Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Favorite Scene—due Feb 15

Which is your favorite scene from Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and why? Total 150+ words.

93 comments:

VanDenTopT2 said...

“He stands there waiting, and when nobody makes a move to say anything to him he commences to laugh. Nobody can tell why he laughs; there’s nothing funny going on. But it’s not the way that Public Relations laughs, it’s free and loud and it rings bigger and bigger till it’s lapping against the walls all over the ward. Not like that fat Public Relations laugh. This sounds real. I realize all of a sudden it’s the first laugh I’ve heard in years” (12). Laughter is a literary device used many times throughout the book; it is used in order to give comic relief. The only character who laughs, though, is McMurphy. This shows that he is much different than the other in the ward. The patients have never heard someone laugh within the ward and they are astounded when they hear it come from McMurphy, a new patient. It symbolizes that McMurphy has power and is okay with not conforming to every rule and is seeking to become the top dog himself. He does not care that he may be scolded for such an act. I think people have found Kesey’s literary devices so intriguing because he uses them in order to get the readers to think more than they usually would when reading a book.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is the scene with Bromden on pages 163-165 where he had gotten out of bed and walked around the hospital and found out that the hospital is in the countryside. He is just looking about, enjoying the scenery. This scene is one of my favorites because it shows how clear Bromden is becoming throughout the book and how he is able to think for himself and become his own person. He is seeing more clearly; he no longer is being surrounded by fog so often and isn't thinking down on himself so much. The realization of the countryside is also a symbol of McMurphy's effect on other patients, especially Bromden. McMurphy having his own personality and individualism is rubbing off on the other patients. I also like this scene because of how peaceful it is. I know what it is like to sit outside, watching the sunset go down over a hill in the countryside. It is quite peaceful and I believe that Bromden had some sort of peace while looking outside, watching the dog run around. As if, for a moment, he was able to forget about all of the commotions around him.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest" was the scene on page 201 when McMurphy broke the window in front of the Big Nurse. He took the opportunity to rebel against the Big Nurse once more. The game between them was entertaining to read, and even I thought, like Chief Bromden, that the Big Nurse had the upper hand in their game. After McMurphy had talked to the lifeguard, he realized that he had to take a step back, therefore he was on the losing end of the game. However, like all the patients that knew him, they knew McMurphy was planning something big. Though breaking a window seems childish, in reality it proved to be one of his greatest feats.

Leonard 2 said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is on page 175, when Cheswick commits suicide by sticking his fingers in the grate at the bottom of the pool. Some might think that his death was accidental; I fully believed from the moment that he did it, that it was intentional. Cheswick did such a thing because he had lost all hope at that point. McMurphy was his hope, and he ignited the hope in Cheswick. But Cheswick’s fire of hope went out when he realized that McMurphy was done trying to rebel. His light went out when he died, and his fingers (like a wick of a candle), getting stuck in the grate symbolizes the fire of hope going out. But although his light is gone, he ignited hope and fire in others after his death. Maybe he knew that if he sacrificed himself, McMurphy would once again try to rebel so that he could save the others. That’s why McMurphy later punching the glass on page 201 is my second favorite scene.

William Gunderson said...

I am going to have to say that my favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" would have to be the meeting scenes between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy. It is hard to just pick one of these scenes as they are very elegant in the way that they use dialogue. The scenes of word chess are very intense and make for some of the best examples of what dialogue in a book should be. I am one of those people that are very appreciative of dialogue centric movies and I love it when they play these games of Words with Friends when they are not actually friends. Not to mention that these scenes usually contain pivotal moments in the novel such as the TV debate and the glass shattering scene. These are usually the climaxes of the parts of the novel and they are just excellent.

Unknown said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when the women sneak into the ward. The suspense kills me as the girls are late when they climb through the window. The excitement and wildness that happens through out the night made me laugh. The drunken girls create a low-key and chivalrous environment. All the characters seem to let loose and be themselves. When the nurse comes into the ward to check on the men, I was so nervous that the men would get caught. My thoughts wondered in all directions questioning what would happen if one of the nurses caught the women during the night. This scene shows how much light McMurphy brings to the group. He makes the best out of the situations and rolls with the punches. McMurphy makes all the men feel normal and accepted which I feel that is very important to instill into people's lives.

Anonymous said...

While reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I discovered a love for many scenes of the novel, but I had one favorite that really stood out to me. In chapter six of the novel McMurphy tries to help Miss Pilbow after she becomes flustered while administering medication to Chief Bromden. McMurphy tries to help her pick up the watering can that she dropped, but she becomes frightened because she thinks that McMurphy is a sex addict. One page 83 of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, Miss Pilbow tells him to “‘Stay back! Patients aren’t allowed to enter the —Oh, stay back, I’m a Catholic!’ and straightaway jerks at the gold chain around her neck so a cross flies out from between her bosoms, slingshots the lost pill up in the air!” I found this part of the novel to be extremely hilarious because as I was reading I could see the scene playing out in my head. I thought it was funny that she got so flustered simply because she was getting help picking up a watering can, and felt the need to show her cross around her neck. This novel is filled with some darker parts, so it is exciting to see some lighter parts in the novel that can be laughed at.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest would have to be when McMurphy realizes that mostly everyone is voluntarily committed to the ward. On page 194 he is beyond shocked to know that there are people in the ward that could easily be living a better life. They could be married and raise children. I think this scene is interesting because at this point in the book you do not know that some patients are voluntarily committed and 2 are not. I love it when myself and also the character in the book figure out something at the same time. It makes you wonder why and how they are voluntarily committed. It makes you want to continue reading the book so you are able to discover more unknown things. This book as a great way of having suspense. I feel like this scene changed the way many feel about the characters. I felt disgusted towards some of the patients, but now I see that they are helping themselves.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" is at the end of the novel when Chief Bromden escapes from the ward. What makes this part of the novel significant to me is the mix of emotions that come along with it. This is because after McMurphy throws the party before he and Chief will escape, they all are hungover and do not escape in time. This leads to a very angry Nurse Ratched who has a lobotomy performed on McMurphy as a punishment. Unfortunately, Chief Bromden is not aware that McMurphy has been subjected to a lobotomy until the night when Bromden goes up to his bed to tell him that he is ready to escape but McMurphy is unresponsive due to the lobotomy that he has just undergone. He is basically a vegetable which inspires many emotions from the reader because of the sadness of a man so full of life becoming lifeless in the blink of an eye. Chief Bromden feels sorry for McMurphy and kills him by suffocation out of pity. After this, Bromden escapes by throwing the panel through the window which is obviously a reference to shattering Ratched's reign of terror over the ward one last time. Bromden escapes through the window and runs off into the distance to live a free life. This ending is very polarizing in the way that it makes you feel. On one hand, you feel happy and relieved that Bromden who is arguably the main character gets to escape and live a free life but you also feel disappointed and sad because McMurphy whom the reader has gotten to sympathize with and love is more or less killed by Nurse Ratched and then put out of his misery by Bromden which forces the reader to decide whether or not, it was the morally right thing to do but that is all part of what makes this part of the book great and why I enjoyed this part the most.

Duncanson 2 said...

My favorite scene in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” so far would have to be the interaction between McMurphy and Nurse Pilbow on page 83. Miss Pilbow is absolutely terrified of McMurphy because Nurse Ratched has told her that he is a sex maniac and she does everything she can to avoid him. McMurphy sees how much she is terrified and smiles at her when she is handing out pills for the night. This action makes her so flustered that she drops a water pitcher on her foot. McMurphy comes closer trying to help her clean up but she becomes hysterical and yells, “stay back, I’m a Catholic!”, while pulling her gold cross necklace out. This is by far my favorite scene because of how hilarious it is. Nurse Pilbow is a complete wreck because of her fear of McMurphy. Once the whole interaction is over, McMurphy finishes his sentence and tells her he was only trying to help her pick up the water she had dropped. Nurse Pilbow is so relieved that she quickly says, “Thank you. Good night”, and then shuts the station for the rest of the night.

Sage 7 said...

