions by putting machines wherever Bromden is to spy on him. Bromden follows the rules of the ward because he is fearful of what the Combine will do to him. The Combine represents the government in the novel and the control it has over its people. A Marxists would also examine society’s role in this novel. Many of the men are voluntarily staying in the mental institute. They are terrified of being in the outside world. Society labels these men as inadequate and of no useful purpose in civilization—always oppressing them. Inside of the ward, the patients have power (Marxist’s statement) and a pecking order. They develop classes inside the ward just like the outside world. The Acutes are the young patients who have a chance of cure, the Chronics are usually older patients who have a life doomed to the ward with no hopes of cure, and finally the Vegetables who are completely brain dead. The next subject would have to be our dictator-like character, Nurse Ratched. All the men know she has complete control, even over Dr. Spivey. Nurse Ratched holds a key role in the novel under a Marxists lens. All policies and activities run through her with her decisions being final. However, Kesey writes his novel with a woman in the role of a dictator which is extremely interesting. I would like to think that Nurse Ratched is a failure in society just like the patients she cares for, and the ward is the only place she can hold power above someone. McMurphy has been oppressed by civilization all of his life. He was poor and in jail several times until he was committed to the ward. McMurphy knows all about the labeling of society and decides to test the limits in the communistic-like reign of the ward. McMurphy’s role in the novel is to show the men they do have importance and can think for themselves. Dr. Spivey may be one of the most oppressed characters in the novel. The MAN who holds the degree still has to answer to the WOMAN. Nurse Ratched always includes him in decision making but everyone knows that Ratched always gets what she wants. Finally, the patients participate in the Marxist power struggle as well. Harding has a degree and before McMurphy arrived he was the ring leader of the group. Harding and his crew held themselves on a higher pedestal over the other patients in the ward. They all wrote in Nurse Ratched’s log book to try to get on her good side even if that meant writing secrets about the other patients. McMurphy was the one who helped them realize that pecking at each other would not help their situation; but Nurse Ratched was the true enemy. Slowly but surely the roles would reverse on Nurse Ratched. The Feminist and Freudian lens have extremely useful views throughout this novel as well, but the Marxist lens is the most prevalent and relatable for me.
K. Peterson 7
All three of the lens put a new and interesting twist on the novel. Each view really does make you put on a new pair of glasses to see a new horizon to the novel. For the majority of the novel, I put my feminist lens on. Throughout the whole novel, women are given a horrible name. Nurse Ratched is portrayed as an evil witch or vampire. Our first impression of her is in her black coat. She is conniving and tries to turn the men against each other. She may be the nicest person in reality but we are almost forced to hate her from the men. Next is Chief Bromden’s mom. We only hear about how much he looked up to his father and admired his hard work. For his mom, we hear she is big. She is big tells us nothing; it shows he had almost no regard to women. Candy and Sandra come next. They are really the only women the men “like” and they are prostitutes! They gain from those women so they like them. They get to leave the ward, drink bear, and have some “fun” when they are with them. Almost all the women in this book are disregarded and disrespected. Through my feminist lens I see a man telling society that women should not lead. If they are in charge (Nurse Ratched), they will turn the world to manipulating like girls are supposedly known to do. Only respect should be toward the women that give men what they want, but it is not even real respect. The novel is filled with outrageous strategy showing men are better than women even when they are insane.
Tripp 7
For me, the lens that has helped me the most to understand this novel would be Feminist. In some ways, the novel could be saying that women are evil and horrible and should not be put into positions of high power. On the other hand though, I can see how they are portraying women as being the only ones able to control such a group of people. The few female figures that are introduced into the novel seem to be those of higher power. Not only Nurse Ratched but some of the other nurses working under her like the one with the birth mark and the head nurse on the Disturbed ward. I feel as though the first view though, about the women being evil and horrible, seems a little more prominent to me. Nurse Ratched is obviously in a position where being nice is not in the job description. She constantly puts the men down and turns the others against one or multiples at a time. She is very manipulative in her job. On numerous occasions, she tries to turn the men against McMurphy and on Harding at the very beginning. Not only Nurse Ratched, but also the two “whores” make it seem to readers that women should not be respected. Candy and Sandy are two women that are brought into the story a couple of times. The first, Candy is said to be one of McMurphy’s sweet old aunts that is going to accompany them on their fishing trip. She was obviously just being used by McMurphy for the ride. Then later, when Candy and Sandy are both brought into the story, they are there only for Billy Bibbit’s pleasure. The Feminist lens stuck out to me as the most prominent lens to understand this story but I can see how many others could be discussed as well.
Callahan 7
I find the Marxist and Femininst lenses most applicable to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The patients (most of them) are in the asylum by choice--because the outside world's society is so cruel and unwelcoming. Interestingly enough, some of the patients do not even seem "insane", like Billy and Harding. Billy has a stutter and Harding is gay--not mentally ill. Society has made them nervous and ashamed of themselves, to the point where they checked into the institution. From there Nurse Ratchet takes over, breaking them down to another level, a level where they are completely dependent and actually cannot function in the real world. An example of society's view on the men is when they go fishing, but first must stop for gas. The gas worker sees the uniforms and knows the doctor is lying by saying they are workers, not patients (235-241). Immediately, he tries to take advantage of them. He knows they are under him in society, something that must not happen often as a gas station worker, and tries to sell them "supreme" gas instead of regular, windsheild wipers, a new oil filter, and even sunglasses. Even the doctor is too timid to stand up to Hank, leaving McMurphy to once again stand up for everyone. He uses their insanity to their advantage--he wants three cents off because it is a "government-sponsored expedition" and makes sure they receive the regular gas and none of the extras. He plays up everyone's "craziness" and actually intimidates the men into listening and doing a good job. This is a symbol of how the men (not rabbits) are gaining power, and can fight back at society in their own way.
From a feminist perspective, I also find it interesting that the only female positively portrayed in the novel is the Japanese nurse on the Disturbed Ward (278). She is described as having a "bird-bone face" by Chief, and even says Ratchet is one of the Army nurses and "they are a little sick themselves". I found this to be intriguing, because I had always wondered why Ratchet had chosen to work there in the first place. She loves control, but isn't it fitting that an "insane" nurse works in an insane asylum? She belongs there. Continuing with the newly introduced females, Candy's character surprised me (though it probably should not have). Because the men always described the meeting between Billy and Candy as "a date", I thought that the two truly cared about each other. It seemed as though they did on the fishing trip, but when Candy arrives she "spends time" with Sefelt first. Despite her profession, I thought she came with the intentions of her "date" with Billy, not to sleep with more of the men. Later, when Billy is being accosted by Ratchet into ratting everyone out, Candy says nothing and is almost forgotten about; even after Billy commits suicide, her reaction is not mentioned. The prostitutes are portrayed as having no feelings what-so-ever, just women indulging in their ids (Sandy can't deal with being in a monogamous relationship and must divorce her husband).
Steffen 5
One concept that struck me as interesting was the topic of Vegetables discussed in class. In an extremely relatable situation my cousin was a Vegetable for a while before his untimely death. At 22 he was at the pinnacle of his life. Carefree and charismatic, my cousin reminded me of McMurphy in many ways. Doing their own thing, at times not thinking of the consequences and always standing up for what they believed in, McMurphy and my cousin were two of the same people. Even before the end, both were living their happy lives. After receiving these massive headaches, my cousin was admitted to the hospital and was sedated to keep the pain and pressure down in his brain. One day, the pressure far exceeded its capacity and his brain aneurysm ruptured, leading to a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Resulting in the death of the front half of his brain, my aunt and uncle had two choices to make. If they let Ryan live, he wouldn’t be himself or remember any of us and live as a vegetable for the rest of his life. Or they could “pull the plug” and donate his organs like he wanted. They figured it would be purely selfish if they let him live and this way he could help numerous people live a life he couldn’t. Chief Bromden had the same decision to make at the end of the novel. “That ain’t him…nothing like him,” Scanlon and Martini say about McMurphy laying on the gurney (321). When Bromden lifted the pillow from McMurphy’s face, his blank expression hadn’t changed the least bit even before suffocation (323). Even though my cousin couldn’t open his eyes, I assume he would have had the same look before and after his plug was pulled. I have learned many things from my cousin’s death and now from McMurphy’s as well.
Breitzman 1
I personally believe that all three analyzing lenses we discussed in class (Feminist, Marxist, and Freudian) can be used in various ways to interpret the messages in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Each lens has distinct “topics” that correlate with it that Kesey is trying to explore. The main topic that sticks out when discussing the novel through a Feminist lens is the character of Nurse Ratched. Nurse Ratched is described by the narrator, Chief Bromden, as a vile, evil woman who is ruthless in her attempts to cruelly belittle and oppress the men on her ward of the mental hospital. She uses various underhanded tactics to control these men. Feminist lenses are used to observe how women are treated and represented throughout society, and I believe Ken Kesey is using this lens as a vehicle to express his own opinion about having women in control. He paints Nurse Ratched to be very stern, uptight, and as Bromden and the men explain her, almost like she has a face made of porcelain. She is very cautious about showing emotion and expression and about when to do so. She is afraid that if she breaks this set of protocol she has for herself that she will no longer be able to maintain control over the men. I think Kesey is trying to say that (while I do not necessarily agree with him) women do not possess control over large settings like that as naturally as men do. When McMurphy arrives at the facility, though he is not the main man in charge, he displays a certain amount of control over the men that seems to come quite naturally to him. Nurse Ratched only wishes she could have the effect on the men that he has. (While they do obey her, it is out of fear. The patients obey McMurphy because they want to.) I think Kesey is also trying to say through Nurse Ratched what he thinks our nation would be like under a female president. (Not saying that I agree with him) Analyzing the story from a Freudian lens is quite interesting as well. Freud would say that McMurphy clearly represents the id. He is a person who acts on impulse, who seems to show a lack of responsibility and who spends his days smoking cigarettes and swindling men out of money through poker games. He shows no real propensity toward responsibility for his actions. His carefree attitudes are what classify him as the id. Nurse Ratched, on the other hand, represents the superego (albeit a very cruel superego). She is the character in the novel who is always attempting to maintain a sense of order and structure. Despite the manners she takes in which to achieve this, she is still the character who is always trying to rise above the “disarray.” My personal favorite lens to analyze this novel from is the Marxist lens, which discusses social classes and mistreatment of certain groups. In my opinion, Kesey brilliantly incorporates his feelings on this into the novel. Through the characters of Chief Bromden (an American Indian), Dale Harding (a homosexual), and Nurse Ratched’s black “slaves,” he is addressing the extreme oppression these groups faced in society in the 1960s and even so today. He is stating how they are always being “pushed down” by the white man and the “Combine” that Chief describes. (The same goes for women, though Kesey seems to take a different approach to this in the novel.) He is also shedding light on this mistreatment of the mentally ill in society and how, despite their illnesses, they are people too and deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. It is for these reasons that I think Ken Kesey was very aware of the various analyzing lenses when he wrote his novel and used them to incorporate his own personal feelings on society’s issues. I personally have very much enjoyed reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and I hope that the other novels we read will have such profound statements to make as well.
