Part 1
Kesey offers a strong critique of society, government, and societal institutions-- that they would rather keep man "docile, unnoticed, and even "insane" rather than risk non-conformity, thinking for himself, and challenging authority. This is represented through the them of man vs. machine.
Questions: What are your thoughts on how Kesey presents this notion through Chief, McMurphy, and the other patients? Which specific moment in the text most aptly express the extended metaphor of man vs. machine?
Part 2- End
1. What are your thoughts on the portrayal of women in this text? Can we say that Kesey is perpetuating the stereotypes of women present in both society and in literature? Many critics deem this text as being "anti-female" do you agree, disagree, or "sit on the fence" regarding this idea?
2. The author Flanner O'Connor has written, " I am interested in making a good case for distortion because I am coming to believe that is the only way to make people see." Connect this concept to the text. How do the distortions contribute to the text as a whole?
3. Consider the character of McMurphy. Is he the ultimate hero? Why? Why not?
Part 1:
ReplyDeleteI think that Kesey presents the notion of man vs. machine successfully throughout the entire book. Before McMurphy arrives at the hospital, the ward is a well-oiled machine. Nurse Ratched has a strict order for everything that happens on the ward, and all of the patients, including Chief, maintain that order. However, once McMurphy arrives, that order is disturbed. The well-oiled machine that had previously existed no longer does and that wreaks havoc among the staff of the hospital. McMurphy is the first man on the ward to rebel against the machine-based order of the ward, and he's the one who eventually encourages other patients to join him in his fight. A specific moment in the text that depicts the theme of man vs. machine would be when Chief describes how the psychiatric ward is organized. He mentions how there are the Acutes and then there are the Chronics. The Chronics are divided into walkers, like Chief, and wheelers and vegetables. He says that the Chronics are, "machines with flaws inside that can't be repaired". Some of the patients on the ward have been manipulated into thinking that they are so broken that they cannot be fixed. Chief is one of those who thinks that he is too damaged to be repaired and so he tries to fly under the radar. Until McMurphy gets there, Chief knows it is easier to maintain order than to try to fight the "machine", but that all changes as the novel progresses.
Part 2:
1. I think that women are portrayed very poorly in this book. The only women in this book are either portrayed as being masculine, or being very promiscuous. Nurse Ratched is described as having very large breasts, but that is the only feminine thing that is mentioned about her. Besides this, she is described as being hard, cold and stiff. She does not have the feminine grace that many women exude, but rather possesses the hardness of a man. On the contrary, the two prostitutes in this book represent a very different extreme. These women are portrayed as classless and disgraceful, which is an example of a stereotype. I most definitely agree with the idea that this text is "anti-female" because not one woman in this novel has a respectable reputation. Kesey used two extremes when describing women, which is a major reason why I think this book is "anti-female".
2. I do think that McMurphy is the ultimate hero for many reasons. Although McMurphy never made it out of the hospital, it was because of him that many of the other guys did make it out. McMurphy gave all of the patients the courage that they lacked and taught them their own self-worth. McMurphy gave the men their independence, which was something that was taken from them during their stay in the hospital. Overall, McMurphy changed the lives of everyone on that ward, but he esepcially changed Chief's life. Chief thought he was small and weak, but McMurphy showed him his full potential. Without McMurphy, none of the guys would have had the courage or the strength to leave the ward. He may have lost his life, but he affected so many other lives, which makes him a hero.
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ReplyDeletePART ONE:
ReplyDelete1.) I think that Kesey does use the idea of man vs. machine throughout the entire text. This is shown in the beginning of the book, when Bromden describes the strict schedule that the ward has. The hospital is run like a literal machine, and Bromden describes this well when he talks about the ward as a "Combine." He also describes how people are sent there to be "fixed," and that they are ultimately wired back to the machine that everyone is in together. McMurphy, however, completely violates this "machine" when he disrupts the ward and causes everyone to change their ways and personalities. McMurphy eventually causes most patients to fall off of the machine-like routine. Once these men have fallen off the machine, it is difficult to get back on. McMurphy seemed to have changed many of the men forever. They were all changed, in my opinion for the better, and will continue to find themselves again now that they are not brainwashed by the machine. This is specifically shown when Billy and McMurphy are found sleeping with women in the ward. Not only were they found in beds with the women, but neither of them seemed phased by the fact that Nurse Ratched was the one who found them. This shows that they are completely out of the machine lifestyle and found independence and comfort in the "Combine."