Throughout the novel I loved observing the progression of Chief Bromden’s perception of himself. His gradual understanding of his identity began with the entrance of McMurphy to the hospital and peaked with his escape from the ward. On page 324 as Bromden is running towards the highway, he says he felt like he was “Free,” and as I was reading this scene I could feel his freedom. The way Kesey has Bromden narrate this scene fully represents the change in Bromden’s character and his overall sense of self. In the beginning of the novel, Bromden pretends to be deaf and feels small due to years of oppression from his mother, the government, and society as a whole; but, by this scene in the novel, Bromden has gained the confidence to reenter society and even return to his home that was taken away from him and his family by the government. Bromden’s return to the falls displays the confidence he gained once McMurphy arrived and traded places with the fog.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is where Sefelt has a seizure in the middle of the lunch line. Throughout the book, the reader gets a sense that the hospital is wrong and treating the patients like prisoners, which is true to some degree, but on many more instances the hospital really is looking out for the best interests of the occupants. At this point in the novel, McMurphy does not know why he made the choice to get set to the hospital and is now seeing that he is taking advantage of a system that has a benevolent purpose. This puts a large grey area on the “right and wrong” found within most books, this scene helps depict that the hospital is trying to help but the means are not making the correct ends in all cases. The scene makes the reader stop and think about what morals and character is displayed in the novel and that not everyone feels the same about how methods are implemented in society, even beyond a psychiatric ward.

Thelen1 said...

My favorite scene in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" has to be Cheif Bromden's dream sequences. We are never for sure as to why Cheif finds himself in the mental institution for how long he has been there. For the first part of the novel, we are thinking he is a completely reliable narrator and forgets he may have some mental instabilities. Instead of just shoving this in our face for the reader to just accept and move on, instead, Kesey masterfully writes in the mental illness of Bromden by putting the reader in the direct mindset or him. We experience the illness through his eyes. The reader becomes confused as to what is truly going on and also what is real and what is not actually real. One example is on page 89 where Kesey writes "... sees the gutted Chronic dangling by his heel". In this part of the story, we find out that yes one of the Chronics died, but he was not strung up by his heel. It later says how they cut him open and metal pieces fall out. We are aware that there is no way this is actually to happen. What is I love about the overall theme of these dreams is that in the day we can see how Bromden sees the world as he is the narrator, but at night we see how he really sees and feels about the whole hospital and world without the limitations of reality coming into play. Kesey is really letting people open up and express how they feel without limitations of the reality.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene overall in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest would have to be the scene in which McMurphy does not get his way to watch the World Series with Nurse Ratched through the voting in the group meetings. When Mack doesn’t get his way, instead of sitting and whining, he gives a sort of “middle finger” to Nurse Ratched and pretends to watch the games through the blank TV screen and making his own conclusions as to the events in the games. This scene alone would be just a regular scene in most books, but what makes this one great to me is the reaction of the other patients towards McMurphy's actions. They all gather around as well and pretend to see the games. They all are in a state of delusion and joy even through there is nothing there. Even though there are many other scenes in the book that rival this one, this is my favorite.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when Chief Bromden finally has a conversation with McMurphy and finally talks to another person in the ward. This reveals that he is finally willing to open up to the other patients in the ward. He also says later that he feels relieved now that he has finally opened up to McMurphy. The scene continues to unfold and McMurphy ends up convincing Chief Bromden to go on the fishing trip with him. When Chief Bromdon finally gives into McMurphy's convincing, he finally gets to go outside of the ward and be in the real world, which makes him feel freer than ever before, and this is very refreshing for the reader. The last part of the scene when the patients are at the gas and service station and find out that their illnesses are a source of power to them. Overall, this scene of short-lived freedom is very crucial to the patients and empowers the reader to keep reading to see what happens next.

Wilde 1 said...

My favorite scene in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is when the group of patients takes a trip out to sea and experiences the outside world. The specific scene that I enjoy most is when McMurphy tests the patients by refusing to help them once they are out to sea and fishing. The whole scene takes place around page 245 and continues through page 250. This event initially seems detrimental towards the patients but ends up being extremely beneficial. The patients are forced to think and act on their own without McMurphy's guidance. They soon realize they do not need McMurphy's help. The mental state of each patient is improving a lot, and they begin to feel like real men and not crazy patients. Along with many other scenes throughout the novel, this scene acts as a turning point for the men where they are starting to become independent. I also believe that scenes like the trip to sea are pivotal for the development of the characters and novel.

Nate Mutschelknaus said...

My favorite scene in the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when McMurphy finally squeezes out a conversation with Chief Bromden. I have been waiting the whole book for Chief to speak up and McMurphy has known for a while that Bromden was not deaf. Chief has a bucket full of secrets and knowledge about a lot of what is going on behind the desk of the ward because the employees, including Nurse Ratched, think that he is deaf and mute. I am looking forward to Chief hopefully spilling the beans on what is happening between all the workers in the ward. Also, I liked that McMurphy was able to convince Chief to come on the fishing trip with the rest of the other nine guys going. I thought it was interesting when Chief was explaining that he is the only chronic on the trip and even though it may seem that many of the chronics do not think at all, the rest of them were upset and jealous seeing Chief leaving the ward for the trip.

Gloege 1 said...

My favorite scene so far is when McMurphy gave the captain a phony phone number and the group stole the boat. It was so funny to me that he did that and also very nice of him. They were not going to get to enjoy the boat like the group thought they would if he would not have done that. This shows that McMurphy does care for them and wanted to give them a fun experience. For many of them, they have not been out of the hospital to do something fun in years and I think they really did enjoy it. In my opinion, the memory of how much fun they had on the boat will be very important to them. It gave them a taste of the outside world. I also believe that this trip gave Chief Bromden more confidence. He put himself out there and did not stay quiet in the corner like he usually does. I am looking forward to finishing the book and seeing how the friendships of the men play out.

Pickering said...

My favorite scene from the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was when Chief started talking again. I felt that was when he became a little bit more of a reliable narrator. Prior to this everything he talked about in the book was either a memory from his childhood or something he observed in the hospital. This scene starts out with him saying thank you in a very rustic tone to McMurphy showing just how long it had been since he had talked. The reader is also able to understand and learn more about Chief and McMurphy during this scene and how they have much more in common than previously thought. Before this scene they could definitely be considered foils of each other. I also think this encounter made Chief a little bit taller, metaphorically. After he started talking I think he became less controlled by the combine and even defied the Orderlies the next day.

Nifong 7 said...

My favorite scene in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is when McMurphy breaks the glass of the Nurses's Station. This moment in was pivotal and changed the course of the rest of the book. It was the comeback of McMurphy's rebellion, and shows that he comes back stronger and better than ever. Previously when McMurphy stops rebelling for a short period of time, he conforms to the evil ways of Nurse Ratched, making McMurphy appear selfish and only looking to save himself. This all changes after Cheswick's death, an event that could've easily been influenced by McMurphy's choice to stop rebelling. I think it haunts McMurphy knowing that his failure to stand up against Ratched caused the death of a fellow patient. It bothers McMurphy so much that he rebels more than ever before, and this time with violence. A violent act, such as breaking glass, is irreversible and has the potential for a lot of consequences. This scene increased the reader's interest as to what will happen next, all while adding to the rising tension between Ratched and McMurphy.

Mackenzie Hochhalter said...

My favorite scene was at the beginning of part III when Chief Bromden wakes up to an aid scraping his gum off from under his bed. Chief is scared that by waking up to this sound, he again shows that he isn’t really deaf. He then gives in and starts talking to McMurphy after McMurphy gets the aid to leave. Bromden finally giving up his deaf and dumb act was really interesting to me and I didn’t know if he was going to talk only to McMurphy or if he was totally going to give up this charade by allowing everyone to hear and see him break out. This scene also is the start of a new element in the book: you get to see what Bromden says to his peers. Chief Bromden’s newly heard voice makes way for his ability to join the rebellion and he does it. Before this point, Bromden wasn’t able to give his opinions to the other patients and now that he can you not only hear his thoughts on the subject matter, but you see how he reacts to the situation. Even though there were many scenes to choose from, I think this one is my overall favorite.

Jarovski 1 said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when Nurse Ratched and McMurphy have their encounters. I think it is quite humorous when they get into little arguments. Overall throughout the whole novel, I find Nurse Ratched to be quite annoying and strict. Whenever the men try to do something enjoyable, she just shuts them down. I think McMurphy brings a lot of life and excitement to the hospital and is very uplifting. It is very amusing when the two talk and McMurphy tries to get something out of Nurse Ratched. I understand why the men in the hospital need to have a routine and structure, but it is very annoying how Nurse Ratched is not lenient at all. Like why can't they watch some baseball? I think simple things like that are important for them to have fun and maybe enjoy where they live. Overall, I think any scene with Nurse Ratched and McMurphy is interesting and it brings a lot of interesting aspects to the book.

Wethor said...

