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One flew over the cuckoo's nest mcmurphy essay
One flew over the cuckoo's nest mcmurphy essay
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People want power for a lot of different reasons, everyone has their own motive, whether it be money,strength,etc. Many people want power and have various motives for wanting it in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. McMurphy’s motive as a willing Martyr is to grow the men’s confidence in order for them to see the flaws of the ward. He does this by fixing their flaws, acting selflessly in his last days and he’s shown as a Martyr throughout the novel with biblical allusions.
Firstly, throughout the novel, McMurphy fixes people in order to strengthen them to prepare them for when he leaves. For example, Chief has been “deaf and mute” ever since he arrived on the ward, after a decade on the ward he’s never felt comfortable around people
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Nurse Ratched warned McMurphy and gave him many chances, she threatened him with every tool she had, but he continued to rebel. He knew there would finally be consequences to his action but he seemingly, didn’t care. As one of Nurse Ratched’s punishment he had to recieve EST. Nurse gives him one last chance to redeem himself and asks if he really wants to do this and he responds with “You got a paper I can sign” (281). Even in times where he’s receiving physical pain he doesn’t care, He wants to be strong for Chief, he wants him to know that he doesn’t need to follow Nurse Ratched. He lies down in a cross shape to voluntarily receive shock therapy. This could be related to the crucifixion of Jesus, sacrificing your life for the greater good.
Further, the party at the end of the book can represent the last supper, feasting on pills and cough syrup instead of bread and wine. This was going to be the night that McMurphy escaped, his last day to make his mark on the men. He knew there would be massive repercussions to having hookers over and partying all night, but this night was crucial for the men. They grew and saw what life was without Nurse Ratched’s tight rules. McMurphy forgot about the consequences and focused on the
He would always sneak in wine, gamble with them, and would have them play along on all his jokes. His need for freedom was refreshing to everyone else, that what kept them going. At points when he gave up from being a rebel, other patients gave up. McMurphy wins this war between him and Ratched because he helps other patients continue to be excited and helps them get out of there. McMurphy influences patients to stand up for themselves and not take orders from Ratched. Harding listened to McMurphy and did exactly that. He started to call her out on things and make fun of her, and she couldn't respond. It was clear that Nurse Ratched wasn't the same person and because of what McMurphy did, she couldn't get back in control. Ken Kesey writes, “She tried to get her ward back into shape, but it was difficult with McMurphy’s presence still tromping up and down the halls and laughing out loud in the meetings… she couldn't rule with her old power anymore… She was losing her patients one after the other” ( 320-321). McMurphy has always taught them to follow their own rules and not obey Ratched. In particular, he influenced Chief, a quiet patient that watches his surrounding carefully. After teaching Chief what it's like to follow your own rules, Chief begins to follow McMurphy’s role. After the incident of stripping Ratched’s identity, he learns that McMurphy was a hero to him and although he doesn’t physically help him out, McMurphy has taught Chief how to play this game. Chief tries to be like McMurphy by taking over. DOing so he tries on his cap, trying to be the new McMurphy. Ken Kesey writes, “I reached into McMurphy’s nightstand and got his cap and tried it on. It was too small” (323). Chief realized that no one could take over McMurphy's role, but that Chief would have to be in control over himself to make a statement. Chief does exactly that, he runs for it, making him happier than he has ever
In the book as McMurphy progresses, he goes through many stages where he is rebellious, then docile, then rebellious again. This is due to the fact that he learns exactly what it means to be committed and what it takes to be released. Then he begins to see that all his ward mates (I don't know what you want to call them) are counting on him. becomes rebellious again. These reactions to his environments encourage McMurphy is not crazy but intelligent and quick. This is exactly the case. way a character such as McMurphy should act. In the movie, McMurphy is not only wild but rude. He tried to never be outright rude in the book. aggravating for the nurse) yet in the movie he was. He never stopped being. wild in the movie, leading you to believe that maybe in fact he is crazy.
From the moment McMurphy enters the ward it is clear to all that he is different and hard to control. He’s seen as a figure the rest of the patients can look up to and he raises their hopes in taking back power from the big nurse. The other patients identify McMurphy as a leader when he first stands up to the nurse at her group therapy, saying that she has manipulated them all to become “a bunch of chickens at a pecking party”(Kesey 55). He tells the patients that they do not have to listen to Nurse Ratched and he confronts her tactics and motives. The patients see him as a leader at this point, but McMurphy does not see the need for him to be leading alone. McMurphy is a strong willed and opinionated man, so when he arrives at the ward he fails to comprehend why the men live in fear, until Harding explains it to him by
In Ken Kesey’s novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” characters were subjected to conformity, however those that evade submission are able to realize their personal desires and as a result set a precedent for those that come after. Personal desires are ever changing due to an individual's circumstances and the influence of peers. The author is able to exemplify how an individual must transform their personal desires in order to succeed in undermining conformity. McMurphy’s personal desire transitions throughout the course of the novel, evolving due to his surroundings and circumstances he faces. He develops a sense of responsibility for the other men when he realizes they are playing a “rigged game”(pg 54) which they have no chance of winning.
In "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," McMurphy is successfully perceived as a heroic Christ figure. Kesey uses foreshadowing and images, the fishing trip, actions and feelings of other characters to develop this character.
