One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Mcmurphy Tragic Hero Analysis
In 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.
A tragic hero must be fundamentally good but have a fatal flaw that ultimately leads to their downfall. McMurphy truly was a fundamentally good person.. Throughout the course of the novel, he grew to really care about the other patients on the ward. In the beginning he annoyed Nurse Ratched solely for his own benefit and entertainment. As time went on he realized he needed to stand up for the other men on the ward. He did not like how they were being treated by the powerful, controlling Nurse Ratched and they weren’t doing anything about it. He knew he was the only one who was strong enough to stand up to her and try to change things. He then made it his mission to take down Nurse Ratched for the sake of the whole ward. A fatal flaw that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero is specifically called hamartia. In McMurphy’s case, his
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It can’t be caused by anyone else, an accident, or a twist of fate. McMurphy’s downfall was brought about by his own actions. If he just sat back and did nothing none of this would have ever happened. The final action taken by McMurphy that really sent Nurse Ratched over the edge was when he ripped open her shirt and tried to choke her after the party. He acted completely by his own free will and let all his built up emotions take over. After this Nurse Ratched sent him for a lobotomy and his chances of winning the battle with her were
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.
Allusions In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
258 Words | 2 PagesIt’s common for some works of literature to improve upon their writing by sustained allusions to myths, the bible, or other literature references. In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, Ken Kesey makes use of frequent allusions from the bible. Because of this, McMurphy, the main character, is painted as a Christ-like figure.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey
789 Words | 4 PagesThe nurse’s claims are stated when she says, “I’ll admit that my first thought when I began to recognize Mr. McMurphy for the disturbing force that he is was that he should most definitely be sent up to Disturbed.” Until, she contradicts this statement when she adds “We have weeks, or months, or even years if need be. Keep in mind that Mr. McMurphy is committed. The length of time he spends in this hospital is entirely up to us.” Seeing that he is trapped, McMurphy is anxious and struggles to remain calm, cool, and collected with the idea that the nurse may punish him severely with either option she has
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696 Words | 3 PagesHe was extremely conceited, has his fortune reversed, and makes a mistake that leads to his downfall. Though he was once considered a hero, he essentially turned himself into a tragic
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991 Words | 4 PagesAll of these negative external forces on the patients’ lives all lead to Nurse Ratched. For the patients to be able to leave the ward and realize her restrictions on them “- it reveals that the mental hospital is hindering, not aiding, their recoveries and ultimate return to life outside the institution” (Cyclopedia of Literary Places 2015). This provides a strong argument showing how Nurse Ratched truly does not try to better her patients, but she just tries to keep them under her
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435 Words | 2 PagesThe incorporation of religious themes into Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest depicts McMurphy as a Christ figure, serving to protect the patients from Nurse Ratched. Just as Jesus stands up for all people against the devil, McMurphy altruistically defends the patients of the ward against Nurse Ratched. Kesey includes the theme of selflessness to illustrate that McMurphy acts as a “martyr or saint”, defending the patients regardless of consequences that he may endure (222). McMurphy “risk[s] doubling his stay in the nuthouse” to defend the patients against Nurse Ratched. McMurphy does not care about how much time he must spend in the ward, but instead about helping the patients.
The Crucible John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay
1297 Words | 6 Pages“The Crucible” by Arthur Miller is commonly referred to as a tragedy. In the center of most tragedies, there emerges a tragic hero. A tragic hero can be defined as “a good man with a minor flaw or tragic trait in his character… the fall and sufferings and death of such a hero would certainly generate feelings of pity and fear” (“The Tragic Hero”). In other words, a tragic hero is a man who is thought of as noble or brave, acquires a flaw or misjudgment, and experiences a downfall into death as a result of his flaw. The first ingredient in the recipe of a tragic hero is the character’s traits and characteristics.
John Procter's Tragic Hero
151 Words | 1 PagesA tragic hero is a protagonist who is highly respected or esteemed despite his or her tragic flaw. This flaw is usually a personality trait that leads to the character's ultimate destruction. Tragic heroes in classical literature include Captain Ahab and Hamlet. At the beginning of "The Crucible," the other characters turn to John Proctor, believing he can stop the accusations of innocents and put an end to the injustices perpetrated by Reverend Parris and the judges.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Literary Analysis
442 Words | 2 PagesNurse Ratched is the epitome of an “impregnable” (73) authority whose power cannot be simply shaken by a few uprisings. The patients describe the Nurse to “always win” (73) and she has “all the power… behind her” (113) with her close relationship to the “supervisor” (63). Not only does Nurse Ratched have official authority due to her status but the patient’s fear and trust for “her craft”(41) to make them better. Harding tells McMurphy that he “need the nurse to make [him accept] his [differences]” (65). It’s not hard to see that the Nurse’s direct authority is absolute among the ward even though this power may not prove to be the most beneficial to the patient’s recovery.
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
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688 Words | 3 PagesThe patients dont question his violence with Nurse Ratched because no one has ever standed up to her. Nurse ratched is the reason they dont have confidence in themselves. As McMurphy stays longer, the other patients become more aware as to what is happening. Before McMurphy came in the ward the men believed everything that was done to them was for their own good Nurse Ratched was able to manipulate the men and had full power to boss them around. After McMurphy came he was able to show them that Nurse Ratched uses their weakness against them and was just a manipulator.
Similarities Between John Proctor And The Crucible
910 Words | 4 PagesHe tries to forgive himself but he cannot, no matter how hard he tries. The heroic characteristics as well as the flaw leads him to be a tragic hero. On top of his road to self discovery he must deal with the ever declining social structure of the town. He tries to stand out as an honest resistor to the hangings, which ultimately leads to his
Examples Of Mcmurphy In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
870 Words | 4 PagesMcMurphy initially sees Nurse Ratched as an obstacle to his freedom and the freedom of the other patients. However, he quickly realizes that he can use her to his advantage. He begins to flirt with her and tries to seduce her, hoping to undermine her authority and gain power over the other patients. He also tries to provoke her into making mistakes, which he can then use to his advantage. For example, he encourages the other patients to rebel against her, knowing that she will respond with harsh punishments.
John Proctor As A Tragic Hero In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
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739 Words | 3 PagesA tragic hero is defined as a literary character who makes an judgement error that inevitably leads to his/her destruction. These criterias categorize Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. Gatsby's tragic flaw lies within his inability to realize that the real and the ideal cannot coexist. His false perception of certain people of ideas lead him to his moral downfall and eventual demise. Gatsby's idealism distorts his perception of Daisy.
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