One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Analysis

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The post World War Two era within the United States served as a time of cultural rebirth within the country. This brought forward deep rooted issues inside the fabric of the country, including racial oppression and the existence of a patriarchy. These factors are echoed in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest in which the characters represent a microcosm of the American society, exploring it’s ideals and issues, and acting as a device of fortelling for the future of the country. This is primarily seen through main characters Randle Patrick McMurphy in his attempts to challenge the institution acting as a parallel to the civil rights movement, in Nurse Ratched as her oppressive beliefs show resemblance to the status quo and Chief Bromden who represents the everyday man and his acceptance of the condition of the nation. As the United States evolved as a country, many issues began to surface. A specific factor that acted as a tumour within the country was “an intolerable conformism that threatened to swallow up the individual, to render the individual human being invalid.” (Poel 6) Chief Bromden serves as the platform that Kesey uses to highlight these issues. The Chief makes constant references to the fog he says is swirling around his head within the institute, clouding his mind and thoughts. He uses the fog as a way to hide himself from the issues facing other inmates and problems within himself. It is only when McMurphy arrives, that he begins to be drawn out of

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