Schwint Pd.7
While reading Cuckoo’s Nest, I found myself using my Marxist lens to dig deeper into the novel. Not only do I find this lens intriguing in Cuckoo’s Nest, but I also use it in day-to-day life. Cuckoo’s Nest main Marxist point is our treatment of the mentally ill. These people have already lost the genetic lottery. Their mental state gives them a huge disadvantage in the Capitalism system. Therefore, these mentally ill people do not have the opportunity to compete for jobs. Without a job, there is no way for the mentally ill to care for themselves. Our society in the 50s did not want to care for the mentally ill. The society locked them up in hospitals, with abusive staff, and did everything to control them. With all the control, the society would not have to deal with the burden of taking care of the mentally ill. This shows one of the problems of capitalism, no conscious. I believe capitalism without a conscious will destroy a society, not benefit it. We should do our best to take care of the mentally and physically disabled. Also, we should help people born into poverty, without making them dependent on the people with money. Helping with job searches and increasing education are great was to help the less fortunate without just giving them handouts. If we do not have a conscious in our capitalistic society, we will slowly become corrupt. Greed of money will lead to jealousy. We should focus more on less material things. Then we can find happiness that does not need to revolve around large amounts of money. Another Marxist theme in Cuckoo’s Nest involves Chief Bromden. He lost the environmental lottery because he was a minority. Minorities throughout history have always been taken advantage of by their majority. I feel that the Chief chooses to be silent because he believes that everyone already acts like they know him. All the people he meets will judge him because he is Native American. Racial stereotypes destroy our social atmosphere. People will automatically treat you better, worse, harsher, or friendlier just because you belong to a race/ethnicity/group of people. We should all dig deeper to find the true essence of everyone; because everyone has a unique voice. Cuckoo’s Nest is a great book to explore your Marxist lens. I feel everyone should read this book. It shows us that we need to take care of everyone no matter what disability they have, or their race/ethnicity/beliefs. Also we need to use our conscious to have the best capitalistic system.
Backer 2
Although McMurphy and Christ certainly have different approaches to their teachings, Kesey does seem to depict McMurphy as a Christ-like figure to the patients of the ward. One of the religious allusions is displayed in the ward’s fishing adventure towards the end of the novel. McMurphy, the planner of the occasion, brought along twelve (number of Christ’s disciples) brave souls to venture along with him outside the asylum. As they made their journey back to shore, they found themselves in the midst of waves cresting higher than their boat. Their trusted captain, George, instructed them to put on their life jackets. The crew was three short, so a debate erupted as to who would have to endeavor the rest of the way back without one. Instead of the expected hero, McMurphy, three others volunteered to go without a life jacket: George, Harding, and Billy Bibbit. McMurphy is described to be standing away from the rest, watching and grinning (252). The action McMurphy took by taking a life jacket allowed the patients that had the most to discover about themselves to go without. The scene was George, Harding, and Billy’s opportunity to step into McMurphy’s shoes and reveal their own individuality. The men are like Christ’s disciples in the way they spread their leader’s teachings to others. The men followed in McMurphy’s example similar to how Christ’s follower’s acted as the hands and feet of Christ.
Another clear allusion to a religious description is the party in the ward. The scene seems to be depicted after Christ’s Last Supper. The cough syrup they drink serves as the wine and the two prostitutes, Candy and Sandy, are portrayed as Mary Magdalene. The most prominent allusion to the Last Supper, however, is Billy Bibbit’s betrayal. In the scene, Billy abandons the rebellion and commits suicide due to the fear of what his mother might think or do. Billy is similar to the biblical character, Judas, who betrayed Jesus to Roman soldiers. Judas also took his own life after being overcome with guilt for his action.
Although I would place McMurphy in a far different category than Jesus, the similarities between the two are clearly displayed in the novel. They both lived outside the fog and they both greatly influenced those who they encountered.
Beckman 1
There was one day where during our forum quiz my class talked about time and how we are all programmed for certain things based on time, just as the men in Cuckoo’s Nest are. In the novel Chief talks about how time seems not to move at all, they’d been there for fifteen minutes… but everyone knew it had really been an hour. Then there are times where the clock just seems to speed time up on its own. Everything in the hospital is set and run on a timed schedule—when the men wake, eat, sleep, etc. The same can be said for society today. We wake up when our alarms go off, we go to school and begin class when the bell rings, we know when the bell will sound to indicate the end of class and pack our things away before rings so we can be on our way as fast as possible. The day we talked about time during our forum quiz we actually talked a little passed the bell ringing and I think we all found it a little odd, because we are so used to leaving the classroom at the sound of the bell. In a sense we are programmed that way. Certain sounds indicate the beginning or ending of certain events, be it school, sports, or other various activities. While life is also completely run by time; “How much time do I have?” is a frequently asked question for tests, breaks (at school or work), travel. Sometimes we get so consumed with time and how much or how little of it we have that we forget there are other things going on around us that we miss. We need to pull ourselves out of that trans from time to time and just enjoy the little details that life has to offer us.
Clemenson 2
While reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I have found that interpreting the novel through a Feminist lens to be the most helpful. Every female character has been negatively portrayed, even the kind nurse from the disturbed ward who cared for McMurphy and Chief after their electric shock treatment. She wanted to continue to care for them but she knew that Nurse Ratched would not allow it. She is portrayed as too weak to stand up to Nurse Ratched. Very rarely do women have full control over men and Kesey portrays powerful women, like Nurse Ratched, as bad people because he does not agree with women having more power than men. Nurse Ratched is almost portrayed as a male because of how much power she holds over everyone in the hospital. The most feminine quality is her large breasts but she attempts to hide them. Nurse Ratched wants smaller breasts so she may appear manlier. According to a Freudian lens, Nurse Ratched would be more masculine because she is so powerful. Nurse Ratched has so much power that she is turning into the combine, according to Chief, and most women are not portrayed as combines. Therefore she is more masculine. At first I found it interesting that a female character held so much power but then I remembered the Freudian lens. Society usually does not approve of female dominance because they do not believe that they will be successful. Kesey demonstrates this theory by showing how corrupt Nurse Ratched’s power is. Society also does not approve of male who possess feminine qualities either. Harding is mocked for his beautiful hands and because he acts more feminine than society thinks a male should. Candy and Sandy are portrayed negatively because they allowed the men to take advantage of them when they came to visit. Kesey obviously does not favor females in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest so he portrays them negatively.
Johnke, pd. 5
In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, symbols of Christianity are scattered everywhere through the book. At first glance one may not recognize the sharp allusions to Christ, but upon further inspection, one can find numerous Christianity symbols. One of the most obvious allusions to Christ in the book is the use of Ellis. Throughout the book, Ellis is “crucified” by imaginary nails. As the reader eventually learns, this is only one of the many examples of foreshadowing McMurphy's lobotomy. The fishing trip is another allusion that is thrust at the reader. The parallels Kesey uses with the fishing trip are so obvious that its almost hard not to notice. To start, McMurphy takes 12 of the patients along. Obviously this is a reference to Jesus's 12 disciples. In the Bible Jesus tells his disciples that he will make fishermen out of them before he takes them fishing. However, he is not talking about catching actual fish he is talking about teaching them the bible and having them “fish” others into following Christianity. In McMurphy's case he is teaching the patients how to stand up for themselves. Even after they return to the ward and McMurphy is taken away, first for EST and for the lobotomy the second time, the patients are able to stand up for themselves. They start to spread the word of McMurphy's ways and eventually they all go on their own separate ways from the ward.
Other characters have parallels as well. Jesus was known to be friends with Mary. She was a prostitute just as Candy is. One other character often overlooked is Billy. In my opinion, Billy has a parallel with the disciple Judas. In the bible, Judas gives up imformation on Jesus when the Romans offer him gold. Shortly afterward, Juday commits suicide out of guilt. Billy does almost the exact same. After McMurphy throws a party just so Billy can sleep with Candy, Billy immediately tells on McMurphy when the Nurse catches him and threatens him. Billy then commits suicide in the doctor's office.
Dawn 2
When reading a novel, analyzing it through different lenses can be a very helpful learning method and can lead to numerous different interpretations of the novel and can increase one’s understanding of it all together. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest every lens that we have learned thus far in class was helpful. However, the Marxist lens seems to be the best fit while interpreting this book. The society within the novel is responsible for many of the people being in the mental hospital in the first place. As optimistic as one may look towards humanity, it is still easily noticeable that people desire to be better than others, and often times put others down to prove themselves that they are in fact better. Both Dale Harding and Billy Bibbit both seem stable enough to be able to function normally in society, yet they remain in the tyranny of Nurse Ratched simply because society has pushed them down and made them feel inadequate for stupid reasons.
Another example of the prominence of the Marxist lens is the constant references to combines. The reader is exposed to all of Chief Bromden’s views and can easily understand what the combine allusion is about. In the 1950s pop culture was ubiquitous and led to a lot of social conformity. People feared those who did not conform, and generally branded them as communists. These people were then shunned or criticized. Years of this happening would lead almost any sane person to believe that there may in fact be something wrong with them. The mental institution presents itself as a form of a cure and this led some people to commit themselves to such a harsh treatment. This institution as a whole was the combine that pushed them down and picked up their shattered remains to put together in a socially acceptable way. The mental institution in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is not designed to help, but is designed to show dominance and assert social status.
Rist 2
When studying the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the Feminist and Freudian lenses help me to interpret it the best. From the Feminist angle, Kesey portrays women as horrible and controlling. Nurse Ratched believes she is helping the men by controlling their every move and not letting them stray from the schedule. Unfortunately, she is not helping them at all. Her powerful attitude makes her oblivious to her unhelpful actions. Also, Candy and Sandy are depicted as negative characters. By being prostitutes, Kesey degrades them into being worthless. McMurphy invites them only for the pleasure of the men. It seems as though Sandy lacks any real knowledge and feelings. She married a man and left him within a short time and was not even bothered. Candy slept with McMurphy and later, with Billy. The only woman in the novel that seems likeable is the nurse from the Disturbed ward, but even she cannot stand up to the Big Nurse. Her actions show weakness. All the women in this novel are in some way, negative characters.
Through a Freudian lens, McMurphy obviously represents the id. He influences the men in the asylum to fight back. Always causing havoc, McMurphy changes the men and brings out their id. Originally, the insane men are the superego. They always follow orders and believe in Nurse Ratched’s ways. When McMurphy arrives, the men turn to their id. Nurse Ratched seems to always control her id by never having a complete outburst, but the men cannot do the same. McMurphy’s ways influence the men to completely let out their id, as shown at the end of the novel. The men break the rules, let in women, drink alcohol, and break things. Ultimately, McMurphy’s id kills him as Nurse Ratched’s superego has control. Either way you look at the novel, I believe the Feminist and Freudian lenses apply the most.
Bender 7
The most powerful and encompassing of the christain symbosl to me is the cross. Without the cross and the resurrection the entire religion of Christianity means nothing. Jesus had to die for our sins and he had to be risen three days later. Just like Jesus McMurphy suffered on the cross. His suffering in this case was to save George from the salve he viewed as dirty. It was more than the salve though. This was the point when people doubted his intentions. They wondered if he actually cared. He really bore his cross for the whole ward. To show how much he cared. It becomes clear that McMurphy knows what he has gotten himself into when he asks for his crown of thorns. Later in the novel we realize all though not his physical death, the intense electro shock therapy he receives is the death of his personality, the death of the real him. Bromden realizes this fact right before McMurphy attacks the nurse. “It was us that had been making him go on for weeks, keeping him standing long after his feet and legs had given out, weeks of making him wink and grin and laugh and go on with his act long after his humor had been parched dry between two electrodes.(Kesey 218)” There is no coincidence in the fact that McMurphy received three more treatments before leaving the disturbed ward. His resurrection brought hope. He was elevated beyond mortal status. He had not only survived, he remained unchanged. By returning he had won a battle. Also like Christ McMurphy’s death caused his immortality. McMurphy will live on in all the men he’s affected. His name will be hallowed as a ward hero. His courage in facing his certain death enabled others to find their own courage. Those not committed were enabled to leave.
