Symbols In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was an eye opener for the public about the mistreatment in hospitals. Symbolism played a crucial part in the novel but one recurring idea was the Christianity religion and how the character McMurphy “bears a crown of thorns” in biblical reference to Jesus Christ. Ken Kesey develops the idea of Christianity through the character of McMurphy and events.

Randle McMurphy was consider a pinnacle character in igniting a change in the other characters of the hospital. Ken Kesey stated that McMurphy bears the crown of thorns in reference to Jesus Christ when he was crucified on the cross wearing a crown of thorns. In the bible Jesus was known as a character who guided his disciples, and lead others to the Christian religion. In a metaphoric way Christ

In part 2 after McMurphy has the conversation with the lifeguard he joins the men in the pool where they seem to be dunking each other like a baptism. Baptism is used in Christian religion to usually younger children (it can be adult too) when they are rebirthed into the church. This dunking scene relates to the baptism because after McMurphy finds out the truth of how Nurse Ratched has say in how long he stays at the hospital he has now come to the realization that he has no definite sentence as he would if he went to jail. This dunking scene is thought to be a rebirth for McMurphy personally instead of into the Catholic church. The second event that pertains to a religious reference is the party thrown in Part 3. This is shown as the “Last Supper” for McMurphy before he receives a lobotomy. In the bible, Christ had a Last Supper before he was crucified on the cross. Small details that relate back to the “Last Supper” is the mixing of Cough Syrup and Vodka, which could be considered in comparison with the blood of Christ (aka wine). These events relate back to the Bible because of the small cues and