My favorite scene so far from the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when Chief Bromden and McMurphy are talking before the fishing trip. When they are talking, they are actually having a real conversation and getting along. Chief wanted to talk to McMurphy. On page 222, Chief was talking about how he wanted to touch McMurphy. He didn't want to touch him to see if he was alive, or because he's a man, he just wanted to touch him because he is who he is. This leads to McMurphy asking Chief Bromden to go on the fishing trip with them. I believe this will lead to a formation of a friendship between McMurphy and Chief. So far McMurphy is the only one that knows Chief is deaf so that is the only person Chief can talk to. Chief wouldn't stop talking because he was so engaged in the conversation and wanted to talk to McMurphy. I believe McMurphy also was engaged and wanted to talk to Chief to get to know him.

Stettnichs said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is when the men go on their fishing trip. They get a day outside of the ward, which many of them have not had for a very long time. I like how they fire back at the gas station worker and use their "insanity" to their advantage. Then again when the captain will not let them on the boat without a waiver, but McMurphy tricks him and they take off with the boat anyway. My favorite part of their fishing trip was when Candy was trying to get her fish reeled in and everyone was scrambling to help her. On page 250 it says, "I notice Harding is collapsed beside McMurphy and is laughing too. And Scanlon from the bottom of the boat. At their own selves as well as at the rest of us. . . And Sefelt and the doctor, and all." I really enjoyed this part of the story because it talks a lot in the book about how the men do not ever really laugh; but in this scene, they were all laughing and enjoying themselves for a change.

Dylan Blom said...

My favorite scene from Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was the scene at the end of part 1 where McMurphy first challenges and upsets Nurse Ratched about changing the schedule for activities in the ward. The World Series baseball game is on the TV, and at the current time the patients were required to start their cleaning chores. McMurphy wanted badly to watch the game on the TV, so he turned it on. Nurse Ratched was obviously not happy with this. Almost every one of the patients started gathering around the TV to watch the game. Some of them probably weren’t the slightest bit interested in the game, they were amazed at the challenge to the status quo from McMurphy against Nurse Ratched. Since she was not happy about this, Nurse Ratched turned off the TV so there was just a blank screen. In protest, they still kept watching the screen, which is why I like this scene so much. Kesey composed and wrote this scene so beautifully, and the style of the writing compliments perfectly with the plot of the story.

Thoelke 5 said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey has to be when McMurphy breaks the window after the meeting. I find this to be an iconic part of this novel because it brought back the character that McMurphy is supposed to be. I think that this scene represents the level of carelessness but also caring too much between the Nurse and McMurphy. McMurphy had been worried that if he went against the Nurse's orders that he would then have to stay in the hospital longer, but breaking the window brings back the personality of McMurphy and represents defiance against the system in the ward. This brings a sense of humor as well, this occurs when McMurphy claims that he did not see the window there because it had been too clean. This entire scene shows rebellion against an over-ruling system and pushes the story in a new and important direction.

Anonymous said...

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest has many moments of suspense throughout the entire novel. One of these moments the resonated with me was the dream that Cheif Bromden had on the night where he did not take his sleeping pill. What I found especial exiting about this part is that it never infers that this is a dream until after it is over, but makes it easy for the reader to decipher that fact. Immediately, when he talks about the room lowering down like it was a giant elevator controlled by mechanisms, you know that this scene is not real. I think that this dream that he had may just be him recalling this event after the fact because the fact that he predicted the death of one of his roommates is shocking, but having this unreliable narrator leaves many facts in the fog. This dream also solidifies the theory that Bromden believes that the whole society is controlled by machines and robots by the things that he describes he sees in this dream.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the scene where Chief Bromden talks to McMurphy for the first time on pages 217-224. I love this scene because we learn a little more about Bromden. Once he starts talking, he has a hard time stopping. Bromden has been pretending to be deaf and dumb for so long, that when he finally speaks, he just talks on and on. Bromden talks about his family, his home, and even the combine. More importantly, I like this scene because Bromden gets a glimpse at just how big he is. In this scene, Chief tells McMurphy that he is not big at all. In response to this, McMurphy convinces Bromden to become big again. McMurphy promises to help Bromden become big. McMurphy recognizes the fact that Chief can be big if he sees himself as big. I love this scene because Chief is finally making progress. He is not stuck in the same rut he has been stuck in for years. Bromden is taking a step forward, with McMurphy’s help.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," is when McMurphy breaks the window for the second time. I think it is my favorite part because he has reclaimed his power over Nurse Ratched. When McMurphy does this he is showing the other men of the asylum that he would rather be in the asylum and help the other men find a sense of freedom. Instead of a selfish personality where he only worries about himself. As he breaks the glass he is showing that he is not afraid of Nurse Ratched keeping him in the hospital and this shows a progression in McMurphy from the beginning of the book. This is also an ironic scene, this is an example where McMurphy is being selfless instead of selfish. The entire reason that McMurphy is in the asylum is for being a self-centered narcissistic human who has no regard for other people.

Adams said...

While reading this novel, I discovered a lot of scenes that made me think deeper. After thinking, I chose my favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to be the scene on page 324 after Chief Bromden escapes from the institution, “I caught a ride with a guy, a Mexican guy, going northin in a truck full of sheep, and give him such a good story about me being a professional Indian wrestler…”. I like this scene because it shows Chief Bromden is finally free. He says he runs so far that he could have stopped running, but since he was free he was going to run as far as he can. The quote, “I been away a long time”, shows that Bromden knew he was away from society and a lot of things have changed. He is excited that he is out in the open and is not trapped out away from society. He can now live without faking deaf, being controlled, and cleaning up after people. Chief Bromden has not been this happy in a long time.

Hannah Koupal said...

My favorite part of the novel was the very end of the book. The reason why I recognized this part of the story as my favorite is because the author ties up all loose ends. I was hoping that McMurphy would live and escape alongside Chief Bromden, however I surprisingly intrigued by the turn of events. I thought it was interesting that McMurphy ignored his chance to escape. I believe he did this in order to see the reaction of Nurse Ratched about the events that occurred the night before. He always wanted to see how could affect her, even if it ended up punishing him. Also, I was amused by the genuine fear Ratched was able to instill in Billy. She made him so afraid of what his mother would think, that she was able to indirectly force him to commit suicide. At first I was not certain about how I felt about the Chief killing McMurphy, but after some thought I realized it was for the best. By putting McMurphy out of his misery, Chief was able to take away the satisfaction Nurse Ratched got from seeing McMurphy as a vegetable.

Anonymous said...

My favorite part of the book was when all of the men went on the fishing trip. I thought it was funny how McMurphy stole the fishing boat. It was also a big moment for all of them to even embark on the trip. When they stopped to get gas all of them started fighting back and standing up for themselves when the workers started to look down on them and try to take advantage of their “disabilities”. Once they saw McMurphy talk back and put the other men in their place, they realized they had it in them to do the same thing. Then they all started joining in and acting tough. It was ironic that McMurphy said the trip was for “therapeutic purposes” as a way to just get out of the hospital because it actually was therapeutic. Billy started talking to the girl and not being so shy. All of the men actually laughed. Also Chief enjoyed himself by drinking beer and catching fish. All of the men also faced their fears, they talked back to people and stood up for themselves.

Fick said...

My favorite part of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was when men and Candy go on the fishing trip pg 244. There was so much excitement in this chapter! They basically stole the boat and took it out to sea. This really had you on the edge of your seat asking what was going to happen next. What I think is really cool about this part is the doctor lets all this happen and goes along with it. Then, they started fishing and they caught these huge fish. (Loafers said later that some of the fish they caught were the biggest they ever saw.). We start to see the men really open up in this chapter. Chief Bromden is talking to people. We find out George is a great captain. Making them look like “normal” men. After the whole Candy’s fishing incident, everyone even starts laughing. George brings the boat back in and Mcmurphy even talks them out of trouble and makes amends with the guy that rented them the boat. It was a really upbeat and fun chapter to read.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene was the entire fishing scene. I loved this scene, because it is the first time that the reader gets to see a relaxed version of the patients. Readers are introduced to a new side of each character on the trip. I particularly loved the beginning of the scene when the men stopped at the gas station. I really enjoyed being able to see their confidence boosted, and a new sense of power came over them, even though nothing in their life had changed, the patients finally realized their worth. For the first time, they could envision themselves having the guts to make it in the outside world. Furthermore, I really enjoyed seeing the men truly laugh for the first time. They acted like they had never lived a day in a mental institute, had not lived in horror and seen terrible things. Also, I like the fishing scene because I feel that it is a major turning point in character development. After this, the men realize the power found in themselves and the power of laughing. It lights the spark for the change McMurphy has been lighting since he arrived.