ReplyDeletePART TWO:
1.) I think that there are many sexist undertones throughout "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Towards the beginning of the book, the characters talk about women in a more degrading way. The women in the book are referred to as "ball-cutters" and whores. Kesey seems to, in my opinion, give the men more superior roles and dominance. One of the main woman characters in the book, Nurse Ratched, is looked at as a villain and is often mocked by the patients. The other two main female characters, Sandy and Candy, seem used and influenced by the men in the ward. Although I do think that this book is sexist and has many insulting stereotypes, I do not think that the book is completely "anti-female." This is because towards the end of the novel, the nurse in the Disturbed ward is not portrayed as being violent, unintelligent, or inferior. In fact, McMurphy and Bromden enjoy her presence and find her to be a very comforting, unusually bright person in the hospital. Since this character of this nurse in the Disturbed ward is looked at as a nice woman, I do not believe that this book is completely "anti-female," even though there are many disrespectful portrayals of women throughout the book.
3.) Personally, I believe that McMurphy was the ultimate hero of the novel. To start off, I do think that each character contributed a piece to the ward and helped to create the community that was ultimately appreciated by each patient. This change in each character only took place after McMurphy appeared at the hospital, though. You can see the affect that McMurphy has on the group as the book progresses. Towards the beginning of the novel, each patient was very stiff, and almost robotic. They followed a very strict schedule and never had a change of pace. Once McMurphy show up to the ward, he not only stirred up the monotone schedule, but also helped the men to loosen up. Little by little, the reader could see McMurphy's progress. A very strong theme of the novel was that no one on the ward laughed. This was made clear by Kesey, and you could imagine how uncomfortable and tense the ward was at all times. The men began to crack a smile at McMurphy's jokes and tricks, and eventually began to laugh and joke right there with him. Each patients' personality slowly began to shine through, and they could do things on their own and think for themselves. This was mainly shown when Billy gave one of the girls his life jacket on the fishing trip, and when the patients got the large fish on the boat without McMurphy's help. McMurphy simply stood there and smiled, beaming with pride at how far his men had come. They were noticeably more confident and happy. At the end of the book, after the men had almost become too comfortable at the ward when they got drunk, slept with women, and didn't wake up until they were found, McMurphy shows his final appreciation for the boys. This was shown after Billy killed himself, and McMurphy attempted to strangle Nurse Ratched for the men. After Nurse Ratched turned him into a vegetable to use him as an example for the other patients, Bromden suffocated and killed him to save him his dignity and face. This was Bromden's tribute to McMurphy for being such a loyal mentor and friend. With these reasons and examples, McMurphy was a teacher, a friend, and a guide to every patient in the ward. He taught them how to be men and how to be independent and confident, which is why he is the novel's hero.
Part 1:
ReplyDeleteThe theme of man vs. machine is very well executed throughout the entirety of the novel. The hospital as a whole is described as being a machine, and before McMurphy arrives, a very well-run machine. Everything is run very smoothly and strictly, just like a machine, before he comes in and complicates everything. One of the most evident examples of the hospital being like a machine is the way that the Chief describes the daily schedule. Everything is run on a very strict schedule, with a routine that must be followed, similarly to machine. Kesey also compares the ward as well as those who run the hospital as the “Combine.” Another very evident reference to the theme of man vs. machine is the concept of the electrotherapy fixing the patients. The people who are sent to electrotherapy can be compared to technicians fixing a machine. All of the patients that are in the ward are said to need “fixing,” but that attitude changes throughout the course of the novel. When McMurphy takes the men fishing, many of them realize that they are in control of their own lives and do not need a “machine” to control their lives. I wonder if the fishing trip had never occurred, if some of the men would have come to this realization?
Part 2:
2. This quote relates a lot to this novel. O’Connor believes that the only way for people to see the truth, sometimes it is necessary to change the way that you are looking at something. Having someone or something change the perspective on a certain issue has the potential to see the truth more clearly. In the novel, McMurphy is that person who distorts everyone’s perspective. Through this change of perspective is how many of the patients on the ward are able to see the truth behind the hospital. They can clearly see how they are being treated is wrong and realize that they are in control of their own lives and should have the decision to do as they please. Without McMurphy coming and changing everything, I believe that the patients would have remained in the “fog,” as Chief describes it. The patients would have remained blind to the inhumane way they were being treated.