Hensley 5
The classic novel of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest provides an excellent opportunity for the reader to apply any lens he or she chooses and use it effectively. I praise Ken Kesey for this feat. Although the feminist lens and Freudian lens provide excellent insight into One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I myself use the Marxists lens to great effect in order to attain higher understanding. When one applies the Marxist lens to One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the question of power comes into play. It is interesting that the characters that hold the power in the novel are a female nurse and black men, when this novel was written in a time where this was not acceptable. This novel provides a reverse social Darwinism background where white men are not the strongest of the food chain. The only representations of white men are chronically ill men or men who are “unfit” for society. This provides an interesting question of why Ken Kesey would choose to portray white men like this. I believe it is so he can show us how power truly works in our society. Our capitalist society has deemed that in order to feel accomplished and happy in life, we must ascend the social food chain and amass power and money. It is also a message that just because you may be a white man, that it is your god given right to be given power freely and deem everyone else below you. Ken Kesey did this excellently by providing the black aides in his novel with the power over the patients. Respect and wealth is only given to those in power, unfortunately usually you must beat everyone else down to obtain power as displayed by the black aides beating and raping the patients prominently displaying who is in power. Power is a dangerous thing and can easily be abused.
Berndt 1
The Freudian lens helps me interpret this novel best. The id is clearly winning in McMurphy’s character as he causes craziness and mayhem throughout the ward. His id can be perceived in two different ways depending on whose point of view one looks. From the nurse’s point of view, McMurphy’s id is a bad thing because he is throwing her organization into mayhem and destroying the status quo of the hospital. Nurse ratchet brings down the self-esteem of the patients because she doesn’t want them to become free spirits or to come back to reality. McMurphy’s id is good in our perspective as the reader, because he is throwing off the status quo for the good of the patients. McMurphy sees the patients are dehumanized and wants to bring them back to reality, through is insanity. I think the book shows that too much order in society can truly make people go insane. Disorder isn’t bad in society. McMurphy “rehumanized” the patients through his chaos, without caring about his consequences. Nurse Ratchet can also be perceived as the ego and the id. In the hospital Nurse Ratchet is what keeps order in the hospital and she thinks that what she does for the patients is good for them. She is continuously telling them or proving to them, that the hospital is the safest place for them. Through our point of view, as the readers, the big nurse is the id. We can see how truly manipulative she is to the patients for not letting them have freedom or the chance to leave the ward. Nurse Ratchet tries to be portrayed as helpful to the patients, by trying to help them with their problems during the daily meeting. We can see she is only finding amusement in their illnesses by provoking their arguments.
Albertson 5
Observing Nurse Ratched’s authority over the men of the ward, and considering the references made to castration and the effect of Ratched’s womanly figure on who she tries to be, a feminist lens would be an effective way to analyze One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. However, McMurphy’s role as the id, his libido, his Oedipus Complex with Nurse Ratched, and the fact that almost all of the plot takes place in the setting of a psychiatric hospital makes it equally as easy to focus on Cuckoo’s Nest with a Freudian lens. But above everything else, a Marxist lens is the best analytical device to apply to this novel. I believe that Kesey has many purposes for writing his bestselling book, but I think his primary focus was to make compelling statements about power in society. The ward itself is created to emulate a micro-society: Ratched is the authority, the black boys are the law enforcement, Bromden is the press, the patients are the oppressed (the Chronics are the oppressed of the oppressed), and the list goes on. Electro-Shock Therapy, the black boys, the log book, the meetings, and the threat of being sent to the Disturbed Ward are all examples of repressive state apparatus. Karl Marx’s central idea—the oppressed and their struggle with their oppressors—is perfectly embodied by McMurphy’s revolt against Nurse Ratched. Many of his points are directed toward American society. Kesey incorporates democracy using the patients’ right to vote, but he seems to make a harsh statement about it by overshadowing it with Ratched’s dictatorship. When Ratched limits the patients’ access to cigarettes, Kesey makes his point that in America our freedoms are being taken away so slowly that we barely notice. Chief’s elaborate description of the Combine demonstrates the pressure to conform in American society. Almost all of the patients are there voluntarily. They complain but they never work to change anything and they never leave. This is an eye-opening symbolism; we often forget that we can leave this country anytime we want.
Petersen 7
I believe that the lens that helped me interpret the novel the best was the Marxist lens. Marxist is all about power, money, and your place in society. In the novel these aspects struck me more than others. I have noticed throughout the book the struggle of power between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy. Nurse Ratched has always had power and McMurphy comes and disrupts it. McMurphy is a gambler, placing bets seems like his way to stay in control of situations. It is his way to keep the other men occupied and alert. The men in the institution are also effected by society and where it puts them. Chief Bromden is Native American and therefore treated differently than the rest of the patients. He is considered worse than the white men that are there just because of his heritage. The men are all different than most people in society because of their mental status. Therefore they separated and institutionalized to create them into functional members of society or to keep them away from the public if they cannot get behave like civilized human beings. In the institution the men become like robots and follow the everyday flow, giving into what society wants them to become. Nurse Ratched is the main person who puts the men in their 'place'. She is the mechanic and they are her machines as Chief Bromden see it. She flaunts her power but peeking at the men during meetings, making them feel small. This Marxist theme of power was what this novel best exhibited to me. I focused on the power struggles between the Nurse and patients. McMurphy just wants freedom so he uses his influence to work towards it but in the end he really does become free, just not in the way he wanted it. To get freedom he had to best Nurse Ratched.
Larson 1
I believe the most interesting dynamics are added to the novel when view through a Feminist lens. I find this to be true because Nurse Ratched’s femininity and sexuality are consistently brought up in the novel, but never addressed on a personal level. Was Nurse Ratched ever married? Did she ever have a beau, or a lover? The reader would find this hard to believe considering her current icy demeanor. However, I can’t believe Nurse Ratched would have been completely shunned by men in real life. Seeing as she worked in an army camp—where women are scarce—I am sure she received male attention in her life. I wonder a little whether she was burned by a man in the past, made to feel weak and submissive. This could explain some of her dominating will towards the male patients, her attempts to neuter them in a sense. I find this concept a little like a bad romance novel. I don’t feel that it does the good nurse justice! This is where the Feminist lens gets interesting. Perhaps there is nothing romantically traumatic in the Nurse’s past; perhaps the Nurse is simply the woman that she was born to be. Therein lies the problem. If Nurse Ratched was not a woman, but a man, would there be any problem with her dominating, emasculating, iron-willed grip on the ward? Would the reader be so distasteful when describing this character? Would Nurse Ratched no longer be a bitch, but the true definition of a man? This twist is very interesting to me, because as the reader I know that my perceptions of this character would in fact change were it to be a man in charge of the ward. I do not think the character would be likeable, by any means, even as a man. A man’s “nature” seems to fit the role better, being as it is a very domineering one. But what truly is in a man’s nature? Do men naturally have to be in charge everywhere, or is this the populous’ own feelings being reflected on men? I simply wonder if McMurphy would have such a squirmy abhorrence bowing to the will of a stronger man, rather than a stronger woman.
Cain 2
While reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I found that a Marxist lens fits best for my interpretation for the bulk Chief Bromden’s narration. The mention of the “combine”, referring to the way society demands conformity and punishes the slightest of individuality, is a perfect example of Marxist thinking being implemented in Kesey’s novel. Kesey is very good at the way he has the reader form their own ideas of what the Combine really is. On page 6 for example, the Combine is first introduced as an employer, almost as though the Combine is a person. Chief Bromden says, “…and the bastards who work for the Combine aren't so apt to…” (6). “The Combine hasn't gotten to him in all these years…” makes me think that whatever this combine is, it’s something to be fearful of (161). As the story unfolds, readers create their own perceptions of “the Combine” and apply that to the novel in various ways. Most people can come to the general consensus that “the Combine” is the way society works and the pressures to fit in with the mainstream culture. Marxist ideas are largely based upon systems and how characters fit into said system. Our characters are in a mental hospital and therefore I believe it would be safe to say that the majority of them are system rejects. They’re in the institution because they had difficulties conforming to the norm. I see this book as cynically saying that we’re not nearly as unique as we think we are. Being genuine is something that our system tells us to embrace but I think we've got our definitions all wrong. Sure, I may be the only Miranda Marie Cain who looks, talks, and acts as I do, but when I stand next to a peer, how similar are we? Very. Because that’s what allows us to fit in and coexist. Systems won’t satisfy everyone so inevitably there’s bound to be outcasts and people in need of “fixing”.
Westcott, 5
One of the main concepts of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that we keep coming back to is the idea of imprisonment and choosing to be in a place. The men in the ward have been there for quite a while, and are adjusted to the lives they live. Harding does not want to leave because he fears the ridicule and judgment of the outside world do to his sexuality, and therefore does not disrupt his daily schedule to change the situation he is in. Another example is Chief Bromden; he is comfortable with the way he lives and feels as if he’s been invisible his whole life. In the ward, he is a part of everyday life; listening but not saying or acknowledging that he can even hear. If Chief were to be thrown back into society, he would be lost. On their fishing trip, Chief states how everything has changed in the twenty years he’s been in the ward. The Combine has taken over and made everything uniform. Bromden knows he would stick out in the outside world, and therefore chooses to not leave. McMurphy on the other hand, see’s things much differently than the other men. He is there because he is lazy and does not want to do labor. I like the relation our instructor has made to this feeling with high school. Fifth year seniors subconsciously must want to stay in high school. Our entire lives, the school system sets us up for success and helps us along the way. I personally could have graduated at the end of my junior year with the number of credits I have acquired. I feel someone would need to go through exactly the right steps in order to fail and stay another year. These people are either not ready to move on and live in the real world, or are scared of what is yet to come. In order to be ready to leave high school and be on one’s own, they must prepare themselves adequately.
Lenz 7
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest can be analyzed in many different ways. The three viewpoints that we talked about in class—Feminist, Marxist, and Freudian—are only a few of the lenses that critical readers may look through. However, I feel as though I know the feminist lens the best, so that is the “pair of glasses” I will be placing upon myself for this blog. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest has many features about it that allude to the fact that Ken Kesey, the author, was also looking through feminist lenses while writing this novel. Nurse Ratched is the only prominent female figure in the book. Coincidently (or maybe not so much), Ratched does not have the best reputation with Chief Bromden. She is seen as mean and evil while she forces everyone to swallow pills even though the patients are unsure of the ingredients. The Big Nurse wants to make it seem as though she is running a democracy, but when someone such as McMurphy tries to put something up for a vote, such as he did with watching the World Series games (140-141), she does everything in her power to knock the idea down. One of the biggest feminist comments that stuck out to me while reading this novel, however, did not have to do with Nurse Ratched at all. As Bromden was reminiscing on the moment in his childhood when he first felt people saw him as deaf and dumb, an insight was given into his family life. He spoke about when his parents got married and how his father took his mother’s last name (214). In society, today and at this time, this action would be frowned upon. Traditional couples take the husband’s last name. I believe the reason this passage was inserted into the book was to show that Bromden had grown up where women were in charge and that is what he was used to. This could be the reason why he quickly became so submissive to Nurse Ratched once in the institution.
Wilde 7
I find it extraordinarily fascinating how Ken Kesey chose to have the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest be Chief Bromden—a schizophrenic. Bromden, although an observant and predominantly reliable narrator, suffers from schizophrenia, which is frequently expressed through his visions of fog and paranoia about being controlled by the Combine. When Bromden goes into his foggy state, the reader views the events in the novel through a distorted, or foggy, view as well. During such stages, the reader has difficulty in identifying what actually is occurring. Bromden has visions at nighttime of “things too goofy and outlandish to cry about and too much true to laugh about” (86). Bromden also frets that nobody will believe what he has to say, so he keeps to himself. These are all clear symptoms of schizophrenia.
I am particularly intrigued by Chief Bromden due to the fact that I have had personal experiences with a kid, only one year older than I, who will be spending the next thirty years in a mental institution due to traumatic events that have recently transpired. Throughout the novel we have a tendency to cheer for McMurphy to lead the other patients towards freedom from the Combine. We want Nurse Ratched, the novel’s clear superego, to be overridden by the id, McMurphy. Why is this? People unfortunate enough to be suffering from awful disorders such as schizophrenia are not cognitively stable enough to be functioning in normal society. This novel does a fantastic job of provoking the reader into generalizing all mental institutions as corrupt. Obviously, this notion is what makes One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest so highly controversial. I believe that this novel is very important in the aspect that there were, in fact, unethical treatments of mental patients. This novel enlightened the public by bringing this fact to light. I do feel that OFOTCN is quite outdated as nearly all modern mental facilities operate under strict regulations, making them not corrupt as the novel portrays the Combine to be.