Rees Vandentop said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest is when McMurphy takes the doctor, Candy and a handful of the acutes on a fishing trip. I enjoyed this part of the book because everyone who was on the boat was happy and having the time of their lives. Even when things were not going well (George crashes the boat, fishing lines all tangled, Chief bleeding) they all laughed together, like a full functioning humane being. This, to me, represents that sometimes the best medication for an ill mind is natural & not the pills the nurses shove down their throats or electroshock therapy etc. To me, this scene also showed how keeping the men confined and trapped in the hospital probably does them more harm than good. The men cannot have any fun without being watched or glared at, everything is regulated and scheduled to be the same week after week. If I was in that hospital the sheer routine of everything would drive me insane.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene, from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, is when Chief laughs and talks to McMurphy. For years Chief had been silent. Chief had been silent because, in his point of view, no one was listening to him when he did talk. His silence in the hospital had given him an advantage. He heard many secrets because the people around him thought he couldn’t hear and he wouldn’t talk. Then McMurphy came. As time went on, Chief became more and more tempted to talk. He still was afraid, however. If the staff at the hospital knew he could talk, there would be problems because Chief had heard too much. But, when Chief laughs and talks to McMurphy, we see that his fear is starting to break. He is starting to be a big man again. He is starting to break from the Colombine’s influence and fear. He is starting to return to a free life, like he used to know in the village of his youth.

Redford said...

I believe my favorite scene in the book was when Bromden goes through electrotherapy. In the scenes prior to the therapy, we see McMurphy and especially the chief at their strongest. Bromden has a new found confidence, and he is finally seeing himself as a big person. During the therapy, Bromden sees wild images and relives his past through his hallucinations. I like the scene because it is speeds along and the reader isn’t sure what is happening and what will happen next. The reader gets some small clues into some of Bromden’s past from possible experiences in the war and his life with his father. The words often follow a rhythm, so the entire passage reads close to a disjointed poem or song—which helps build the idea of the passage just following the train of thought of a mind that is in turmoil. The flashing images help provide a basis for why people are so scared of electroshock therapy. A lot of symbolic imagery is also present in the passage from the dice to what McMurphy says to Bromden before the therapy which makes it so the scene could be reread multiple times and learn more and more from it. The compact amount of details makes it so a lot of thought can be put into reading it, and it also allows for readers to form separate ideas to make discussion more interesting and enlightening.

Anonymous said...

One of the scenes that have stuck out to me the most is when they are chatting with the chronic that is a lifeguard. The Lifeguard is talking like he has huge plans of getting out and being a football player, or just even be around the game of football. I think this is a strange way of allowing the readers to be able to connect with some of the people in the hospital. I think this scene would be easy to connect to because so many people know what it is like to long to be apart of a team or club. But then the Lifeguard tells us that he can not get out and be apart of it because of his bum arm, that is just fine. I think the way the describe the commitment you have to have is a weird but intriguing way to put it but opened up different ways of viewing how and why they are staying there to the reader and the people within that conversation.

Palmer said...

My favorite scene from the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest starts on page 163. It is where Bromden finally starts to look out the window and realized where he is at and what is around him. He says, “I realized I still had my eyes shut…like i was scared to look outside” (163). When he finally opens his eyes and takes a look outside he realizes the beauty of it all. He sits and stares for a long time watching the geese, the car, and the dog. He seems as very at peace here, being able to ignore all the issues around him. I like how this scene also shows the oppressiveness of the society they are still in. Kesey does this by talking about the dog, part of nature, and the car, part of a mechanized society, heading straight for eachother. This shows that while Bromden’s fog is starting to clear up, they still have a long ways to go in order to gain the life they want.

Birath 5 said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” was when Chief Bromden looked out the window and described a dog chasing after a flock of geese. Ken Kesey described this scene with powerful symbolism and imagery. The message behind this scene is more than just a dog, geese, and a car. The dog is related to how the men in the ward feel powerless under Nurse Ratched’s control in the ward. The geese are wild and free being able to fly above the dog. The dog is running after the geese when a car (a symbol of a society) comes down the road and hits the dog. This scene was intended to give more insight on how the men in the ward are powerless in the ward not being able to fit into society or have control of their own lives. In addition, this scene makes the reader think more about how much symbolism is used throughout the entire book to create more imagery for the reader to relate to what Chief Bromden is experiencing (163-165).

Jacob Johnson said...

My favorite scene in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was about the last 10 pages of the book. The dramatic changes that occurred in these 10 pages truly made the book what it was. McMurphy stays at the ward and ends up being turned into a vegetable. This is something that the patients who are still there can't believe. Their christ has died, not physically, but mentally. The comparison between Christ and McMurphy is seen throughout the book but at the end of the book is when it finally shows through. Chief puts McMurphy down almost like a dog. Out of his misery. With the death of McMurphy, Chief is finally able to complete is get big plan with McMurphy. He is able to lift the control pannel and escape the hell in which he has been trapped in. McMurphy, although not able to survive himself, was able to save many other lives that can grow and blossom in society.

Kemner 1 said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was the end scene when Chief Bromden realized his true potential and that he had the power to change his story and the stories of those around him. When he killed the “it” that was supposed to be McMurphy in the middle of the night, he saved the lives of so many others because he destroyed the last weapon that Nurse Ratched had against the patients, a broken McMurphy. He would have stayed in the ward as a Vegetable for years, possibly giving Ratched her power of fear back, which could be used to hurt patients again in the future, and get the last laugh over McMurphy in the end. Instead, not only did she lose to McMurphy, but she also lost all of those she had power over like Chief and Harding, showing that her power was utterly annihilated. Chief then showed his strength by using the control panel to break out of the ward, showing that he is in control of his own destiny and that he won’t live in the shadow of the Combine anymore.

Anonymous said...

The part in the book that was my favorite was the smashing of Nurse Ratched’s glass window. I thought Ken Kesey put detail into that scene unlike any of the other scenes. He made it sound like McMurphy was so gentle about it. He simply put it that McMurphy was just doing it to get cigarettes, but it had a substantial effect to it later in the book. The fact that he is strong enough to break through a glass window shows how tough and strong he is. It reminded me of the sport football and how tough you have to be to get what you want. In McMurphy’s case he just really wanted those cigarettes and would do anything to show it. The glass window shattering symbolized the breaking of Nurse Ratched and the patients. She thought she was getting her power and control back but in reality it was fading away. The breaking of the glass window I think foreshadowed the next events to occur. I like how he had the window break a couple more times. This scene will always appear in my head when I think about One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Faith Burch said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the scene in which McMurphy comes out of the shower and the nurse thinks he’s clad in just a towel. I found it quite funny, the dialogue between the joking McMurphy and the nurse, who is trying so hard to keep her composure. I do not like dirty humor at all, but this was clean enough that I found it funny and entertaining. I could easily see in my mind a female trying not to snicker at a guy in his towel as he’s trying to get the girl to crack. What made it funnier was when the towel came off, revealing underpants with little white whales on them. The beginning of the book did a good job of setting the ward up as this sterile place where nothing fun or even out of the ordinary happens. Then McMurphy comes in and unashamedly walks around in his whale underpants. It was a good light hearted scene.

lacey said...

My favorite scene in the book is on the boat. I especially like the imagery used to describe the part when Candy comes out to help catch the fish and all the men are trying not to look like they are creepy dudes but they really are, and coupling that with the real thing she is trying to do which is generally a masculine thing - catching a fish. That whole juxtaposition of the hard and soft, male and female aspects of the world really collide during this chapter, and it is really interesting, both visually by the way Kesey describes everything, as well as thematically or symbolically, by how much it means to the novel as a whole. Everything changes after the boat ride, and I feel like this part is the jumping off point of the entire novel. As soon as McMurphy steals the boat, he becomes the true martyr, embodying Christ himself as this boat trip is a depiction of the last supper. The catching of the fish and the drinking of the beer is symbolically important for us to understand so that we are one hundred percent aware of where the novel is leading us, and Kesey does a masterful job of making the boat scene incredibly captivating and important.

Heinrichs Varonica said...

My favorite scene or part of the book from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was the scene when they were fishing. I believe this scene is so important to the whole story because in this part of the book the patients finally believe that they are so much more than just than just mental patients in a mental hospital. When the patients get on the boat McMurphy in a sense leaves the men to fend for themselves. The patients are forced catch their own fish without the help of McMurphy. Once they realize they can do it by themselves, they realize that they are men and that they don’t actually need McMurphy. They have proven to themselves that they can be independent. Along with this, I find it very interesting how relatable this scene is to Christ. Jesus took his 12 disciples to sea and made them fend for themselves. It just shows how throughout the whole book Kesey is connecting McMurphy to Christ.