3. I do not believe that McMurphy is the “ultimate hero.” While he does deserve a majority of the credit for allowing the men to believe in themselves and escape from the “fog” of the hospital, I think that each man deserves credit for finding the strength to eventually stand up for themselves. McMurphy guides them to discovering that strength, but I believe that it is ultimately up to each man to use that strength. He played an irreplaceable and extremely important role in each man’s life, however I believe that there is not one “ultimate hero.”
Part 1
ReplyDeleteThe novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” definitely presents the man vs. machine metaphor through Chief, McMurphy, and the other patients. The Big Nurse and her staff run the ward like a machine, taking in broken patients, and filtering out “fixed” men. The Chief and all the other patients are made to be docile, unnoticed, and thought as “insane” instead of risking non-conformity. Before McMurphy arrives on the ward the Big Nurse makes sure everything runs like clockwork. The same things happen each day at the same time, and she manipulates the patients during their daily meetings. However when the new patient arrives the machine is brought to a grinding halt. The specific moment when the text most aptly expresses the extended man vs. machine metaphor is at the very end when McMurphy gets the lobotomy. Although, up until that point, things have been thrown off track, fights break out, and men are beginning to check out, the nurse still makes sure to run her machine. She finishes the task she always intended on from the beginning: taking down McMurphy. The machine is challenged though out the novel, but in the end it still runs.
Part 2
1. In my opinion, women in “One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest” are not portrayed in a good light. They are shown in two extremes: the cruel, and cold enemy; or as objects. The Big Nurse is the enemy. When the men see her they notice her crisp white uniform concealing her large breasts, and describe her evil ways. It is rare that the characters mention her cruelty with out also mentioning the fact that she is a woman. The other women Candy and Sandy are introduced as sex objects only for the men to exploit. These women never have dialog of substance, they only have dialog that contributes to sex and partying. Kesey is perpetuating the stereotypes of women in literature because the main female characters are that of two prominent stereotypes. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the novel is “anti-female” because it never outright suggests that all women are bad, or that all women exist only to please males. There is one female nurse character that is somewhat liked by the patients. On the other hand, this novel is in no way “pro-female” because there is no prominent female character that is shown in a positive light.
3. McMurphy is the hero of the novel, however he didn’t intend on being a hero. When he first came to the ward he did not expect to see what he walked into. He was surprised to see so many men unable to speak for themselves and oppressed. These men were waiting for a hero and McMurphy was exactly who they needed. He wasn’t afraid to rustle feathers and speak up for the men. He saw the injustices being committed in the ward and he did something about it, not because he was trying to be a hero, but because he was just being himself. The men saw the affect he was making and latched onto him; by default he became the hero. As a hero he was able to help Chief Bromden get his confidence and over come his false deafness, and help many of the men get the courage to check themselves out of the ward. McMurphy also fits the description of a tragic hero because he loses in the end for the benefit of others. He pushed the nurse to the edge in order to make the ward better, but his efforts were in vain because the nurse got her way and McMurphy became the lifeless vegetable she always wanted him to become.
Part One:
ReplyDeleteThe idea of Man vs. Machine is integral to the plot of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Kesey uses this metaphor to accentuate the shift that occurs in the mental ward after McMurphy's arrival. At the beginning of the book, the ward is described to be a finely tuned machined. All aspects of the ward happen at a certain time, which helps to keep everything in check. Chief Bromden is the main character that depicts the Man vs. Machine metaphor. Bromden believes that the men are sent to the ward because they need to be "fixed." Another way that Bromden presents the machine metaphor, is that he calls the ward "The Combine." A combine is a harvesting machine that reaps, threshes, and winnows crops. Bromden feels that the doctors and nurses in the ward tear down the patients and make them feel even worse about themselves, especially Big Nurse. Big Nurse is the main reason for the strict schedule that causes the machine-like rigidness. The only force that is able to effect this schedule is McMurphy. From the very beginning of his time in the ward, he tries to start an uprising among the patients. He knows that he can easily take power and does. He attempts to show the men that they too can go against the "The Combine." He does this by trying to provide them with confidence, especially Chief Bromden. One scene that emphasizes the Man vs. Machine is, when McMurphy tries to move the "control panel." The "control panel" is described to be a large piece of machinery that no one can physically move. McMurphy bets that he can move it and attempts to do so. Unfortunately, the "control panel" does not budge and leaves McMurphy with blood covered hands. This is meant to represent that no matter how hard McMurphy tries to break the machine, he will never be able to move it because it is insurmountable. This scene could be viewed as foreshadowing because McMurphy was never able to leave the ward, and actually ended up dying there. Clearly, "The Combine" always had some control over him ,even though he would have liked to think that he controlled it. The only character who is able to escape "The Combine," and its power, is Chief Bromden. Chief Bromden went from being a meek and unresponsive character to a force to be reckoned with. After McMurphy's death, Chief Bromden decides to use his new found strength and lift the "control panel." He is then able to escape the ward and create a new life for himself. Many of the other men leave the ward and even some of the doctors are told to give up on it. The once impeccable combine was now in shambles.I feel that Kesey uses the Man vs. Machine metaphor to show the change that occurs within the ward and within Chief Bromden. Due to the fact that, the ward went from being a finely tuned machine to a complete mess, while Chief Bromden was able to be fixed by McMuprhy. This metaphor is very beneficial to the over all plot of the story because without it one might not be able to see the flaws within the ward.
