Literary Analysis Essay On One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Independent Reading Essay: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey follows the experiences of Chief Bromden, a patient in a psychiatric hospital who befriends newcomer, Randle McMurphy, who upsets the balance of the ward. In a well written essay, analyze the impact of McMurphy's arrival on Chief Bromden, Nurse Ratched, and Billy Bibbit, as well as whether or not McMurphy was good for their mental health.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, author Ken Kesey follows the lives of those living and working in a psychiatric hospital, as well as the changes in their mentality. The novel is narrated by Chief Bromden, a patient who keeps to himself and is hardly noticed until the arrival of Randle McMurphy, a new
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Nurse Ratched, known for her strict rules and manipulation to get what she wants, eventually plays into McMurphy’s games which ultimately have a negative effect on her and blind her decisions later on. After Chief and McMurphy get in a scuffle with an orderly, Nurse Ratched suggests electroshock therapy, but gives McMurphy an opportunity to avoid the treatment by “admitting he was wrong” (242). McMurphy arrogantly declines, frustrating Nurse Ratched to the point where she shocks him continually until it’s not safe to do so. By letting Mcmurphy get the best of her emotions, Nurse Ratched’s conscience is blurred by her frustration, a negative impact brought upon by McMurphy’s arrival. However, Nurse Ratched’s sudden distaste for McMurphy didn;t always directly happen to him. Previous to his arrival, Nurse Ratched would scold and lecture patients acting out of line, but after the discovery of the ward party, Nurse Ratched grills into Billy Bibbit about sleeping with a prostitute and then comforts the frantic Billy, the whole time Chief describes she “glares at us as she spoke.” (272). This action, intended to draw guilt in McMurphy, exemplifies Nurse Ratched’s poor judgement choice since McMurphy’s arrival. The Nurse Ratched pre-McMurphy would’ve appropriately taken care of the Billy issue, but now upset and angry at McMurphy for the party he’s thrown, her judgement is impaired by trying to make McMurphy feel guilty, which ultimately leads to Billy’s suicide. In general, McMurphy’s arrival and antics played a very negative role in Nurse Ratched’s mental health, which can be seen declining throughout the
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Research Paper
841 Words | 4 PagesIn both novels, the situation that the characters are placed in is fertile ground for any unscrupulous anti-hero’s perfect rebellion. In McMurphy’s case, Nurse Ratched has a chokehold on all the patients and almost all the staff, even though she isn’t the formal leader. She is a master manipulator, and through this, creates a sense of total powerlessness. “All twenty of them, raising not just for watching TV, but against the Big Nurse, against her trying to send McMurphy to Disturbed, against the way she’s talked and acted and beat them down for years” (Kesey 81). McMurphy constantly disobeys her wishes and plots events, ranging from minor to major, that rebel against the Nurse.
Power In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
991 Words | 4 PagesAnd you want to take that away from them. We like to hear suggestions and requests whenever we can, but I should think you might at least give some thought to others before you make your requests” (Kesey 106). This interaction shows how Nurse Ratched can easily manipulate a conversation into a respect battle. She uses every fault a patient has against them, and makes them believe it is all because of what they were admitted for. This further supports how Ratched abuses her power as she then turns to more physical terms of manipulation over the patients.
Sacrifice In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
759 Words | 4 PagesHow strong their beliefs are can be observed by how large their sacrifices are for their values. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey, is a fictional novel about a man called Randle McMurphy who transfers from a prison work farm to an asylum after being thought of having psychopathic tendencies, and a tall Native American nicknamed, “Chief Bromden,” who becomes McMurphy’s friend in the ward. In the end of the novel, Chief Bromden kills Randel McMurphy after he is given a lobotomy. Chief Bromden’s sacrifice of Randel McMurphy’s life highlights his values in freedom and personal strength, as well as providing an image of an oppressive society that
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Leadership Analysis
778 Words | 4 PagesThroughout Ken Kesey’s, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the balance of power is challenged in the psychiatric ward. Out of the several leaders that appear in the novel, Nurse Ratched and McMurphy are the most prominent. During Nurse Ratched and McMurphy struggle for power, they share many of the same qualities. It is argued that: “McMurphy and Ratched are alike in intelligence, military service, distinctive (if opposite) clothing, and conventionally masculine qualities” (Evans). These small similarities; however, do not distract the characters from fighting for their individual beliefs.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Dehumanization Analysis
1047 Words | 5 PagesOne Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey reveals the insensitive treatment and dehumanization of the mentally ill. The origin of the book is a story of an individual in a mental hospital. Ken Kesey’s character observes the daily life in a psych ward and reveals
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Character Analysis
993 Words | 4 PagesThere is an obvious idea presented by Kesey that the Nurse is dominant over Billy, who has become very vulnerable. Nurse Ratched is shown as a character of strength by the way the writer has created her character. Nurse Ratched is also seen as a strong figure by the way the other characters talk about her, for example when Chief says “To beat her you don 't have to whip her two out of three or three out of five, but every time you meet. As soon as you let down your guard, as soon as you lose once, she 's won for good.” The writer has used this line to show us how both Chief and the other patient give her the strong and authoritative
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Comparison Essay
566 Words | 3 PagesOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Comparison Essay It is virtually a maxim that a character’s inner thoughts are more enhanced in books than in movies or films. The novel was written by Ken Kessey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest has a film version directed by Milos Forman. Throughout the book, Kessey shapes Chief Bromden’s overall character through his past, his view of the hospital and inner thoughts by using overwhelming mechanical imageries. However, in the film this crucial history and imageries were lacked.
