One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

The novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was written by Ken Kesey. The novel takes place in a mental institute. McMurphy is a man who tries to escape a work farm (prison) by saying he is not "straight in the head". McMurphy is sent to this mental institute to be examined. Here, McMurphy is the hero who sacrifice himself in order to teach others, the patients, to take control of there own lives. McMurphy is the good guy and Miss Ratched(or Big Nurse) is the bad guy. McMurphy influences the people of the ward to stick up for themselves. He does this by bringing women into their lives, and showing them how to be men and to act with confidence by sticking up for themselves. The movie portrays similar influences, but there are differences between the book and movie.

The book is told through a (crazy)man named Chief Bromden who is also in this mental institute. He relays a story about life in a mental institute. Chief explains the severity and grouping of the different types of crazy people as well as who and how the institute is run. Mainly though, the story is about a new arrival to the institution, McMurphy.

In the beginning, Chief Bromden talks about acutes and chronics. Acutes and chronics are types of mental illness. Acutes are people that have minor problems. They are basically normal people with a few screws loose. Chronics or "vegetables" are extremely messed up. Half of the chronics can't walk, eat, bath, think, or go to the bathroom by themselves. The other half are in their own world, talking and seeing things that aren't there.

McMurphy comes to the institute and is questioned why he belongs there. He knows he doesn't belong, but he insists that he do...

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...show that McMurphy is the hero. McMurphy's battles with the Big Nurse taught others to take charge of their lives. Through his death McMurphy left a legacy in the independent actions of the patients especially Chief Bromden. McMurphy was the goose that flew over the cuckoo's nest and taught the cuckoos to fly.

Bibliography:

Horton, Andrew S. "Journal of Popular Culture"

Detroit Michigan: Gale Research Co. 1976 clc vol 6 p 278

Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

New York: The Viking Press, 1962

Martin, Terence. Contemporary Literary Criticism vol 11

Indiana: Fiction studies, 1973

Moyahan, Julian. Contemporary Literary Criticism vol 16

New York: Saturday Review, 1964

Sullivan, Ruth. Big Mama Big Papa and Little Son in One Flew Over.... Detroit Michigan: Gale Research Co. 1976 clc vol 6 p 279

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