Part Two:
ReplyDelete1. One topic that is typically brought when discussing "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," is its portrayal of women. Although the book does not have many female characters, there is still something to be said about the ones that are included in the book. Undoubtedly, one of the most controversial female characters is Nurse Ratched, also known as The Big Nurse. She is viewed as a very domineering character that enforces a strict set of rules on her patients. All of the men in the ward hate her. They feel that she is tyrant, and for this reason she is depicted to be more masculine, in terms of her actions. Rather than being a soft and nurturing female, The Big Nurse is seen as a harsh presence that holds all the power. Typically, males are given this role. The only aspect that causes the men to view her as a woman is her large breasts. In one of the last scenes, McMurphy exposes her breasts, and Bromden narrates that it was almost shocking to see her breasts because now they were certain she was a woman. The other nurse that they talk about is Nurse Pilbow, the nurse with a large birthmark on her face. Nurse Pilbow is a very timid character who seems to be frightened by society. In some ways, she is depicted as a stereotypical female. After she is told about McMurphy's sexual tendencies, she begins to fear him. She feels that he may start to influence her sexuality. This character is depicted as weak and is subjected by McMurphy, to the point where she can not dispense the pills properly. The other prominent female characters are Candy and Sandy. These two are prostitutes and are only depicted as objects, that are used by McMurphy and Billy Bibbit. Clearly, Kesey did not intend for these characters to be respected because he does not provide them with dialogue that has substance. Rather there dialogue is only about sex and partying. Overall, the book portrays women in a very negative light. They are either too powerful or weak and easily subjected.
3. I feel that McMuprhy can be viewed as a hero. When McMurphy first entered the mental ward, he was shocked by how cowardly all the men acted. It seemed that none of them could stand up for themselves and that they had a lack of confidence in all aspects. McMuprhy decides to take on the challenge of bringing life back into the men. McMurphy gives the men something to believe in and provides them with hope that the ward will change. He was able to bring Chief Bromden's strength back and caused many of the men to leave the ward. Some may argue that them leaving the ward is not positive, but most likely it was because they were able to leave their oppressors behind. Although McMurphy did not intend to be the hero, he became a hero to all the men in the ward, and for that reason alone he should be viewed as the ultimate hero.
Part One:
ReplyDeleteKesey continually brings up the theme of man versus machine. In the beginning the hospital is presented as a well-oiled machine, with the Chief likening it to a “Combine”; and the Big Nurse implementing a rigid schedule, which all the patients including Chief follow without question. When McMurphy is brought into the ward, he immediately disrupts the routine, avoiding getting his temperature taken and his laughter breaking the silence. This struggle between the machine of the hospital, and the man McMurphy continues throughout the book. However, Chief is awkwardly left in the middle of this struggle. He is almost all man because of his individuality, but is also almost all machine because of his conformation to the ways of the Combine. I think that this shows that the machine itself cannot be real even though it appears so. I believe that Kesey especially highlights the theme of man versus machine, in the descriptions of the group meetings that occur periodically in the book. The first one is when the ward has not yet faced the influence of McMurphy and Nurse Ratched is able to control the patients and manipulate them into telling her what she wants to know. However in later meetings, McMurphy rallies the men together to finally stand up to the Nurse, voting to be allowed to play cards in the tub room, but is only successful on his second try. A tug-of-war ensues between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. By the end of the book, it appears that the machine is triumphant, with McMurphy reduced to a “vegetable” by a lobotomy. However, McMurphy’s “sacrifice” caused the other patients to become men and think for themselves, with most signing themselves out, and Chief throwing the control panel to break his way out.