Nevertheless, I found the novel to be highly enjoyable, and the schizophrenia related with the fog to be plenty germane to our recent class discussions.
Hanzel 7
Lenses are used to improve and assist vision. Literary lenses have assisted me greatly in understanding and comprehending One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I have been able to interpret sections of this novel through the feminist, Marxist, and Freudian lenses. The feminist lens is most prominent when viewing Nurse Ratched at work. Nurse Ratched’s role is very strong throughout the novel which is rare for a female. A stereotypical nurse is a considerate, caring, and devoted woman; Nurse Ratched does not fit this description. Nurse Ratched is not given many typical feminine characteristics and is not as caring for her patients. Although it appears Kesey is making women look bad, he may actually be showing that women are the ones that keep control and order in these situations. The Marxist lens is assists in viewing the ward. Chief Bromden is a fitting example for the Marxist lens: “It wasn’t me that started acting deaf; it was people that started acting like I was too dumb to hear or see or say anything at all” (210). Chief Bromden discusses how society has dramatically influenced him. “In the Army anybody with more stripes acted that way toward me” (210). Chief Bromden was influenced by society to no longer talk and express himself in that way. The Freudian lens is present throughout the novel. There is a constant battle between the id, ego, and superego. The characters evolve over time as their ego or superego over powers the other. McMurphy, representing the id, is a character who is constantly giving into his id and not thinking thoroughly before acting upon his thoughts and ideas. Reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with a variety of lenses has improved my comprehension and enjoyment of the novel.
Johnson 7
This novel is one that is best interpreted through the Marxist lens. This entire novel is about classification, order, capital, and power struggles. Immediately, one feels as though the society that the narrator, Chief Bromden, is in is a very socialist/communist/dictatorship-based society. The patients in the war are placed on very stringent schedules and have very little time to do as they please (until McMurphy shows up). Nurse Ratched instigates this type of quazi-Nazi society. It is very obvious that Nurse Ratched parallels Adolf Hitler. (Especially when one thinks about how Ken Kesey was a hippie who was most likely a semi-anarchist, asking for little regulation of his and others' ways of life. It only makes sense that Kesey would denounce a socialistic society that essentially eliminated all rights.) From what I read, Hitler did not just accuse followers of treason or of other misdeeds, he would simply guilt the culprits into submission (in extreme cases kill after guilting) exactly like Ratched "in-sinuates" toward the patients. When McMurphy shows up and asks for the "bull goose loony", there is a minor power struggle between McMurphy and Harding. McMurphy wins that struggle and also wins over many of the patients. McMurphy is a gambler which when viewed by a Marxist is essentially a speculator or someone who is willing to better their financial status. Nurse Ratched knows this right away and doesn't like it because of her peremptory ways. That is the major struggle. McMurphy v. Ratched. Ratched knows that McMurphy is much more powerful than the other patients and instantly has a grudge with him, but she tries to hide it. To use a recent example, think of the time when the patients went fishing on the boat and caught many fish. When they returned to the dock, the other fishermen are displeased and the captain even gets into a fist fight with McMurphy, but after they see the patients' catches, they quickly come to like them (and after they learn that George is a retired fishermen himself). Why? Because there newly acquired "capital" made them much more socially accepted amongst others. This is a classic example that resonates throughout today. It's like that movie with a young Patrick Dempsey where he "buys" himself a girlfriend. And in the beginning of Part Four when Nurse Ratched reveals the declining incomes of the patients, she tries to turn the patients against McMurphy implying that he is conning them. This just shows how McMurphy getting ahead just simply is not something she appreciates, just like if anybody got ahead in some type of communistic/socialistic society. The ending though is interesting because despite all of McMurphy's efforts, he ends up suffering the consequences and even Nurse Ratched is not unscathed by the series of events. Then Chief Bromden realizes that he needs to get away from the institution and McMurphy (even though he is in a vegetated state). This must be a sign that Kesey does not believe that too much of either capitalism or socialism can benefit anybody and Bromden's escape represents Kesey's own anti-system beliefs.
Rollag 5
For this week I spent a long time contemplating what it was that deeply impacted me and how it changed my perspective on the world. While thinking of a relevant idea it hit me. The profound statement was in fact directed at me and both scares and excites me. The idea you pointed out that this literature class will more than likely be the last one I take. While pondering this idea I realized that Cuckoo’s nest is an excellent metaphor for what I am going through at this time. I am chief I have spent the majority of high school attempting to hide in the corner to the point that people begin to forget I am there. I know the fog and it has been my friend for years but when I go off to college I will find little success trapped in the fog. The good thing is you are my McMurphy you are slowing pulling me out of the fog. The forum quizzed are in my view the group meetings of my world and just like the chief when I speak I have a hard time realizing that it is I who is controlling myself I feels as if some other person has taken control but I know it must be me. I like chief will soon be leaving, and also like the chief I am scared of the real world and the unknown. My life will soon focus not on the meaning behind words or a story but on numbers and calculations. I hope that even after leaving your class I still find time to read great stories and I really hope that you my McMurphy don’t end up like McMurphy. Many of my classmates are in the same boat as well and you have challenged yourself to hook us on literature and I will try as best I can to be receptive of that idea.
Coyle 5
Class discussions really help to bring up points or possible hidden meanings that I might otherwise miss. One example would be the point where we were discussing the part of the novel where McMurphy comes out of the bathroom with seemingly nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Nurse Ratched is clearly disappointed with his vulgar display and she promptly asks him to put on his greens and is enraged to discover he hasn’t received any. One of the black boys goes to get McMurphy his clothes and when he hands them over McMurphy, both hands occupied, must choose which hand to take the greens with. He opts for the hand that is holding up his towel. Before he lets go of the towel, he wins at Nurse Ratched, knowing full well that this is the opposite of her intentions of getting him clothes. However, instead of standing there stark naked, McMurphy is wearing his black boxer shorts covered in white whales. Some of my class pointed out that the white whale was to symbolize masculinity due to the general shape of the whale, and some pointed out that it was also a sign of sexuality, which Nurse Ratched has clearly shown distaste for given her attempts to hide her own femininity. In our class we also made that parallel between the white whales on McMurphy’s shorts being a sort of reference to Moby Dick by Herman Melville. The whale in this novel is a big white sperm whale, another sign of masculinity and sexuality. In addition to all of these Freudian and Feminist observations, we discussed how this could be a subtle way of saying, even foreshadowing, that McMurphy is Nurse Ratched’s Moby Dick. He is the one thing she will desperately try to break. In the end, Nurse Ratched does conquer McMurphy himself, but the impact he’s had on the ward at this point is irreversible and in a sense, McMurphy dragged her down with him just as Moby Dick did with Captain Ahab.
Tibke
I believe that the feminist and Marxist lenses were the most useful in comprehending "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest." Throughout this book i noticed that there were, in my opinion, many jibes at women. In the beginning of the novel we are given a strong impression that Nurse Ratchet is evil beyond all reason. And i believe Kesey is trying to show how bad a women would be in charge or is looking down on the feminine personality. I believe he gives Harding this type of personality. He is said to kind of trow his hands around in a sort of feminine way in the group hearing around page 51. The Marxist lens helped me look at the asylum and it's patients as a whole. When you hear its a psychiatric hospital you automatically think insane. But upon hearing the patients ''illnesses' it made me think. I mean half of the people seem to be normal. McMurphy is questioned by the head doctor there about faking his insanity to get out of a word detail. Harding is one of the smartest patients in the building, and seems to be gay. I believe that he is uncertain how he feels so he thinks that this is a a type of insanity. Finally, Billy's only problem seems to be that he stutters. Theses three people all self admitted themselves. What I do not understand is, Why do the people who are allowed to leave on there own terms not leave? I believe that they have been brainwashed into believing that they are crazy and choose to stay to get them selves "fixed". Without the use of the lenses I do not think that I could have gotten into this book as much or have comprehended it the way I feel i did.
Gallo 2
I believe the most relevant lens to this novel is the Feminist lens (despite the fact that the novel is noted in the packet as fitting nicely under the Freudian lens but not under the Feminist lens). The most memorable characters are a domineering, evil woman and a playfully antagonizing man. The central questions to the feminist critical lens “How does gender matter/function?” and “How are women portrayed/depicted?” are clearly answered through Kesey’s writings, leaving us with little doubt regarding his opinion, the opinion he encourages us to adopt.
A major conflict adopts between Kesey’s hero, McMurphy, and Ratched when McMurphy begins to display and subliminally advocate for open sexuality. The nurse—representing an oppressive government and a mechanized society—tries to take away the men’s sexuality, making them ashamed of their manhood. McMurphy has no such qualms. This is evident early on amidst his episodes both discussing sex drive with the doctor and wandering “pantless” around the ward. By creating a hero favoring open-sexuality, Kesey displays the Hippie push for ridiculously open sex lives.
The hippie movement was deeply rooted in traditional, oppressive (towards females) gender roles. The novel clearly poses females as the enemy to men, with Nurse Ratched as the main culprit. Women are also seen as helpless, insecure, and stupid. Obviously, women are not portrayed favorably.
A central question of feminist critics is whether women are inherently different from men or whether they are socially molded into their perceived differences. Kesey clearly takes the Hippie position that women are inherently worth less and spell trouble when given power. Kesey believes women are inherently limited because of their gender; therefore, he is ironically part of the society that renders them worthless. Kesey indicates that gender matters a lot with intense stereotypes. His male characters are driven insane by women who took too much control of their lives—again he appears to be against women holding any type of control. He seems to be arguing that gender matters—a lot. Women seem inherently tied to lives of either no significance or of lives that destroy men’s. He is clearly advocating a maintaining of the long held gender roles. While the Freudian lens has an unquestionable relevance to this reading, I believe the Feminist lens is also quite relevant and perhaps more striking!
Bauer 2
One thing in class that we discussed recently that really struck me was on Tuesday when we had a late start. Our instructor told us today was going to feel more like college because of the late first class and the coming and going to and from school. He urged us that when we really are in college to make use of our time away from the classroom. Not only use that time to nap or to get into cheesy game shows. While he was talking to us about this I couldn't help but day dream to what college will be like and i realized that this class has helped me in preparations for the college world. The curriculum of this coarse is challenging enough to make me think beyond my usual thinking level. This coarse has taught me to not only think beyond my normal thinking level but it has also taught me to trust my thoughts. At the beginning of the year, I rarely spoke aloud in class because of feeling less intelligent than all the others in my class, but as the year has gone on, my confidence has risen and my thought process has only become better. During our class forums I seldom ever speak but with the guidance of our instructor and the help of some of my fellow scholars the ideas seem to pop into my head much quicker. I think listening to other people's opinions on the novel during our forums only increases the brain flow about the novel creating and enhancing ideas.