Anonymous said...

My favorite part of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was the scene where they go fishing. This was my favorite part because the men are going out into society for the first time in a while. They finally get to breathe in fresh air and hang out without being under the control of Nurse Ratched. When the men go on the boat they have fun relaxing in the sun, fishing, and drinking beer. The men get so excited when they feel the fish tug at the line and when they finally get the fish on the boat they feel so excited and proud of themselves that they caught something. While the men are on the boat they feel like a weight was lifted off of them because the sea was so relaxing. This is the final time that they are all together having fun and sharing past memories and making memories.

Kellogg 2 said...

It is really hard to choose my favorite scene from this book but if I had to narrow it down, I would say it is between the boat excursion and the late night party. The reason I like both of these scenes is because Bromden seems to be happy in these scenes and is full of excitement about these events before they have even occured. I believe that both of these events have opened Bromden up more and made him seem more like a normal human rather than a guy people see as being crazy. The second scene when the patients have a late night party leads up to the point where Billy is forced into a room alone with Candy and eventually leads to his suicide. Without this scene, Billy would not have killed himself and I see that as being a crucial part of the plot because Billy represents the childlike tendencies in all of the patients and his suicide shows how easy it is to break. Of the two scenes, the late night party scene is my favorite because it shows Mcmurphy letting his guard down and becoming more and more like the rest of the patients. Mcmurphy has rubbed his leadership off onto the other patients which causes them to want to clean up their mess after the night is over, but the patients also rub off on Mcmurphy because we see Mcmurphy become more and more “crazy” and care less about himself and more about his friends. Both of these scenes are essential in the plot of this book and without them, we would not have seen character personalities unfold the way they did.

Waterfall said...

My favorite scene from Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was when the ball broke the window with the X on it. I thought it was ironic when McMurphy broke it the second time saying that “he couldn’t see the glass”. This scene to me reminded me of a child testing their parents' patience when they color on the walls etc. This scene, in particular, made me smirk as I was reading. McMurphy had been taunting Miss Ratched just as many children to their parents. If the conflict wasn’t funny enough, Kesey decided to add an extra punch. Miss Ratched had an X painted over the window so McMurphy could not make up any more excuses; therefore, she thought she had the upper end. This was then shot down when a ball was accidentally hit through the window. This scene gave a bit of comic relief to the book and helped show the tension of McMurphy and Ratched increasing all in one and that is why this scene was my favorite of the book.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was toward the end of the book when Bromden was leaving. I like how the end of the book showed how Bromden grew as a character. When someone picked him up and Bromden started telling his story to the stranger, I really started to feel for him. He went through so much at the asylum and was able to live through and tell his story. The stranger and him connected and the stranger even gave him a little bit of money to help him start his new life. Bromden has plans to hitchhike to Canada, but on the way there he is going to make some stops. My favorite line was the last sentence in the book, when he says, “I been away a long time.” This line really shows what effect the asylum had on all the patients and how relieved he is to start his new life.

Valoree Heinrichs said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is on pages 323-325 when Chief Bromden escapes from the ward. I think that Chief Bromden’s escape shows how much he has progressed since his time at the ward. By the time he leaves the ward, the fogged has cleared, he is talking to the other patients in the ward, and he does not feel weak anymore. Also, I think that because he faced his fears and issues within his mind, Chief Bromden might have regained his sanity at this point in the book. I liked the part when Chief Bromden was running from the ward and he referred back to the dog that was previously mentioned. Chief Bromden ran towards the highway like the dog did. He described himself as flying and free similar to the dog. Also, I think that when Chief Bromden shattered the glass with the control panel it shows him honoring McMurphy's legacy. Earlier in the book McMurphy wanted Chief to lift the control panel as a part of a bet and now Chief Bromden finally did, but he was doing it for himself and for McMurphy as well.

Sydnee Pottebaum said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" is the entire fishing trip scene, beginning from the patients leaving the hospital to when they get back. I enjoy this scene because many of the characters experience pretty significant changes in their personality and manner. When the patients arrive at the gas station, they are afraid what people will think but quickly realize they can utilize their labels as “insane” to gain power over other people. This power does not last long though because they do not defend Candy against the jeers of the sailors at the dock. The men are ashamed that they are not able to do the simple act of defending a woman against the acts of “sane” men. At first, it appears that the group will not be able to go on their expedition because they do not have signed forms, demonstrating how they need society’s consent to go fishing. But thanks to McMurphy, they hijack the boat and begin their expedition. The men don’t really know how to fish, but, after catching their first fish, they begin to enjoy their experience. They gain their masculinity back and realize what freedom tastes like. McMurphy gives the patients a taste of freedom even though it continually becomes more and more exhausting for him.

Martens said...

My favorite part of the book was at the very end. After McMurphy attacks Nurse Ratched and she finally returns. I love the fact that she is so beat up that she can not even talk which before was her biggest power. Also the fact that with her new uniform her “masculinity” was taken away because now her features are more apparent. This image of her just shows that McMurphy took literally everything that she had going for her. To me this thought is so empowering over the whole book. Also when Hardding asks what has happened to McMurphy, she pulls out her notepad and says he will be back. When I read this it gave me a flashback to the very beginning of the book and to everything that McMurphy did throughout the book. It was one of those moments that made me reflect all of the parts that I really enjoyed during the book, rather than just that one single moment that I enjoyed. I can not think of a time a book made me do that, and I loved that. I feel like I had that moment because of the connection I made with McMurphy throughout the book which I think is pretty amazing considering throughout the book he was making connections with all of the patients to help them. This was an amazing book, and I will never forget it because of the amazing ending and how it made me feel.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" takes place on page 162-165. Bromden notices the fog is gone, and the imagery used is the strongest in the book I think. He noticed for the first time the coldness of the tile that he had mopped so many times and the clear air that he was breathing through the open window. When he looks out he first noticed the smell of the leaves, then the dog digging holes. The symbolism of the dog being hit by the car- like the patients getting hit by the combine, is a very powerful symbol. I think the dog represented the domestication and how submissive the men of the ward really are.

Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole fishing scene, the whole time they're on the boat. These men who lost all hope and confidence within themselves were given such a gift to be able to feel like actual men again, rather than ants who have every aspect of their life controlled in a hospital. They got on the boat and began the scene being shaky and nervous, thinking they should just go back home. They drink beer, they get to fish, they have fun and laugh and even though its shaky at first, they gradually regain this confidence that they haven't felt in so long. These men had completely lost themselves, and this really brought them back. Then when fishing, the fish were super heavy and they didn't think they could get the fish on the boat by themselves, then when they did get the fish it made them feel confident about themselves like, "yeah, I did that. That was all me." Even the doctor insisted on getting his fish in the boat, that is what he needed to do for himself and he knew he had to for himself.

Stoltenburg 2 said...

My favorite part in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is on page 223 when McMurphy and Chief just began to talk to each other one night. McMurphy gave Chief a piece of Juicy Fruit gum that night and they began to talk about how they are actually pretty similar. Then McMurphy asks Chief if he would like to come with on their fishing trip, and Chief says that he has no money, but then McMurphy says that if he promises to get as big as he was, then he can go for free. Then I believe the funniest part happens. McMurphy tells him that the beautiful girls will be chasing after him, and as they're talking about that McMurphy pulls his sheets and McMurphy makes the joke, "You growed a half a foot already." I believe that this is the best and funniest part in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".

Unknown said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” would be a culmination of scenes, however I believe the one scene that would some it up would be when McMurphy received electroshock therapy. This is extremely symbolic of Christ as the table itself is shaped like a cross. Also McMurphy asks if he will receive a crown of thorns as well, even more so furthering the Christ imagery. Throughout this whole book McMurphy is portrayed as a martyr and someone whose eventual destiny is to sacrifice himself to better others. In the book this is portrayed by McMurphy gradually building up all the patients until they become their own person and come into themselves. This is comparable to Christ and his teachings to his disciples and teaching them, knowing he will once leave the earth. This foreshadowed to me at that moment that McMurphy would likely die in a martyr fashion. This is why this scene, or culmination of scenes are my favorite.