Part Two:
1.In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, Kesey mainly portrays women in two extreme stereotypes, as “ball-cutters” or as whores. Nurse Ratched is the antagonist of the novel, her harsh cruelty often referenced at similar times to her large breasts that she is unable to hide. McMurphy seems to directly correlate her breasts to her being in control. On the other hand, Candy and Sandy are extremely promiscuous, only present at times of partying. Kesey does to an extent perpetuate societal and literary stereotypes of women, by using the two extremes of women not being feminine if they work, or else being a sex object for men. Kesey does however include the Japanese Nurse who is kind and comforting towards McMurphy and Chief, and the night nurse who is a weak, nervous woman. The inclusion of these two females present two more stereotypes, perhaps of the “ideal” woman. Overall, despite its insulting portrayal of women, I do not think that this novel is completely “anti-female” because of Kesey’s inclusion of the the nurse from the Disturbed ward.
3. McMurphy certainly is a hero, but he also gives the other men the chance to be heroes too. McMurphy continually fights to rehabilitate the other men, and helps them see their self-worth, giving them confidence in the process. In spite of Harding’s pleads, McMurphy does not run away after the party. He fights through his exhaustion and pain for the sake of the men, and ends up knowingly giving his mental life for them when he attacks the Nurse. However, throughout the book he lets the other men be the hero. During the fishing trip he sits back and lets Billy and Harding step up to the plate and volunteer to go without lifejackets and help each other pulling in the fish. Perhaps McMurphy’s ability to see that the men needed to be a hero at some point, and to allow himself to not always fill the position, does make McMurphy the ultimate hero.
Part 1:
ReplyDeleteThe metaphor of the machine is developed through the character of Bromden. Unlike McMurphy, Bromden’s view of society is distorted, as he sees everything around him as machinery. This false perception of reality is what helps keep Bromden grounded and sane within his own version of reality. In Bromden’s eyes, Nurse Ratched is a “motor pulling too big a load” (5). He describes her features as “precise” and “automatic” which are not typical descriptors of human beings, but of machines. This dehumanizes her, almost justifying her ruthless acts because she is so machine-like. Bromden uses this idea of machinery and society as a “Combine” to make sense of the happenings within the ward. As it is learned that the Chief likely suffers from PTSD after working in some mechanical area of war, his machinery metaphors make more sense.
Earlier in his life, Bromden’s family’s land was taken from them, demonstrating the force of the societal “Combine” that is consistent in his life. After this, he loses his humanity and assumes a “deaf and dumb” identity on the ward, acting as a piece of machinery ground down by the Combine and society.
McMurphy’s character, on the other hand, defies the attempts of oppression on the ward. He constantly attacks and questions the Nurse, inching closer and closer to revealing her humanity as the novel progresses. A moment in the text that exemplifies the man vs. machine metaphor is at the end of Part 1, when McMurphy bets that the Nurse can be made to lose control. By pulling up chairs to a blank TV screen, the men drive the Nurse to break, which ultimately humanizes her. This is the first true diminishing factor of the Nurse’s authority, as she as viewed as man rather than machine.
Part 2-end
ReplyDelete1.) If the reader goes into this novel searching for anti-female sentiments, they will surely be found. Personally, I am naturally quite aware of such sentiments, so my initial reaction to Kesey’s portrayal of women was one of frustration and offense. Though the Nurse is a powerful and strong woman, the men in the ward do not respect her as such, they simply see her as an emasculator and “ball-beater.” The men think they are “victims of the matriarchy.” The other women in the novel, Candy and Sandy are portrayed as nothing but objects to be looked at and used. There is a sort of medium between the two in the character of the Japanese nurse in the disturbed ward. She is a smart and kind woman, but does not give in to McMurphy when he flirts with her. This loosely indicates that Kesey recognizes more in women than their looks and their emasculating ways.
Despite my initial and immediate labeling of the novel as “anti-female,” I was able to change the perspective in which I was reading. Recognizing that the battle between male and female is required for the plot to unfold, I shifted from the feminist lens to a more neutral lens and allowed myself to read in that way instead. Though it was difficult, it allowed me to gain more clarity in my reading. I don’t think Kesey’s overall intention was to be “anti-female,” but rather just to use stereotypical negative female qualities to further highlight the male transformation after McMurphy arrives.