VandeBerg 5
I feel that the Marxist lens seems to be the perfect fit for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. The ward can very easily be interpreted as a system. That system is run by the infamous Nurse Ratched. You can see her, as Phil pointed out the other day in an earlier forum, as Adolf hitler. The entire ward can be seen as Nazi Germany. The black boys are the SS and doing all of the dirty work for Nurse Ratched so that she does not have to deal with getting blood on her hands so to speak. The ward is just the people of Germany. They have nothing else to believe and lead them because they have been brainwashed for so long they do not know how to think for themselves. That is, until McMurphy comes along, and he changes everything. He makes the ward transform from an oppressive dicatatorship into a democracy. The more he began to speak up at meetings, the more the inmates felt they were in control. The Nurse claimed it was a democracy at first, but everyone knew it was a far cry from anything democratic. McMurphy was willing to challenge Nurse Ratched and wanted a vote on certain issues. He wanted to watch the baseball games, so he proposed a vote to see if the guys really wanted to watch the games. Chief Bromden was the winning vote. Voting, being very democratic, allows each member to supposedly think for themselves. That would be a perfect democracy anyway. In the ward, democracy is allowed only when McMurphy urges them to use their democratic rights such as voting and allowing their voices to be heard, even if it is mostly for McMurphy's benefit. However, he also uses this to get Nurse Ratched's goat, so to speak. The more he gets the guys to think for themselves, the more she feels as if she is losing her power and control on the ward. Both of which are definitely happening.
Ullom 7
I will not soon forget the day in class that we discussed Bromden and his fog. The fog is his safe place. It is where he turns. Fog, in the novel, symbolizes that Bromden is entering or exiting a hallucination. In class, our instructor picked me out and mentioned bringing me out of my fog in the upcoming forum quiz. I stuck to my usual easy answer by saying, “sure.” I felt like I was just saying that to please and move on. Then, the circumstance changed to me having to start the next forum. I halfheartedly agreed, but I was mentally freaking out. I despise speaking in class. Never have I been one to speak up; I am usually shy in the classroom, and my face blushes. I guess I am just afraid of saying something that may sound uneducated or foolish. I prefer to sit at my desk, silent, taking notes about what everyone else is talking about. This is where I am comfortable, but I know everyone needs to come out of their fog sometime. After this specific class period, I set off to study the next section of the book thoroughly. I spent much time noting the pages in preparation for the forum. The time came to speak and I felt my mind racing. I wanted to be a million other places but in that classroom. After giving my little portion, I thought, “Hey, that was not so bad.” I felt it easier to speak up later in the class period, and I actually gave one or two more of my opinions. This experience did not completely make me confident but I feel as though I will contribute in more of our class forums. These discussions may be what I need to become a good class speaker like I have longed to do.
Voigt 7
Many fantastic discussions have taken place throughout our reading of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I have enjoyed the way in which we have been reviewing this novel. I particularly like studying the novel as individuals throughout the week, and then coming together at the end of the week for full-group discussions. It assists us in formulating our own thoughts and ideas while then allowing us to hear and think upon ideas from others that we would have perhaps not brought to mind on our own. In the last forum I participated in, the character shift between McMurphy and Bromden was brought up to some length or another. I found it interesting to ponder and observe that as McMurphy begins to settle into the routine of the hospital life - almost in conformity - Bromden finds himself finally becoming alive. McMurphy starts to blend as Bromden starts to blossom. Bromden has been at the hospital longer than most of the other men on the ward, yet he is just now beginning to see things with clarity. For the first time, he is seeing himself and his surroundings in a new reality. This character shift done by the author, Ken Kesey is quite interesting to me. Why does the author provide such a shift? Is it necessary to the plot? Or would the story be just as effective without McMurphy becoming more compliant? What is it about McMurphy that lifts the smoke from Bromden’s world? It is clearly displayed by Kesey in this novel how effective just one individual is on another’s life. McMurphy has changed everything for these men just by his personality and presence. And, even as independent as McMurphy is, conformity still takes control of him to some extent. This relays the idea that you can avoid conformity all you want, but if you are in a situation or around certain individuals long enough, your choices will be affected.
Miller 5
One thing we discussed a lot over these past few weeks was our feats. A feat is a challenge or task that tests us while involving something we like. Personally, I like computers, so my feat centers on that concept. We have to incorporate three novels: Life of Pi, Lord of the Flies, and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I got three motherboards from old computers, and started matching characters to different parts. For example, in Cuckoo’s Nest, Nurse Ratched is the CPU or processor. The reason for this is that everything goes through her. That is all I will give away about the workings of my project for now. I know that though it is a challenge this assignment will produce some of the best work from not only me, but also my fellow classmates.
We also discussed our futures in class lately. We were asked questions about what we wanted to do, and what we wanted to be. I enjoy these conversations because I feel that I get to learn more about my classmates, and even myself to some extent. We discussed what some of our majors were when we get to college, and jobs we would like after that. My friend from another class and I got to talking about college after our English classes that day. We conversed on how we each had dreams and goals. I remember asking her whether she ever worried about whether or not we could achieve those dreams. She and I decided that our confidence regarding college has been exponentially increased with the help of the teachers who teach our college and ap courses. I feel like because of what we talk about in class I am more prepared and excited for college then I have been in a while. My English teacher does an amazing job at encouraging us all, and showing us that we can do whatever we wish to.
Redford 7
This book seems to have an abundance of details that could be examined under the feminist lens. For one, we can clearly look at Nurse Ratched. She comes across as pure evil in this novel. She is in control of all the patients and she tends to try to tear them down. She almost makes the patients more feminine than she herself is. To me, this is a different approach on what it seems like most authors try to portray women as. They usually have the female characters be caring and kind; they also tend on having them beneath men in some way. I think the author does this to try to show that women aren’t as good-natured as they seem to be all the time. Even though Ratched is in control of the patients, it also needs to be taken into account that these patients are mentally ill and banned from society. Because of this, it makes it seem as though Ratched wouldn’t have any control of anyone that could be considered mentally stable, which makes her seem less powerful. Another point has to do with Bromden’s mom. Whenever she is mentioned, she is mentioned as huge. She overpowers him and his dad. This also shows the power and ferocity of women. Once again, even though the woman is in control, she is in control of an Indian and a half-Indian. Indians were considered beneath most white people, so this parallels Ratched’s control over the mentally ill in a way. She is also rarely mentioned. Bromden’s father is much more present in this novel. Bromden thinks fondly of his dad and it makes it seem like he sees him as someone that is easy to look up to, and his mom wasn’t so much. Overall, this novel seems to look down upon women. When females get power, they abuse it.
Guthmiller Pd.2
I have always enjoyed characters that parallel Christ. Figures like John Galt of _Atlas Shrugged_ and Howard Roark of _The Fountainhead_ always come to mind when I think of Christ-like symbols – even though they are incredibly anti-altruistic. These characters have a set of ideals that they act on, never wavering even if going against their ideals would provide them an opportunity or advantage. Even though main ideal is that man should be more selfish, I still find them heroic in that they never bow to an authority that is trying to break their romanticized ideal. McMurphy, the Christ-like parallel in the novel, shows this same fortitude. His constant testing of how far he would take the Nurse ends in a lobotomy and then eventual suffocation by Bromdem. His strength to not give into the Nurses demands is extremely admirable, but in the end it is his downfall – if you look at death being a downfall, but I don’t think McMurphy necessarily did. I believe that McMurphy had the mental capacity and poise to get out of the hospital, but he didn’t wish to. He was the best, most sane person there but he still wanted to stay and give a laugh to individuals that hadn’t laugh for years. McMurphy would never be called benevolent in the capitalistic sense, with his constant gambling, but he is extremely benevolent emotionally to the patients around him. Caring about the patients more than the actual doctors, McMurphy’s spirit lifts most of them out of the “fog” that had before trapped them. This is seen with most notably with Chief Bromdem. Chief Bromdem goes from deaf and mute giant to a functional force both linguistically and with his raw strength. McMurphy is the light to the wards fog. The spirit and benevolence of him guides them out of it until they can finally see what is real and what is not real. McMurphy is a hero and a parallel to Christ. He is my favorite exapmle of the allusion because he is the most complete. He is the Christ in the novel.
Etrheim 5
Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is best interpreted through a Marxist lens. The Marxist lens is all about power. In this story, Nurse Ratchet (also known as the Big Nurse) has more power than anyone else in the mental hospital including Dr. Spivey. This is ironic because in most cases doctors are superior to nurses. Ratchet rules all meetings, authorizes procedures for patients, and intimidates almost everyone including Dr. Spivey. The Big Nurse runs the entire ward and always gets her way. A hassle at times for Nurse Ratchet, McMurphy wins his fair share of battles. However, in the end, Ratchet wins the war with McMurphy’s lobotomy procedure. All in all, Nurse Ratchet is the symbol of power in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The novel was published in the early 1960’s, a time of extreme racism. This racist time period alludes to how low the mentally insane were in society. In the story, black men are workers/aides at the mental hospital and are given power over the patients. Saying this, the mentally handicapped are the lowest of the low. They are treated terribly as they have no power. The patients in the hospital also are not given any freedom because of their low social status. By working in the hospital, the black men are climbing the social ladder. They have a lot more power in the ward than they do in the real world. They assert their power in any way possible. An example is them raping incoming patients. The black men rape the patients primarily because they have the authority to do so. The Combine is also mentioned frequently. Chief Bromden tells us how eventually the Combine catches up to everybody and absorbs them. The Combine then spits its victims up as clones of each other. The Combine symbolizes the system that wants everybody to be the same. Society wants the mentally ill to be normal. The Combine prevents individuality giving it its negative connotation.
Pederson 7
When I began reading this story, I contemplated which lens was best for reading this novel. However, after a few sections, I began to realize that every lens is critical to fully understanding and appreciating a novel. I noticed that this novel has a particularly Marxist focus, so I focused on this lens the most. With a Marxist look, I saw how Public Relations, Nurse Ratched, and the Combine as a whole had taken over the ward, and every patient’s sense of reality. Nurse Ratched has kept the ward in a state of deception, creating “therapeutic” sessions where patients reveal their foibles, and gleefully watching the Acutes write down the insanities of a fellow patient for her to analyze later.
However, McMurphy, with his red hair, threatens this somewhat peaceful community. The use of red may relate to the Red Scare that occurred a decade earlier before this book’s publishing. People in America would exact revenge upon one another by calling the other Communist, and the other person would be arrested and be questioned about their loyalty to the American government. Another section where it mentions red is McMurphy’s “red claws” after trying to lift the control panel in an attempt to break out of the ward (125). This section I thought could symbolize McMurphy’s attempt to empower these men on the lower end of society and rise up in status and possibly escape. Another area I found interesting was when McMurphy ran his hand through the observation room’s glass to get his cigarettes (201). This wall of glass was Nurse Ratched’s way of observing the patients. I began to wonder if the shattering of this glass represented McMurphy trying to dissolve Ratched’s power, and showing the other patients that she can be beaten.
When McMurphy takes them on the boat, the patients feel uncomfortable. Chief Bromden notices all the changes that have occurred in the world while he was stuck inside. However, by talking to other people, McMurphy realizes that his insanity can be a power to use against others. While he is able to manipulate situations like getting reduced costs on gas, the other patients are still unsure of how to socialize with those outside of the ward. Whenever McMurphy is gone, they slip back into the lower placement of society. When sailors begin to taunt Candy, Chief Bromden feels that McMurphy should just “drive them back to where we belonged” (243). So far, despite McMurphy’s attempts, he still hasn’t created enough confidence within the patients to rise in status and defend themselves. It isn’t until after catching the big fish that they begin to feel like men again. Although McMurphy staked his life and sanity, he was able to inspire Chief Bromden to rise enough in social status to escape.
Pham 7
When beginning the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I felt the novel would not be relevant. Throughout my years of primary and secondary schooling, I have realized that all books relay messages and events that directly correlate to real life. However, my theory was that the novel would transcend this principle. Yet I was wrong. Kesey’s novel is completely relevant. McMurphy is considered a psychopath. He allows his psychopathic tendencies to make him angry and follow is id. This is apparent when Harding compares him to a wolf, and he attacks Harding (Kesey 65). Rarely can the psychopathic control their id. McMurphy constantly causes trouble, is impulsive, and has many sexual partners--the key symptoms of psychopathy. In addition, I believe Nurse Ratched is a sociopath. Nurse Ratched is controlling, manipulative, dishonest, remorseless, incapable of love, and dominative. She pits the patients against each other for her own selfish ends--easily shown in the pecking parties (Kesey 45). Perhaps this is the reason McMurphy and her do not get along. Although they have many similarities, grand differences in the the social aspect limit their understanding.