Autumn Driscoll said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was when Chief left the insane asylum. It symbolizes Chief breaking away from the horrors of the asylum, and to hopefully have a more peaceful life. It is also heartbreaking when Chief mercy kills McMurphy, and you are left with a mix of sadness and hope. McMurphy helped change the ward for the better, and helped some of the patients get the courage to leave. Nurse Ratched seems like the insane one by the end of the book. This is strange, because you would believe that the patients in an asylum would have more problems than the people supposedly taking care of them. When Chief leaves, you at least have some satisfaction in that Ratched cannot control him anymore. Chief will never have to be lost in the fog anymore. This is important because finally he can go out and see the world in full clarity again. He has an opportunity to just live his life, and not be bound by Ratched’s rules.

Anonymous said...

The laughter scene was the scene that stuck out the most to me. It was truly a release moment for all the men on the fishing boat. For years they had been in the ward and for the way McMurphy talked about it they had not laughed in years. It was, as Chief said, a way to stay sane by laughing through the bad times. They were on a boat in the middle of the water catching fish. The fish were coming in so fast and were putting up such a fight that the men were overwhelmed and screaming for help. Then out of nowhere they all relax and start laughing. The laughter takes over all of them as if they had been laughing all of the years they were in the ward.
Hailey Stengel

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest was when McMurphy broke the glass. This is a favorite of mine because to me it symbolizes the start of a war between Mcmurphy, the other patients, and Ms. Ratched. He uses her words against him since she was insulting their cleaning–saying it was almost too clean he couldn’t notice it was there which in a way symbolizes the power the nurse has over the patients. In this moment McMurphy’s rebellion resumes and is epic. This shows his character majorly. It shows he is going to be selfless and put his own freedom at risk in order to help the other patients showing he is like Jesus Christ. Lastly, the main reason this scene in the book is my favorite is that by breaking the glass McMurphy is breaking her power and soon she will start to show her loss of patience and the rest of the book unravels.

Anonymous said...

Ken Kesey is a brilliant writer that uses foreshadowing, vivid imagery, and suspense in his writing throughout the entire novel. Although it is difficult to choose only one favorite scene I believe there is one in the book that is an amazing example of his work. My favorite scene is when McMurphy attempts to pick up the control panel on page 122. This scene one of the best because it is an allegory for all the other patients not attempting to make any changes in the ward because they will not even attempt to lift the control panel which represents that they do not attempt to fight against the rules either. Although McMurphy was not successful, he at least tried and wasn’t afraid to fight against the rules. It also shows vivid imagery because Kesey describes in detail the faces of all the patients and the hands of McMurphy so well that I can see the scene in my own mind clearly. The suspense in this scene, however, is my favorite part. Throughout the scenario, a whole range of emotions is depicted for the reader. In the beginning, all the patients are making fun of McMurphy believe he cannot lift the control panel at all but then all the patients begin to see how hard McMurphy is working and they soon start to believe he might be able to do the impossible. While I was reading this chapter of the book I also began to believe that McMurphy was going lift the panel and even make real changes to the ward.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is the fishing scene. I thoroughly enjoyed this scene because the men were able to see that they could survive and thrive in that kind of society that Nurse Ratched was trying to keep them out of. They were able to see that when McMurphy was able to stand up for the doctor and the men at the gas station when he used their “illness” for power. They realized that they shouldn’t be ashamed of their diagnoses when they are able to interact with people outside of the hospital. I also think that it was a sense of freedom during this trip because they were able to do whatever they wanted during this time without Nurse Ratched telling them what they could or could not do. I especially love the part where they sneak on the boat and go fishing because they were not allowed to go on because they did not have the permission slip signed. Then, when they came back the sailormen and policemen were standing there waiting for them and McMurphy pulled one over on them by saying there was not enough life preservers on the boat for everyone.

Larson 5 said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" has to be the fishing scene. This scene is my favorite because it has so much going on. Ken Kesey incorporates so much meaning within this scene. It shows how the men are able to function out in the real and an example would be at the gas station when McMurphy uses the patient's illness as a power. The men feel happy and not sad about themselves. This helped them open their eyes to see the real world and how they can be living in it. I loved when they actually got out fishing and started drinking and smoking. All of this was just a big defiance to Nurse Ratched. The big meaning behind all of this was it showed that they had beaten her and ultimately have won. This scene just strikes a bunch of emotions from funny to sad to scary.

Petersen 5 said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” would be the fishing scene. I like this scene because it made the men feel empowered. The men had been stuck inside the sickening grasps of the ward and finally got to realize their true self-worth. Up to this point in the book, the men were still in the fog. After they began to break out of their shells they began to realize that they are not as “sick” as Nurse Ratched made them seem. I also liked this scene because it was just fun to read. It began as a trip for McMurphy to get out with Candy and ended up as a trip to empower them all. Not only did the patients feel a little more accepted, the Doctor did as well. When the Doctor stood up for them, it showed that he too knew of Nurse Ratched’s poor foundation. It was a very gripping and interesting scene.

Kevin said...

The part in one flew over the Cuckoo's nest that really stood out to me was the part where McMurphy punches the glass and the events leading up to it. I enjoyed this part because I put a theory together that group thought was very smart and I thought I understood that part a lot more. My theory was that when Bromden said that he had gotten the ringing in his ears just like how he did before a football game. This implies that there is a game that is going to begin once a "kickoff" happens. Soon after the meeting McMurphy stood up and punched right through the glass. This would be the kickoff for the game to begin and a lot does happen after this. Things like a fishing trip, a party, one suicide and one death, the patients escaping, nurse Ratched being choked, and Bromden going back to see where he came from. To me this is the climax of the book and the most interesting. I also feel as though the book really starts at his point and the men discover that they are not so different after all.

Wright said...

My favorite scene out of the whole entire book would have to be when McMurphy enters the Ward for the very first time. What makes this scene so special is how genuine and casual McMurphy is compared to the rest of the people in the institution itself. At the start of his entrance in there for a shower he brushes it off and says he’s fine and pushes his way on through to meet the other guys in the institution and it seems from the text that the whole world is looking upon him like he was something too special. All the way from his iron heel boots, his grin, and his loud voice all come into play on how he is perceived specifically from Chief Bromden's point of view. It’s one of those moments when you know trouble has arrived and that he will play a fair amount of trouble likely due to his odd personality and physical appearance.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when Nurse Ratched finds out that the patients had a party. She is utterly flabbergasted that the patients were able to pull it off on such a grand scale, and that all of them were in on it. The party seems to be the final hurrah for the patients and also acts a confidence builder. The men realize what it feels like to be “men” again (at least what being a man means to McMurphy), and see that they do have control over their lives. Drinking and partying binds the patients together. It is a direct contrast to how the patients acted at the beginning: ratting each other out to get the Nurse’s approval. “Those who had been in on the night started telling about it with a kind of quiet pride and wonder, the way people tell about seeing a big hotel fire or a dam bursting—very solemn and respectful because the casualties aren’t even counted yet…” (310). This quote is powerful because it both recounts the feelings from the party and also foreshadows the deaths that are to come as a consequence.

Anonymous said...

My Favorite scene from Ken Kesey's famous novel, "One Who Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest," would have to be the scene in the novel where everything just goes complete bonkers and takes one of the sharpest turns I have ever witnesses in which McMurphy suffocates Bromden after his lobotomy because he thinks now there is no hope for pulling him out of the fog because now he is forever stuck in it after that operation. It is so creepy, but exhilarating at the same time because it is the definition of madness and that attracts your attention. Not only does he suffocate him but he just jumps out of the window and dips. Such a weird and sinister way to wrap up the end of a novel where there is no normal parts. It is also my favorite scene not just because of the madness but also because it makes you think again when you are looking at it through certain lenses. If you think about it, it is not a bad ending at all because McMurphy is just saving himself and Bromden at the same time. These are the reasons why this is my favorite scene from the novel.

Sierra Hovde said...

My favorite scene from the famous novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is when Chief left the insane asylum. It shows how much Chief has progressed since the beginning of the novel. If it wouldn’t have been for McMurphy, I think Chief would still be the way he was in the beginning. McMurphy had a huge impact on all the patients, and they all wanted to become like him. Chief wouldn’t have shattered the glass with the control panel if McMurphy didn’t push him to do so. It also symbolizes Chief coming back to reality, society and himself. Chief started as a deaf and dumb Indian to an independent man who can see through the fog. Chief Bromden has overcome his fears and I believe that has regained his sanity. Even though McMurphy couldn’t live physically, his legacy lived on throughout the men.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is when all of the patients are outside of the EST room while they are waiting to get chest x-rays. I have always wondered, from the time that we began this book, what people thought of EST during that time period. Right now it is easy to look back and say that it was horrible, but at the time I could see how doctors could see that it was helping patients; hindsight is always 20/20. Harding even goes to say, "It does good for some men." I also thought it was interesting during this scene when readers find out that many of the men are not committed. It seems crazy that people would voluntarily put themselves into terrible situations like that, but it makes you wonder how bad society must have discriminated against anyone that was a little different. Even the people that work in the hospital go against the societal norms: Nurse Ratched is a woman that takes charge, the attendants were black, and the doctor was strange and ugly. It is sad to look back and think about how bad society was and to also look at how much we still act like abnormalities are not normal.