Some people are just meant to be heroes. In this wonderful play by Shakespeare Macduff is a good choice and born to be a hero. Throughout Macbeth there are several examples of Macduffs heroism and bravery. Macduff is a loving, caring man of action, Thane of Fife and a Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth's kingship. When he leaves his loving family to flee to England to join Malcolm, Macbeth has Macduff's wife and children murdered. At the end of the play, Macduff (who was born through a caesarian section) kills Macbeth bringing prosperity back to Scotland, and proving the truth in the witches prophecy that "no man of woman born" can harm Macbeth and his true heroism.
The story of Mack and the boys throwing a party in honor of Doc is a story of abject greed. Ultimately, Mack's abuse of intuition cost him Doc's trust. Mack’s, Lee’s, and the boys' use of frogs to buy the approval of Doc bring disaster on the town. They literally brought an ancient plague down on Cannery Row, lost nearly all of their profits and destroyed the sanctity of Doc’s laboratory. They all bring this on themselves for the approval of Doc by superficial means. They each try to grab Doc’s acceptance at the expense of Doc. For all their talk about throwing a party in honor of Doc, they forgot all about him, and became obsessed with simply the party. Only after Mack comes to Doc to heal his dog, is a bond re-forged.
It doesn't mean we shouldn't listen to authority, but we should rebel when it is against our better judgment. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, McMurphy is an individual who represents rebellion. He knew conforming to society wouldn't benefit him. He broke Nurse Ratched's rules and although he was becoming weak, he wouldn't conform. He did not try to fit into the image of a patient in a mental ward.
The Oxford Dictionary defines institution as “a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose”. On the contrary, an individual is defined as “a single human being as distinct from a group, class, or family”. Institutions are organizations created by groups of individuals in order to provide social order and guidelines for a community. Although institutions are intended for common good, they can ignore, manipulate or even enslave individuals. In corrupt institutions, authoritative figures maintain power by oppressing and persecuting those who threaten their authority and are even willing to exterminate individuals to protect the institutions. There are two types of individuals whom institutions typically persecute: those who cannot be molded into the ideal citizen; and those who speak out against the institution. Throughout history, authoritative figures and controlling institutions have taken extreme measures to stifle the individuals, threatening their power. For example, the German Nazi regime sought to
Randle McMurphy is in a constant battle within himself, he is portrayed as a sociopath. He does not base his actions off of whether they will affect those around him, instead does as he pleases. His actions are based off of what is best for himself. McMurphy was first introduced as a savior to the ward, He soon uses the patients for his own benefit, the patients look up to him as one of their new proclaimed leader. McMurphy inspires hope into them and make them want to stand up for themselves. This give
McMurphy is shown as a martyr like Jesus was because the patients really don’t become free until he dies. Before the treatment is administered to him McMurphy “climbs on the table without help and spreads his arms out to hit the shadow. A switch snaps the clasps on his wrists, ankles, clamping him into the shadow” (Kesey pg. 272) When the graphite salve is put on his temples and they tell him its a conductant he says “Anointest my head with conductant.
The men, after McMurphy’s death, hold onto his story and pass it on. He is a man, a myth, and a legend that forever remains in the hospital. Leaving an everlasting sting on the nurse and how she reigns over the hospital. McMurphy’s death also affected Bromden, giving him enough strength to set off into the world, breaking loose from the Nurse’s control and living life as McMurphy would have wanted him to. “I feel good, seeing McMurphy get that black boys goat like not many men could. Papa used to be able to do that” (Kesey 94) This is Bromden speaking of McMurphy making fun of the staff’s blind rule-following tendencies. This also, strongly shows how much Bromden, and the other men, think of McMurphy as a father figure. He is a man in their lives that gives them confidence and comfort. The men in the ward & especially Billy Bibbit and Bromden, like authority and power; for example, the Big Nurse, Billy’s mom, and Bromden’s dad. They like to follow a structure and have a power to look up to; McMurphy is a different kind of power that’s freeing to be lead by. When they see their leader ‘fight the power’ they see this as an invitation to follow suit and question their old ways of the ward, therefore not conforming. So, when the men in the ward make McMurphy like their strong father figure, that becomes their normal. This also speaks to Kesey’s underline analogy,
In the control panel scene, McMurphy bets with the other men that he can lift the control panel even though it is too heavy for him. He is teaching Chief and the other inmates that even if you think you can't do something, you have to try. If you try and you fail that will be okay, but if you never try, you don't know what you can do. The other men and Chief have never tried to rebel against Nurse Ratched and the institution. They have watched others fail so they are afraid to try; but they are different. If they try, they might be able to defeat Nurse Ratched. They do not know about their own abilities. They lack the self-confidence and courage to do it for themselves. So McMurphy shows them how to try. "But I tried, though,' he says. Goddammit, I sure as hell did that much, now, didn't I?"(111)
Even though McMurphy's own sacrifice of life is the price of his victory, he still attempts to push the ward patients to hold thier own personal opinions and fight for what is ethically right. For instinace, McMurphy states, "But I tried though,' he says. 'Goddammit, I sure as hell id that much, now didn't I?" McMurphy strains to bring the 'fellas' courage and determination in a place full of inadequacy and "perfection." McMurphy obtains a lot of courage in maintaining his own sort of personal integrity, and trying to keep the guys' intergrity and optimistic hope up.