Finding the characteristics of both types of mental disorders allowed me to realize that many people in our society are undiagnosed sociopaths and psychopaths. It was revealed that 33% of all corporate CEOs of the Fortune 500 were sociopaths because they feel no remorse for their actions. On closer examination, I realized that I fit the characteristics of a sociopath. My manipulation of others and my theory of a relative truth have crafted my mind to imagine the thoughts of a sociopath. In fact, this also allowed me to realize that the renowned Zach Van Ede was an undiagnosed sociopath. His poetic speech and kind manipulation demand this truth. Howbeit, he denies this fact. So do many others. The truth is scary and indeed relative. Ignorance is bliss and thoughtlessness is salvation. If we do not realize our mental disorders, we are much quicker to break them than to succumb to the symptoms and stereotypes of the disease. So watch out; as the communist scare existed in the early 20th century, so may a socio/psychopathic scare exist by warning of Ken Kesey.
Peltier 5
While reading this novel, it has come to my attention that Ken Kesey has specifically added in Christian parallels that stand out poignant to me. As Mr. Marso said, Ellis is one of the key parallels to Christianity. At the beginning of the novel, Kesey introduces Ellis:
“Ellis is a Chronic came in an Acute and got fouled up bad when they overloaded him in that filthy brain-murdering room that the black boys call the ‘Shock Shop.’ Now he’s nailed against the wall in the same condition they lifted him off the table for the last time, in the same shape, arms out, palms cupped….He’s nailed like that on the wall, like a stuffed trophy” (16).
The text goes on to explain that when it is time for Ellis to eat or go to sleep, they have to take the nails out of his hands. He stands there all day and urinates on the floor, which is also eating away through the floor. Similarly to Christians, Jesus was abused and beaten before his crucifixion. Like Ellis, Jesus was completely different when he was finished being tortured. People could hardly recognize him from all of the blood that covered him. Similarly, Ellis started off as an Acute. He was fairly “normal” until he was taken in the “Shock Shop” and when he came out, he was considered a Chronic. It is interesting to think about if Kesey specifically meant for there to be Christian allusions/parallels in the story. From all of the sex talk, rape, drugs, etc., I often question if Kesey really meant to weave in a Christian parallel. But maybe he had a different vision that he wanted to portray. Did Kesey believe in Christianity? Maybe he was mocking Christianity and so he made Ellis become a chronic, looking ill and foolish by urinating where he stood. Kesey’s way of writing definitely makes a person wonder.
Weidenbach 1
McMurphy to me symbolizes Jesus Christ, because he has twelve followers much like Jesus who had twelve disciples. In the bible Jesus was betrayed by two of his disciples. Also like Jesus McMurphy is betrayed by one of his followers -- Billy. I feel the disciple most like Billy is Judas Iscariot, but he can also relate to Simon Peter in one way. The story of Jesus’s betrayal by Judas begins during the last supper and with Simon Peter asking who will betray Jesus. Jesus then answers “it is whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So Jesus dipped the morsel and handed it to Judas. After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. Jesus told him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. Jesus also states to Simon Peter that this very night you will betray me before the rooster crows. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest during the ward’s makeshift last supper, McMurphy makes a date for Billy and Candy, which may be symbolized as the gesture of friendship Jesus bestows on Judas by giving him the morsel. When it is night time, Billy and Candy have sex, which can be interpreted as a sinful act, this act can be related to when Judas takes the morsel and the devil enters him at night. When the morning comes Billy blames his actions on McMurphy completing his betrayal, like Simon Peter who betrays Jesus before the rooster crows –the rooster crowing signifies morning. Billy later commits suicide for his action by cutting his throat; Judas later commits suicide for his actions by hanging himself. Another symbol to Christianity is Nurse Ratched. She is portrayed as the devil by her physical attributes and she has the uncanny ability to deceive others. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is littered with many more Christian allusions/parallels open for discussion.
Scholten 2
Ken Kesey, similar to many other authors, has incorporated multiple allusions to religious figures and events throughout his novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In my opinion, the most prominent religious allusion is the scene concerning McMurphy’s first electroshock therapy treatment. McMurphy is sent to another building to receive EST after he refused to admit he was wrong to Nurse Ratched. This reflects Christ’s refusal to deny that he was the son of God. Jesus would have been spared his death if he had given in but his refusal leads him to be killed for the redemption of mankind. Likewise, McMurphy refuses to let Nurse Ratched be powerful over him and ultimately prepares to sacrifice himself for the sake of the other residents. The other building McMurphy is sent to receive the EST is a parallel to Golgotha, the place where Jesus is said to be crucified. As Chief Bromden and McMurphy are walking to the room, Chief’s comments about the smells and sights. Bromden describes, "I smelled that singed smell and heard that gnash of teeth" (276). This statement sounds similar to the descriptions of Hell found in the Bible. The verse Matthew 22:13 depicts Hell as a place where “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Chief Bromden’s statement is creepily similar to that particular verse. Revelations 21:8 tells about the precise smell of Hell “which burneth with fire and brimstone .” The biblical descriptions of Hell correlate directly to what Chief Bromden was smelling and seeing. Just before the electroshock treatment, McMurphy hears a guy repeating "I wash my hands of the whole ordeal”—an allusion to Pontius Pilate’s disassociation to Christ’s crucifixion. As the passage continues on, McMurphy enters the room and climbs on the EST chair. He is positioned in a “crucified” way—just like Jesus was positioned on the cross. McMurphy even asks for a “crown of thorns.” Just like Christ overpowers Satan, McMurphy overpowers Nurse Ratched.
Rusten 5
I believe I view this novel best through the Marxist lens. Especially since our narrator, Chief, views it unconsciously as that. He sees that everyone is made out or connected to machines after they have all gone through the combine. Conforming everyone to society’s standards. Which defiantly fit’s the time period the book was written in. In the 50s the idea of the American dream was strong. The dream was to have a good job, a big house, a pretty wife, and children. Making neighborhoods full of the same style house, maybe with different colors. When you don’t fit into society, it looks at you in distaste and exiles you. Nurse Ratched is in command of their little society and gives the same treatment to everybody. For example, she plays the music loud so the chronics can here even though the acutes’ hearing are perfectly fine. Chief sees the nurse as evil and at first, making me believe that too. Thinking about it later, the nurse is just a leader of a society with strict rules to keep order. She does have some horrible qualities to her, by only giving jobs to submissive that will cling to her every word. All of the patients in the ward follow the nurse because they are afraid of what she can do to them. The chronics are people deemed incurable and unfit for society where the acutes are treatable and eventually be cured for the outside world. Some Acutes are in the ward voluntarily because they can’t handle being in the outside world being free to do as they please. They feel they need complete structure and ruling in their lives to feel safe and stress-free.
Minihan 7
While reading “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, I have found my biblical references throughout the novel. On page 234, “Ellis pulled his hands down and told Billy to be a fisher of men.” The bible verse Matthew 4:19 states: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Ellis advised Billy Bibbit to be a fisher of men when the crew of men was about to leave for the fishing trip. Ellis fully knew who the sly chaperones were for the trip, and he did not want Billy Bibbit falling into sin, along with the rest of the horny bunch. Another Christian allusion I made was after the following statement: The leaves were falling and hitting the fence, then turning into birds and flying away. This passage reminds me of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This is because Jesus went through the most treacherous death (all caused by the ones He loved the most). After being laying in the dark tomb for three sullen days, the stone was rolled away to reveal garments, but no sign of Jesus. The turning into butterflies portion of the passage clearly symbolizes Jesus’s miraculous resurrection. While there are many biblical references in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, the most poignant allusion is when Billy Bibbit cuts his throat. The motive behind Billy’s action was how the crew made Billy feel. The whole bunch ridiculed, joked, and harassed Billy Bibbit for his innocent ways. They did this so much to where Billy could not take it anymore, so he took his life. This is similar to how Christ died. Jesus was beaten, ridiculed for being the Son of Man, and was killed. Obviously Jesus did not kill himself, but He knew He would have to die for the sins of others; therefore He simply said: “Let Your will be done.” I find this to be the saddest allusion, because it was the people, us, who let this happen, made it happen. The deaths were caused by our sins, and our shortcomings.
Lippert 7
All three of the lenses can be used to examine this interesting novel but I found the Marxist lens to be the most useful. This lens is the one that appeals most to me out of the three. Many things in our world can be examined through a Marxist lens—even one-act plays. Nurse Ratched is obviously the upper class in the novel. She is superior to the patients of the ward, manipulating and controlling them until they have been contorted beyond recognition and fit into her very unique mould. She also controls the money on the ward. When McMurphy arrives he begins to gamble with the other patients for cigarettes, and since he is a very skilled gambler he wins time and again. Nurse Ratched is irked by the fact McMurphy is not an obedient little puppy like the rest of the others and starts to ration the cigarettes. Money is power in our society, in the ward cigarettes are money. The fact that Nurse Ratched is able to control the cigarettes makes her vastly superior since she controls the power. Even though I view the Marxist to be the most useful of lenses when examining Cuckoo’s Nest, I find the Freudian lens to have merit as well. McMurphy is the perfect example of someone who gives into their id. A lot! Upon his arrival in the hospital he admits that he constantly fights and likes to get familiar with female interests, a lot. McMurphy chooses to sit back and enjoy life, letting his id run ramped and gamble, and fight, and have no obligations. And then we have Nurse Ratched. A Freudian lens looks at the sexual in novels and Nurse Ratched is a prime example. Certain physical aspects have been enlarged on this lady and she hates it, going against her perfect order she thrives on and out of place in her perfectly ordered world. She is a representation of repressed sexuality and she clashes with McMurphy outright flaunting of it. In the end we can only wonder. Who will win?
Heisel 2
I personally did not find the Christ figure to be relevant until part 3, but after some research, I learned that it was more present before that time. Apparently, his emotional and psychological stability represented Jesus’ sinless nature. Many of the small wins that McMurphy had against the Nurse were like Jesus’ miracles. The other patients had faith in him because of the “miracles”, similar to the disciples and other followers of Christ.
I found the Christ symbolism/allegory first to be present during the boat trip. There were twelve others on the boat, symbolizing the twelve disciples. The specific number is what made the allegory obvious to me. On the boat, McMurphy sat back and let the others learn how to fish on their own. They pleaded him to help, but eventually learned that they could do it on their own. Similar to McMurphy, Jesus wished for the people he taught to accept the religion without the need of him. (This doesn’t exclude believing in him, he still is rather partial to that.) The whole boat and fishing thing relates to some of the disciples being fisherman and Jesus going fishing with them.
The much more obvious time McMurphy represents Christ or a Christ figure is when he is “crucified” on the cross shaped table. This was so obvious that it almost seemed to not fit in the story very well. He mention that she could “put a crown of thorns” on him, which was making the obvious even more abundantly clear. It seemed too intentional to me, but it was probably necessary to complete the Christ metaphor. McMurphy accepting the shock therapy allows him to “win” against Nurse Ratched and help the patients become free from her tyranny. McMurphy died for the good of his people, acting completely selflessly. This action makes him very Christ-like indeed, and completes a near perfect allegory out of the novel.
Initially the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest exploded with Marxism; showing the systems within in the ward and Nurse Ratched's peremptory tone. Alongside of Nurse Ratched is the imaginary Combine Chief speaks of throughout the book. The Combine sucks people in and spits them out like corn--faceless, emotionless, and conformed. All the patients are the "middle class" of a government system; separated into the Acutes and the Chronics by their mental abilities.