Boerhave said...

My favorite scene in Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s, has to be when the men go on the fishing trip. As a reader, this scene is entirely liberating. Throughout this scene, the men progressively become more and more aware of the less restricting life outside of the ward. The men regain their masculinity and experience what life really is, or how life could be. Their uneasiness about life outside the ward completely disappears as the men continue to experience the outside with McMurphy. The men laugh (truly) for the first time in ages, they have confidence in themselves, and their minds are forever changed. The effects of the trip show through the rest of the novel. It seems the men simply aren’t afraid anymore. This scene proves that the men are not insane but instead have been meddled with and convinced of their insanity because of society’s views and Nurse Ratched’s chronic demasculinizing remarks.

Christina Waller said...

My favorite scene from Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is from pages 201-202 when Bromden says "McMurphy must of been standing in a hole because he was having to tread water where I was just standing on the bottom." McMurphy is not actually standing in a hole; Bromden is just much bigger than McMurphy. Bromden has been beat down his whole life, leading him to think he is tiny and weak. He sees McMurphy as the epitome of strength: big, strong, fearless, and confident. Because McMurphy is not afraid to stand up to Nurse Ratched, or anyone for that matter, he seems strong to the others. In contrast, Bromden has been beat down his entire life into thinking he is dumb and powerless, when in reality, he is a living Hulk. This scene stands out from the rest because it shows just how devastating the effects of mental abuse can be on a person. It must have taken years of abuse to make such a big man perceive himself as so small.

Donahoe5 said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is on page 284. It involves a fever dream type sequence that shows the readers essential information. This scene is during Chief Bromden’s electrical therapy session. This scene is a flashback to some scenes from Chief Bromden’s childhood. This scene is my favorite because it shows us why Chief is the way he is. It is one of the rare times when we see Chief as an individual in power. I think that showing the transformation from strong to weak and then back to strong is what gives the story it’s worth. This scene shows that McMurphy is not some supernatural force that makes the patients more powerful, but a person that shows the patients their inner worth. In my opinion, this matters the most in the novel because it shows to the readers that the real antagonist isn’t Nurse Ratched, it’s mental illness itself.

Koch 7 said...

My favorite scene in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the final scene of the novel in which Chief Bromden makes his dramatic break from the hospital after suffocating MacMurphy. This scene is effective because of the serene tone communicated in the language and imagery and how it works to conclude themes introduced earlier in the novel. In particular, how Chief Bromden’s institutionalization relates to his disconnect from his tribe’s land. For all his time in the hospital, Bromden did not realize that he was in the country, showing how society has forcibly distanced him from his land, recently taken by white American developers. When Chief Bromden smashes the window with the control panel, Kesey describes how “The glass splashed out in the moon, like a bright cold water baptizing the sleeping earth.” This line recalls the numerous flashbacks in which Chief Bromden remembers the land, which often include reference to the moon. For example, when he thinks about a camping trip during which he saw geese, flying free in the night sky, pass over the glowing form of the moon. As he leaves the hospital, he thinks about his hopes for returning to the land, tying the ending to the flashbacks throughout the book.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest would have to be any of the times they broke the nurse's station glass. The first time when McMurphy did it it was just the perfect ending to the part and purely iconic that he had the guts to go through with it and then say that it was just so clean he didn't see it. I also just love the symbolism behind it as well because McMurphy is showing the men that the glass (her power over them) has been there the whole time but as long as they are aware of it they can use it against her. So then when it gets replaced and continues to break it's that continuing reminder of McMurphy's original break. Then when Ratched puts up some cardboard and looks at it as though she's looking through the glass it speaks to the fact that she now has to be very deliberate about maintaining power over them and it won't be as all-encompassing or as "subtle" as she would like it to be.

Van Hemert said...

My favorite scene in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is when Bromden and McMurphy fight the black boys in the shower room after the fishing trip. I enjoyed this scene because it showed McMurphy standing up for George and for the other men and showed that he wasn’t as selfish as they thought. I also found this scene satisfying because throughout the story the black boys would continually bully the patients and for them to get beat up like this showed them that they aren’t in charge as much as they thought and I enjoyed reading about them getting beat up. I also enjoyed this scene because it shows how much McMurphy has changed and shows him actually caring about the men and that he isn’t in it just for himself anymore. This is a big part of his character development and shows the continuous progression McMurphy has throughout the novel.

Grace Bennett said...

My favorite scene in when Chief Bromden first starts to talk again with McMurphy. It shows his development and the amount of trust he has in McMurphy and how he knows McMurphy will keep his secret for him. I think it is funny that Bromden just accidentally says thank you after McMurphy hands him gum. Then McMurphy just starts talking to Bromden like it wasn't weird that Bromden can actually talk, it is like McMurphy knew all along that the Chief was not dumb or deaf. I like how understanding McMurphy is in this scene when he tells Bromden that he has until six-thirty in the morning to listen if Bromden wanted to practice talking. Another thing I like is that when Chief Bromden starts talking to the other patients no one really makes a big deal out of it. Chief has been acting dumb and deaf for who knows how long but when he shows that he is actually neither of those no one even seems to care or take special notice.

Weber 2 said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest would have to be Chief Bromden wakes up in the middle of the night and sees the dog sniffing around in the countryside. This is my favorite scene because it shows that the fog is beginning to clear and the men are becoming more aware of their surroundings. While unfortunate, the dog getting hit by the semi is a critical point in the book. The dog could represent Chief Bromden's hope of getting out of the hospital, and that hope is immediately "crushed". This is paralleled to the fact that McMurphy is also the mens hope of getting out of the hospital, and symbolizes his fate to come. There were so many scenes to chose as my favorite, as everything in this book has a deeper meaning behind it and is executed so wonderfully that it is mind-boggling. I chose this scene over all the rest because I feel that it is a necessary scene to include because it so intentionally sets up the rest of the novel, and it does it in such a way that leaves a great impression on the reader and is even more effective because of this impression.

Vanderbeek said...

My favorite scene from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was when McMurphy first breaks the glass window of the nurses station. When McMurphy did this it showed how serious he was about changing things and that Nurse Ratched wasn’t going to be able to stop him. I liked that after he broke the glass he claimed that he could not see it because of how clean it was. The clearness of this glass could represent the power she has over them. Her power can not always be seen, like when she is not around or not seen, but it is always surrounding them. McMurphy breaking the glass was a turning point for him, it showed that even though doing this would make his stay longer, he still had to do it to help the other men. This showed that he is one of them and he is going to fight for them.

Tschetter said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was when McMurphy and Bromden speak for the first time. Bromden hadn't spoken for a very, very long time and was emotionally tied to his mute and deaf ways. He felt safe in being able to hide in his own feigned shortcomings as a human. Perhaps being able abnormal in even an insane asylum gave him a power over the others and over the staff that they didn't realize. Either way, Bromden was able to trust McMurphy enough to speak—he gave McMurphy the very essence of who he portrayed himself to be: deaf and mute. At that point, Bromden gave his blanket of safety and protection so that he could simply speak to McMurphy. At that point, the two had a simple conversation, but, having not spoken in years, Bromden began to spill the thoughts that he had collected in his life of living in the combine. I think the scene is altogether a powerful event in the story. It marked a sort of turning point for Bromden and gave him a voice.

Noah Holm said...

My favorite scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest is when they all go into the pool. A couple key events happen during that time. First of all, we really get to see how small Bromden thinks he is. He talks about how he does not know how he is standing in the water no problem and Mcmurphy is treading water. This is very important for the book because it helps so that we can progressively see Bromden grow throughout the novel and turn into a new man. Also, McMurphy talks to the lifeguard and learns about how his stay could be longer than expected. The guard tells him that he will not just be here until the end of his jail sentence but until nurse Ratchet deems him fit for society again. This shocks him straight for a few days causing him to not support anyone in arguments for a while and this greatly upsets Cheswick causing him to kill himself. A very moving part of the book.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the scene where Chief Bromden regains his willingness to speak and use his voice. I believe it shows a marked change within the novel, and is the turning point where Bromden begins to grow in confidence and regain who he really is inside. The scene is also a part of McMurphy’s transition to helping not only himself but the other patients in the ward. Seen when he breaks the glass and begins to cause havoc once more, his actions are no longer just benefitting himself, but acting to empower the other patients, such as Chief Bromden, and show them that they can handle the real world and fit into different roles than the ones assigned to them by Nurse Ratched. This carries into the end of the novel, where McMurphy sacrifices himself for the good of the patients, and Bromden uses the internal strength he has gained to mercy-kill McMurphy and escape the clutches of the ward once and for all.