Controlled Environment In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
725 Words | 3 PagesIn the drama film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest, Patrick McMurphy was moved from a prison farm to a mental institution to get evaluated for his erratic behavior. Upon being transported to the institution, all his assumptions about his new home were completely wrong. The head nurse, Nurse Ratched, has the whole hospital under her control with little to no freedom for the patients. All the inmates at the institution go through rigorous training to become obedient to Nurse Ratched and her strict schedule and rules. The institution was a very controlled environment with the patients having no control over their own life’s while there.
Analysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey
1468 Words | 6 PagesNurse Ratched has control over every guy in the hospital because she decides what they are doing every day when they wake up. She has brainwashed the men into think they need her. Vera has manipulated her husband Dale into thinking he is disgusting. Billy’s mother has emasculated him by deciding everything for him and letting him have no control over his own life. The men in this novel have lost their manhood to women who have manipulated them and they are too blind to see it till McMurphy shows them.
Gender Inequality In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
999 Words | 4 PagesKen Kesey’s comic novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, takes place in an all-male psychiatric ward. The head of the ward, Big Nurse Ratched, is female. Kesey explores the power-struggle that takes place when the characters challenge gender dynamics in this environment. One newly-arrived patient, McMurphy, leads the men against the Big Nurse. The story is told through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a patient who learns from McMurphy and fights for his freedom.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Insanity Essay
755 Words | 4 PagesOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, considers the qualities in which society determines sanity. The label of insanity is given when someone is different from the perceived norm. Conversely, a person is perceived as sane when their behavior is consistent with the beliefs of the majority. Although the characters of this novel are patients of a mental institution, they all show qualities of sanity. The book is narrated by Chief Brodmen, an observant chronic psychiatric patient, who many believe to be deaf and dumb.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Mcmurphy Tragic Hero Analysis
529 Words | 3 PagesIn Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character, Randle Patrick McMurphy, is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Throughout the novel McMurphy sets himself up to be the tragic hero by resenting Nurse Ratched’s power and defending the other patients. He can be classified as a contemporary tragic hero, but he also includes elements of Aristotle’s tragic hero. McMurphy’s rebellious nature and ultimate demise are what truly makes him as a tragic hero.
Mental Illness In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
673 Words | 3 PagesKen Kesey uses his novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, to describe the lives of patients in a mental institution, and their struggle to overcome the oppressive authority under which they are living. Told from the point of view of a supposedly mute schizophrenic, the novel also shines a light on the many disorders present in the patients, as well as how their illnesses affect their lives during a time when little known about these disorders, and when patients living with these illnesses were seen as an extreme threat. Chief Bromden, the narrator of the novel, has many mental illnesses, but he learns to accept himself and embrace his differences. Through the heroism introduced through Randle McMurphy, Chief becomes confident in himself, and is ultimately able to escape from the toxic environment Nurse Ratched has created on the ward. Chief has many disorders including schizophrenia, paranoia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and, in addition to these illnesses, he pretends to be deaf and dumb.
Authority In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
1459 Words | 6 PagesEveryone Agree? Perfect. "Nothing builds authority up like silence, splendor of the strong and shelter of the weak" (Charles de Gaulle). This idea is reflected in Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, where it is shown how authority becomes more powerful by abusing the silence of the people.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Analysis Essay
1288 Words | 6 PagesHis rebellious and free mind makes the patients open their eyes and see how the have been suppressed. His appearance is a breath of fresh air and a look into the outside world for the patients. This clearly weakens Nurse Ratched’s powers, and she sees him as a large threat. One way or another, McMurphy tends to instigate changes of scenery. He manages to move everyone away from her music and watchful eye into the old tube room.
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