Perhaps the insanity the patients posess is their id, and Nurse Ratched and the staff is society smothering the patients to conform. McMurphy at the beginning of the book would be the perfect example of id. He gambles, smokes, swears and disobeys higher authority because he allows his emotion to control his actions. Later in the book he realizes that is not in his best interest, because Nurse Ratched truly does hold all power over him. The fishing trip brings out the men's natural feelings in regard to beer, women, and confidence. When the men return home to the ward they mix a drink and their full blown id decimates their superego. Running rampant the men play tag and live out their last hoorah in the ward. Candy and Billy go off together while other girl and Sefelt pair up as well showing freudian actions at their best.
Prostitutes, push-over nurse, over-bearing mothers, emasculating wives, nazi bosses, and an eight year old "slut", this book is completely against women in general, and especially women with power. Candy comes on the fishing trip and advertised as a prostitute and the only details we recieve are about her appearance and the men's thoughts and goggling eyes glued to her. (pg 242) "Hey Blondie..." , The loafers harass Candy and she looks helplessly at the even more helpless patients for them to speak up for her. As if a full grown women is completely foible and incapable of defending herself that she needs patients from an asylum to aid her. The nurse on Disturbed even says, "all women who served as a nurse in the army... all nurses who are unmarried and at the age of thirty-five should have to retire" she is an example of a beaten down women who agrees that she, herself should not be educated or exposed to any power of confidence the army provides. Providing for your child is a good thing... but also can be bad as we look at Billy. His mother babied him and did not allow him to grow up and be independent. Billy could not handle the rejection of a girlfriend or his mother finding out he was being "naughty". He could not handle his mother's disappointment that he took his own life.
(as humans we need to have the "rebel-teenager" faze so that we can experiment with our own thoughts and take an outside view of our parents morals and lives. If we don't... we end up like Billy--afraid to be our own person, to eager to please. )
Hardings's wife and Chief's mom both are both shown as belittling to their husband. Manipulative and evil.
This was the easist lens for me to see and recognize. In the 1960s I believe women were still shadows of their husbands, explaining a little for why Kesey wrote the book this way. OR maybe he was showing that women are capable of power and that mabye men are weak when put to the test of a powerful woman. Every man in the book was a victim of a stronger woman. Mabye kesey believes that woment are stronger and more dominant. in the past women didn't go crazy and develop mental illnesses from having to be the shadow to heir husband--they were strong enough to function and live on.
N. Peterson 2
While reading this novel, it was very obvious to me that Kesey used many Christian parallels. The parallel that was most poignant to me was McMurphy to Jesus Christ. Comparable to Jesus Christ, McMurphy is elevated above his society, takes multiple actions to change the norm of his time and place, is condemned for his ideas and has the power to save others. McMurphy was almost finished with his time at the work camp but pretends to be psychotic to be placed in the asylum. This shows sacrifice. Instead of attaining his freedom in a matter of months, McMurphy spends the rest of his life in the hospital. This is similar to the idea of Jesus coming to earth voluntarily; he not only gives up Heaven to come to the world he created, but comes as a poor carpenter to live a life of suffering and pain. When McMurphy comes to the asylum he immediately pushes for changes and questions the policies. This mimics the many changes Jesus brought during his lifetime. During his stay at the institution McMurphy does many things to help the other patients recover. Chief Bromden, who is supposedly both deaf and dumb, talks and shows that he is not dumb at all. Chief also shows a complete change by the end of the novel, he sees himself like he did as a child and is actually happy. McMurphy encourages Ellis, the man who spends his days “bolted” to the wall, to move and he tries to take a step. We are able to see the connection between McMurphy asking Ellis to walk and Jesus, who heals a paralytic by asking him to stand. I also found it ironic that Jesus had twelve disciples who followed him and there were twelve men on the boat with McMurphy. There are so many comparisons between Jesus and McMurphy in this novel, and ultimately, Jesus and McMurphy are both persecuted and condemned for their ideas and beliefs.
Nifong 2
I have enjoyed the novel greatly. Sparking many interesting conversations, the novel has helped me grow in literature. There are many Christian references within the work. The obvious comparison of McMurphy to Jesus is mind boggling. It’s interesting to me because the two are exact opposites. McMurphy is in an insane asylum trying to raise hell and get underneath the nurse’s skin. This is very much a direct contrast to Jesus. However, McMurphy “delivers” the men from their “devil”. The nurse is the evil being in this novel—the thing that keeps them from the outside world. McMurphy ultimately ruins her when he distresses her clothing. On a different note, the coexisting of different races in the novel intrigues and fascinates me. I find it so interesting that McMurphy latches on to the only non-white patient in the ward. I noted in the basketball scene that the black boys were referred to being the greatest players they had. That quote interested me because black men are primarily accepted as being good basketball players. Bromden is a unique case. Bromden’s mother was married to a Native American chief. Interesting. I wonder why she became involved with someone who was socially below her. Was there a lacking in her own self confidence? Did she need to feel in control? It made me think of slavery. Slavery was a way for even the poorest of whites to feel they were better than something. It boosted egos and gave power. I think Mrs. Bromden needed power. Socially and physically men are viewed as more powerful and stronger, when the Chief took her last name the roles are automatically reversed and she is viewed as the control figure. When Chief speaks of his mother being “big” and making his father “smaller” I believe this is a direct comparison to Native American oppression by the white population.
Rasmussen pd.5
In the Novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, you can view it from many different perspectives but I like to go about the Marxist lens. The struggle for power is very prevalent in the novel. In the beginning, the Nurse has total power in all aspects of the patients’ lives. She even goes as far as to try and control their thoughts. As soon as McMurphy shows up, we notice a power struggle that continues throughout the book. The breaking of the glass the first time symbolizes the Nurse’s fall from power. They have physically assaulted on of the many things that give her power. The glass is what separated her from the other insane patients. Further in the novel, the glass is broken multiple times. This to me is almost like the patients are mocking her struggle to try and retain her former power. As soon as the Nurse cracks, power is shifted over to McMurphy. I believe that McMurphy gave up because there was nothing to fight against anymore. He had nothing to entertain him. Late in the novel, the Doctor approves of the fishing trip that McMurphy wants to take other patients on. The Nurse feels as if she is second in charge and to combat this, she tries to attack this indirectly. She hangs up storm warnings and shipwreck news on the board in order to dissuade the other patients in going. Is this one of the last efforts in trying to control McMurphy and his group of changed men? The men have to pay 10 dollars to go on the trip but then later it is found out that McMurphy is pocketing the extra money that he charged the men. Being McMurphy is smarter than all of the other patients; he can control them and their decisions. This is also true in society, the smart will rule over the dumb and ignorant.
Woodward 5
Throughout One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, there are Christian allusions and symbols, the most prominent, in my eyes, being the one that relates McMurphy to Jesus. Like Christ, McMurphy sets out on his fishing trip with twelve followers and shows them how to fulfill their potential to be great. While Jesus showed his disciples how to live a righteous life, McMurphy shows his followers how to simply live. The lobotomy of McMurphy parallels the crucifixion of Jesus. About halfway through the novel, McMurphy ceases to be a true conman and begins to live to save his fellow patients. After his fight with Washington, he is placed on the cross-shaped EST table and tortured for trying to help his fellow man. The lobotomy is when McMurphy truly dies, as he is no longer himself after the procedure. Bromden and Sefelt discuss how well the surgeons did on creating a replica of McMurphy, even though they know that the body in front of them is really McMurphy; but it is not McMurphy’s personality anymore. Also McMurphy’s death by suffocation could be viewed as his followers turning on him, like Peter and Judas turned on Jesus in his time of need. Ellis is a constant reminder of what can happen if you fight the system. He is permanently crucified in his mind for an unknown crime. McMurphy realizes that this same thing could happen to him, yet he persistently fights the system; this aspect makes McMurphy a true savior, as he continues to fight even in the face of peril. Among these previously stated allusions, there are also many symbols containing numbers such as forty and twelve.
Andrews2
There are many parallels/allusions that are Christian based in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Ellis, a chronic, is one of the earliest foreshadowing’s in the books towards these allusions. Ellis, who received EST, is now nailed to a wall with his arms stretched out just like the crucifixion of Christ. The EST table is even shaped like a cross. Later in the novel, Ellis tells Billy to be a "fisher of men"(p.234) which is what Christ said to the fisherman Peter he wanted him to be his disciple. McMurphy is not exactly a Christ figure. He is way to morally corrupt, violent, and sexually driven. He is, however, very much a Christ-like figure. Both McMurphy and Christ were both condemned and persecuted for their ways and ideas. In the novel, McMurphy knows what he means to these men. He knows that he is their Christ-like figure. By then end he has everything he starts doing is for them. They speak through him and use him like a puppet constantly pulling his strings. Even before his EST he asks for a crown of thorns and on his fishing trip he brings along twelve "disciples". On the fishing trip, it starts out with McMurphy guiding them and then leaving them to do continue themselves since with their faith him they could now. In the end, McMurphy is immortalized. He is given a lobotomy to completely alter him into a "vegetable" completely sacrificing himself. None of the men want to believe that this has happened. They need proof and even when they see his body, like Christ, they don't believe. The tattoos help with this revelation just like how the scars on Christ's hands revealed him. McMurphy will live on in the stories the men will continue to tell to keep the faith so he can continue to heal them. A savior may be good for everyone else, but it has unfortunate circumstances for them.
Arrowsmith 5
I found that reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with a Marxist lens proved to be most helpful. Chief Bromden obviously loses the environmental lottery as he was born an Indian in Oregon, though he did win the genetic lottery as he is 6’7” and extremely strong. Whether Harding won or lost the genetic lottery could go either way as he has girly hands and is gay, but is very intelligent, while McMurphy on the other hand won every aspect of the genetic lottery. Nurse Ratched too won the lottery as she was born with large breasts and was raised in a house with authority and taught about the importance of discipline. Every character in this story has their own struggle with power. Nurse Ratched is power hungry and does everything she can to be the most powerful and manipulative on the ward, while Chief Bromden and the other patients are oppressed and ruled by the Big Nurse. The men even fight between themselves as they write things in Nurse Ratched’s book to try to gain her liking and therefore become more powerful than the man they wrote about. The men are also controlled by the “Combine” or society. Many of the patients are voluntary because they do not fit the “one size fits all” quota of the 50’s where everyone lived in the same house, drove the same car, and acted the same. Since the men did the fit in society, they were cast out and ridiculed and left for no other option and to enter the asylum. It is also interesting that Kesey chose Nurse Ratched as the dictator and black boys as her minions, as women and blacks had no authority and were looked down upon at the time, though their time would soon be coming. In every aspect of the novel society, power, and the lotteries are clearly visible, making analyzing it with a Marxist lens the most interesting for me.
Waldera 5
I believe that interpreting One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest through the Freudian lens is the best. The novel clearly displays a constant battle between the id and superego on the ward. McMurphy obviously represents the id doing whatever he pleases whenever he wants. The other patients on the ward represent the superego to an extreme. They are all too scared to speak out on their thoughts and after awhile they completely forget how to act on their id. There needs to be a balance between the two, superego and id, to be able to live a harmonious life style. If one follows their id too much, like McMurphy, then they become violent and a sexual deviant. However, if the opposite is true and the superego is overpowering the id completely one can become extremely shy and to one’s self. Chief Bromden is the perfect example. He is so scared to act out on his id that he simply pretends he is deaf and dumb. Nurse Ratched throughout the novel tries to control the patient’s id and superego balance. She follows her id through all her actions from limiting the patient’s power and adding to hers. At the staff meetings Nurse Ratched is always putting down the other patients by pointing out how bad it is when their they follow their id. She accomplishes this by the log book, in which all the patients tattle on each other. The true question is where the right balance between id and superego is. I believe is varies from individual to individual and one must find that balance through trail and error. That is why we have rules and laws in place to try to keep us near that healthy balance. Kesey did an amazing job writing this novel and looking at it through a Freudian lens is eye opening.