Tschetter said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was when McMurphy and Bromden speak for the first time. Bromden hadn't spoken for a very, very long time and was emotionally tied to his mute and deaf ways. He felt safe in being able to hide in his own feigned shortcomings as a human. Perhaps being able abnormal in even an insane asylum gave him a power over the others and over the staff that they didn't realize. Either way, Bromden was able to trust McMurphy enough to speak—he gave McMurphy the very essence of who he portrayed himself to be: deaf and mute. At that point, Bromden gave his blanket of safety and protection so that he could simply speak to McMurphy. At that point, the two had a simple conversation, but, having not spoken in years, Bromden began to spill the thoughts that he had collected in his life of living in the combine. I think the scene is altogether a powerful event in the story. It marked a sort of turning point for Bromden and gave him a voice.

Unknown said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" would have to be the scene where McMurphy hears Bromden talk for the first time. After Bromden's past experiences with people not listening to him when he talks, the Chief finally feels safe and comfortable to talk to McMurphy. Living in a society that doesn't accept people for the way that they are struck a hard nerve with Bromden and his retaliation to the behaviors and actions of others drove him to stop talking and interacting with people. For him, that was the only available option he had to allow himself to hear and observe his surroundings. When McMurphy hears him speak for the first time, he doesn't act as though he is surprised or shocked that Bromden can, in fact, hear and speak. McMurphy acts nonchalantly, like Bromden had been speaking all along. In my opinion, this scene is a turning point for both Bromden and McMurphy. Bromden feels confident and comfortable enough to speak to McMurphy, showing that he is not as crazy as the staff of the instituion thinks he is. McMurphy is the one that Bromden confides in, showing that McMurphy is helping the patients of the ward realize that they are still normal and they aren't insane like the Nurse says they are.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is in the end when they have Candy and her friend over. I like how they finally begin to laugh and notice that they belong somewhere in the world. I think this is the first time any of the characters in the book realize that they are not mistakes and that they can survive on their own. I think the scene is comical and allows readers to finally see that these guys are human and that they may not be as crazy as they are supposed to be. All of them have something wrong with them but that doesn’t make them cast out of society. I especially like the part when Harding saves the day and comes out of the bathroom joking about how hard it is to clean the bathrooms in the dark. I really think this scene sets up the base for these men eventually leaving because it shows how much they can take and how “normal” they can be when given the chance.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene in Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, has to be the one where Chief Bromden is finally starting to become more self aware, and the fog that impacts how he sees the world starts to dissipate to the point where he can see outside the building. When he gets out of bed that night he talks about how he has felt the tiles on his bare feet before, but only now does he really feel it. Then he walks over to the window and notices for the first time that the building in which he has resided all these years is out in the country. While he’s observing the outside world he notices a dog roaming around, which is eventually implied to have been run over by a car in the distance. I took this to symbolize how the “Combine” of society will only crush those who get in its way. The whole scene just seems really interesting to me and sticks in my memory.

Austin Erickson said...

I thought I wrote this already but I must have forgotten to hit publish. My favorite scene in Kent Kesey's "One flew over the Cookoos nest" was when Bromden and McMurphy got sent up to the disturbed unit. Everything that happened in this part of the book had some sort of meaning behind it and was very intriguing to me. When Bromden got waken up in the middle of the night by one of the other patients screaming, McMurphy stayed sleeping. I think that Bromden is waking up in more ways than one. He is waking up realizing that he needs to do something to help himself and others and not just sit there and let things keep happening. Another thing that happened in the disturbed that I found quite interesting was when Bromden and McMurphy were given electroshock therapy. Bromden reacted how most normal people would and struggled and tried to fight his way out of the treatment; however, McMurphy hopped up on the cross shaped table and even joked asking if he would recieve a crown of thorns as well. It is in this scene that I believe McMurphy sees himself as a Christ figure which he is already seen as earlier in the book.

Unknown said...

Not necessarily my favorite scene, per se, but more like the scene that struck me the most in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was at the end when Chief discovers McMurphy after his lobotomy. After watching him experience so much drama, distress, and turmoil, it feels very satisfying to finally see Chief muster up the willpower and courage to get out of that horrid place. I felt a palpable feeling of tension and anticipation as Chief discovered McMurphy had been lobotomized and reduced to the mental capacity of a potato battery, and read on as the gravity of the situation slowly dawned on Chief. It was surprising, to say the least, when Chief suffocated McMurphy to death, but I suppose it did make sense to do that, rather than leave what little was left of him to be eternally enslaved by Nurse Ratched. This act also finalized Chief's decision to break out of the ward with the panel and ultimately set him free.

Kulzer 2 said...

The part of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest that stood out to me the most was in part 3 when they went to the gas station. I'm really not sure why, but it thrilled me beyond belief. I don't get thrilled by reading very often so this was a big deal. The part specifically was when McMurphy confronted the guys at the pump about who they were. He just went off in the most awesome way and my heart was beating so fast when he did it. So much of McMurphy's character came out in this scene. He manipulated the workers into thinking they were dangerous convicts but managed to humanize them as well. It was brilliant and I still think about it to this day. McMurphy successfully shot down someone while at the same time, boosting the confidence of a lot of other people. It was amazing and I want to read it again.

Moeller said...

My favorite scene from One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest was the Chief's escape. Chief had just discovered the meaningless body of McMurphy and had to put him down for his own sake and for Mcmurphy's sake. It was a difficult thing for Chief Bromden to commit but in the process, he was able to free McMurphy from his suffering and then escape his own suffering by breaking free of the institution. Chief realized the impact that McMurphy had on him by showing him what independence and deviance look like. Chief was inspired by him and was able to hone his inner self to do what he needed to do. Chief realized that, contrary to what Nurse Ratched thought, he was ready for society and society was ready for him too. He will be ready to face his past and go back to the world that affected his tribe.

Harris said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is probably the very last scene. I don't want to say favorite but it is the one that appeals to me the most. I think that the scene where Cheif kills McMurphy and escapes really informs you about the situation at the end of the novel and what McMurphy has done. McMurphy had just had a lobotomy done and was completely emotionless almost like a robot. Cheif Bromden notices this and kills "it". He refers to McMurphy's body as it because McMurphy doesn't exist anymore just this emotionless body that used to be McMurphy and Cheif knows that he doesn't like that so he kills him. I also like the idea that Cheif was able to leave whenever he wanted to, but he just couldn't because he didn't seem competent enough to be able to survive on his own. It is really an interesting turn of events to be able to see Cheif going from a chronic that always needed help to be able to care for himself and then to see McMurphy go from being able to care from himself in some sense to become heavily reliant on the institution.

Anonymous said...

My favorite scene from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is the scene, and series of events that lead up to, of Cheswick's suicide. It shows a lot of mindset changes. You have Cheswick, who goes from being all in for revolt to dead in minutes. He, at first, was all in for change and revolution in the hospital, and he was going into battle right by McMurphy's side. When McMurphy didn't back him up, he killed himself. This ignited a change in McMurphy's mind. He knows that he can never stop fighting, or more patients just like Cheswick will die. He then vows to fight until his eventual death. The scene shows an imaginary switch go off in his brain. The death of his friend gets to his head, and he realizes that he can't cower from Nurse Ratched and the machine any longer. This scene also begins to show a flip in the other patients as well.

Gillespie 7 said...

My favorite scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is when the women sneak into the ward. The suspense kills me as the girls are late when they climb through the window so that they do not get caught. The excitement and craziness that happens through out the night made me laugh. All the characters seem to let loose and be themselves instead of being afraid of the ward and always obeying nurse Ratched. When the nurse comes into the ward to check on the men, I was so nervous that the men would get caught. My thoughts wondered in all directions questioning what would happen if one of the nurses caught the women during the night. This scene shows how much light McMurphy brings to the group and how he is truly the leader. He makes the best out of the situations and rolls with the punches. McMurphy makes all the men feel normal and accepted which I feel that is very important to imprint into people's lives. It was just a fun scene that was needed in a novel that talks about such a serious topic.