Volk 5
After reading and analyzing Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest I came to the conclusion that the Marxist lens helped me interpret the novel best. Although all the lens’s were obviously used throughout the book, the Marxist lens stood out to me. In almost every aspect of the novel, I could see how society was involved. The social period in which it was written was close to the time of World War II and it showed in Kesey’s blatant use of parallels to communist Germany. He made it clear that Nurse Ratched played Hitler in the fake democratic (communist) rule over the ward. She ruled with fear and power over the ward and her black assistants were her army or the secret police. The nurse always had the final word showing that she was all powerful. The ward was also very oppressive in that it could turn all the patients against each other instantly in just a simple group meeting. The patients also did not have much say in their own lives and were force to do things on a tight schedule. Another way that the Marxist lens was prominent is that due to the unreliable narrating of Chief Bromden, almost every character was dehumanized and made into a machine. It constantly talked about how nurse was like a giant combine sweeping everything in and shooting it back out all the same. Bromden continuously stated how everything was a machine and the whole ward was mechanical. In the chief’s eyes, everyone was a robot and they were all part of serving the greater good of Nurse Ratched. The novel was strongly based on how McMurphy was climbing the “social ladder” in order to overthrow the big nurse. He does this because underneath everything, the patients in their social class were oppressed and not happy. They are not given much freedom and they are highly exploited by the upper classes of the Nurse and her cronies. The Marxist lens is the most prominent lens in my eyes as I read and analyze the novel.
Tew 1
The past few weeks, I have been thinking about the “feat” assignment. A feat meaning accomplishment, but what defines an accomplishment? This bothered me for a long time. Almost anything could be considered an accomplishment. Finishing this blog task could even be considered one. It had to be something that could be demonstrated and include a bunch of literary devices and quotes. My first thought was, “How am I going to fit all of this into a single project without being totally random and awkward?” Not only do we have to make a project about Life of Pi, Lord of the Flies, and One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest, but we also have to include literature from different centuries. The task seemed close to impossible. The instructions were to use something you are good at or some aspect of what you will do in your career. I am going to be a translator so I thought, “should I translate quotes?” That, however, seemed too quick and to the point. I also thought I should do something regarding the military, but I had no idea how that would tie into all three novels. I listened to other ideas like a skit, or something to do with engineering. All these ideas seemed relevant and cool. Other students definitely look like they will go all out and do something amazing for this project. This only made me think harder about what I was going to do. This is a college class and there is a plate that must be stepped up to. The idea that I have recently acquired seems perfect for my arsenal of skills. Hopefully it all turns out right.
Rogen5
An item of relevance to me last week was our discussions concerning “Man vs. The Machine.” The part of importance to me was the “Machine.” There is of course the obvious machine that Bromden sees throughout the novel that “controls” him and the staff at the hospital. Looking deeper into Bromden’s visions you see that the “Machine” or “Combine” is actually society breaking, manipulating, and crushing all in its path. From the time period Kesey writes this work, America was pulling out of the “Combine” era of the 40’s and 50’s where having the obedient wife, white picket fence, and dog in the back yard was the expected family life. After reading this novel I discovered that Kesey wanted to live through his character in McMurphy. McMurphy is constantly “Sticking it to The Man”. He disrupts the system of the ward and influences others to leave the safety of the fog to join him in life and reality. In the topics about the author we discussed in class, I found Kesey portrayed the same rouge character. He took part in illegal drugs, and was able to influence others in joining him on his journey to mind expansion. His followers joined him on his bus, Further, and proceeded to look for ways to solve the world’s problems. “The Machine” also represents an inverse of oppression found in American society. Kesey uses this to an ironic effect by placing women and African Americans in places of power—contrary to their inferior positions in the 60’s. With this effect, he shows how the abuse of power does not exist with just white males but with other tainted people put into powerful positions. Yet, the Native American representative in the novel is never let into power. I believe Kesey did this to portray the abuse the native people of America had to suffer through the past 300 years. A complex novel indeed.
Olesen 1
There are a number of Christian parallels throughout the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. One of the most prominent examples is the episode when the men go on their fishing trip set up by McMurphy. While the men are on their way they pass by Ellis standing arms out against the wall. Ellis is depicted as a Christ figure nailed to the wall as if he were being crucified. He tells them to be a “fisher of men”, which is what Christ said to the fisherman Peter when he asked him to be his disciple. On the trip McMurphy takes twelve of the men with him, much like Christ took his twelve on a fishing trip. Then McMurphy sacrifices himself for the men as he is sent up to Disturbed for electroshock therapy. He even tells us himself how he sees himself as a Christ figure when he lies down on the cross shaped table and says things like “It’s my cross, thank you Lord, it’s all I got, thank you Lord….” and “Anointest my head with conductant. Do I get a crown of thorns?”. Another example is when Billy tells Nurse Ratched that McMurphy made him do sleep with Candy. This is an allusion to Judas when he betrayed Jesus, and also killed himself after doing so. Ultimately in the end McMurphy really does sacrifice his life for the men, so they can possibly have a better life to be free from the combine.
Stephens 1
It is blatantly obvious that Kesey purposefully incorporated religious themes into the novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. As the book progressed, McMurphy became more and more like a Christ figure to the other patients. They followed him. They tried to be like him. Cheswick was especially zealous to agree with McMurphy, up until his suicide. One obvious proofs of this theme is in part three, the religious imagery becomes much more apparent in this section. The character of Ellis, who is introduced as posing as if crucified in Part 1, tells the group that they are to be "fishers of men," which is the same instructions Jesus Christ gave his apostles in Matthew 4:19, "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Christ's twelve apostles are echoed by Kesey's use of twelve group members who accompany McMurphy on the fishing trip. Another obvious representation of Christ shown in McMurphy is his death. He dies so the other patients can live free lives. Free from nurse Ratched and the Combine. The fact that the shock therapy bed is shaped as a cross is a pretty blatant religious connection, and the three deaths in the novel. One could argue that Billy Bibbit and Cheswick were the men hung on the crosses next to McMurphy. Another view is that Nurse Ratched is an allusion to Satan. The Bible explains that Satan can take on any appearance and, therefore, can get away with deceiving people easily. Nurse Ratched’s uniform and pretentious smile are just facades for her evil motivations. Just as Satan tries to lead God’s followers astray by tricking them, so does Nurse Ratched. When she tells McMurphy’s friends about the decline in funds, she states that he does not really care for them, but only about himself.
Anderson 5
Since all of the participants of the One Act were absent last Friday, we made up our forum quiz yesterday. Many interesting topics were discussed thoroughly. I found it extremely fascinating that McMurphy and Chief ended up to be complete opposites, and also ended up helping each other. At the beginning of the novel, McMurphy entered the mental hospital without being considered crazy. On McMurphy’s long journey in the hospital he was forced to be treated with EST—electro shock therapy. The therapy did not seem to change McMurphy’s status in the hospital, so Nurse Ratched went the extra mile and had him receive a lobotomy. McMurphy was then mentally changed. Chief Bromden on the other hand was in the asylum because he was schizophrenic. McMurphy became friendly with Bromden and ended up pulling him out of the “fog.” Bromden had also undergone EST at the same time as McMurphy, and was transformed into his normal self before he was admitted into the institution. The two also helped each other at the conclusion of the novel. McMurphy helped Chief become mentally “big” again. After McMurphy received the lobotomy, Chief could tell that he was not the same, so he did the only thing he thought would save his friend. Chief smothered McMurphy to death. All of the other patients were then worried about Chief’s wellbeing if the nurses found out that he was the one who killed McMurphy, so Chief went to the tub room, lifted the control panel, and threw it through the window, just like McMurphy taught him. Earlier in the novel we had studied Chief’s fascination with the dog out of the window. During this forum, we came to the conclusion that Chief is the dog. The dog had escaped from where ever it was he came from, just like Chief escaped the hospital. The last thing I discover was about me. I pulled myself out of the fog in this last forum and found that class discussions are much more enjoyable on the other side.
Grapevine 7
For me, the Christian parallel that stands out the most is the EST table being shaped like a cross. For some reason, it just gives me the chills when I think about it, as if each one of them is allowing themselves to be tortured for their "sins", like the two men who were crucified with Jesus. Nurse Ratched says at one point to McMurphy that he is playing God, but once thought about, isn't she playing God as well? Keeping the patients locked up, controlling their lives, and submitting them to her will? On the electroshock table, the patients are strapped down by their wrists, ankles, and head, similar to the nails and crown of thorns that Jesus had. Nurse Ratched is gambling with lives here as well, but not physically. She is gambling with their souls, tearing them down and throwing them around as if they were no more than scraps of paper. She sees her purpose as tearing down men, promoting her power. Oddly enough, she tries to hide her own feminine qualities, which is an odd thing, considering that she wants to tear men down and raise up the opposite gender. But the Christian parallels and allusions were strong in this book, and really made you think deeper.
Collin Livingston Pd. 5
In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, symbols of Christianity are scattered everywhere throughout Ken Kesey’s rebellious masterpiece. At first glance one may not recognize the numerous allusions to Christ, but upon further inspection one can find a plethora of Christian symbols sprinkled in between the pages. One of the most obvious allusions to Christ in the book is the actions of Ellis. Throughout the book Ellis is pinned to the wall, “crucified” by imaginary nails. As the reader eventually discovers, this is only one of the many examples of foreshadowing McMurphy's lobotomy. One other character that isn’t necessarily overlooked but maybe is unaccounted for is Billy. Billy seems to be devoted to McMurphy and is indeed a clear follower of McMurphy’s ways. In my opinion, Billy has a parallel with the disciple Judas. In the bible, Judas gives up information on Jesus when the Romans offer him gold. Judas thus commits suicide because of the unbearable guilt of betraying Christ he bears. Billy does almost the exact same as Judas had to Jesus. McMurphy plans and goes through with a party where he expects Billy to sleep with Candy. McMurphy gave to Billy when Billy took out McMurphy’s legs out from under him. Billy rats on McMurphy’s doings, and would soon commit suicide because of traumatic sense of guilt he carries. Finally, the fishing trip is yet another allusion dangled in front of the reader. The parallels Kesey used with the fishing trip are incredibly powerful and revealing. First off, McMurphy takes 12 of the patients along on his adventure. This is a stark resemblance and imitation of Jesus's 12 disciples. In the Bible Jesus tells his disciples that he will make fishermen out of them before he takes them fishing but contrary to initial belief he is not talking about catching actual fish. Jesus is talking about teaching them the ways of the bible and having them “fish” others into following the Christian faith. In McMurphy's case he is teaching the patients how to stand up for themselves, weaning themselves off their fear of everything. Despite the fact that McMurphy is removed from the group when they return from the trip his “disciples” stand up for themselves. They start to spread the “word of McMurphy” and his ways, where they all eventually go on their own separate ways from the ward.
Tew 1
If I were to look for Christian allusions to this book, I would say that Nurse Ratchet is definitely Lucifer or the Devil. The Insane Asylum is obviously hell and she is the one who is keeping them all there. She is not helping to fix them; she is keeping them insane so that they can keep making money off of them. The insane are the lost souls who were not allowed into heaven or society. They were not allowed because they were gay or committed violent acts and scared people. Basically they were sinners that were not repentant. The black boys in the book are Satan’s little demon helpers. They commit sex acts and torture other patients. Now, McMurphy may not be similar to Christ, but he is the Christ figure. He represents Society or heaven and how they live during these times. He brings back a few of their sanities. He is crucified and shocked. He has also entered Hell willingly just as Jesus did. The only difference however is that McMurphy never left hell. He died there. Which I guess could be considered leaving, but did he go to heaven after that? Or did he go back to hell? Bromden represents a lost soul who was saved because of the sacrifice of Jesus or McMurphy. McMurphy slowly gets back Bromdens sanity until he finally breaks out. dd
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