3.) In my opinion, McMurphy is the ultimate hero in this novel. Though he is arguably to blame for Cheswick and Billy, McMurphy’s time on the ward resulted in much more good than bad. From the start, it is obvious that McMurphy is unlike any other patient on the ward. He doesn’t “slide scared along the wall” or “submit to the shower with a weak little yes,” indicating immediately his rebellious nature. At first, McMurphy appears to simply be enjoying himself by trying to get under the Nurse’s skin and questioning authority relentlessly. However, after he decides to conform, he realizes the positive impact his behavior has had on the men in the ward. It is at this point that McMurphy truly realizes and assumes the role of their leader. Though McMurphy is not a hero in the traditional selfless and servicing sense, he is most definitely the hero of the novel. By the second half of the story, McMurphy’s stress and exhaustion due to the weight of his role as the patients’ savior becomes more and more obvious through Bromden’s observations. This serves as proof that McMurphy’s once selfish and simple acts of rebellion have turned into an ultimate service to the men on the ward. Without him, these men would not be men, they would still be “rabbits.” Through his assumption of a leading figure up until the ultimate sacrifice of his life, McMurphy proves to be the ultimate hero of the novel.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that Kesey used his characters alarmingly well. The use of Chief, who has been at the ward so long that he can "see" the machinery in motion, is key to imparting the idea that the institution is like clockwork. Even though what Chief sees is not literally there, his visions can be seen as metaphors for what actually happens, a systematic breakdown of anyone who enters the ward. This is also applied to Chief's past. I believe that Chief was not crazy during his childhood, but as he is looking back, he is seeing that what the government did to his father and tribe is the same as what the ward is doing to his current family, the patients. McMurphy represents someone who shakes up the machinery, to remind both the patients and the staff that they are not steadily moving gears, but actually humans. The battle between McMurphy and the nurse is representative of the battle of man vs machine, and while the patients are either pawns in their battle or observers like Chief, they eventually join McMurphy's side. One specific moment of this is during the World Series. At that point, the patients stop being gears in the Big Nurse's machine, and start fighting for themselves. At this point, they are becomes a part of McMurphy's machine, where they act as he thinks they should act. Even though McMurphy is doing it for what he thinks is the patients' good, he is also subtly manipulating the patients. Big Nurse also states that what she does is for the patients' good, which raises the questions, Do the patients really get free will from what McMurphy does, and If McMurphy is the man in the battle between man and machine, what is the difference between humans and machines? Or does man always eventually turn into a machine to achieve their goals?
Part 2:
I believe that in this text, women are portrayed almost only negatively. Big Nurse and the rest of her staff treats the patients poorly, Harding's wife tries to tear Harding down, and Chief's mother destroys Chief's father. Only the prostitutes are portrayed positively, and society looks down at them. However, I would say that Kesey is not perpetrating stereotypes, but instead is showing an example of a unhealthy society. I think that this shows an extreme example of how society might evolve as, and it serves as a warning against this future, instead of a warning against all women.
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ReplyDelete3. I'm not sure that McMurphy can be considered an ultimate hero, because unlike traditional heroes, McMurphy is very human. To me, an ultimate hero is something that is perfect in every aspect and therefore, it has rarely, if ever, existed in reality. But instead of being a perfect existence, McMurphy just does a heroic deed. Many of the "good" things that McMurphy does also benefits himself, and once he finds out the consequences of his actions, he stops causing trouble. The heroic deed he does is to continue his actions, even when he knows what the consequences are. He realizes that he is an outlet for the patients, and saves them at the cost of himself. So even though he isn't perfect, I would still consider him a hero.
Part 1: While some of the patients’ behaviors in the novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest are hardly revolutionary, let alone progressive, one finds that there is a certain struggle that those men share with the exception of Randle McMurphy. Until later in the book when McMurphy drastically intensifies his campaign of agitation, Chief, Harding, Bibbit and the others share one common thread which allows the “combine” (a machine which cuts down and homogenizes grain) and the Big Nurse to dominate all aspects of their lives. They are hopeless men with broken spirits. They have long since been conditioned so that submission and compliance are hard-wired into their brains. The patients adopt docility as a result of having accepted their fates. The foreseeable future ends however, shortly after McMurphy is introduced. He is new to the ward and therefore is not yet predisposed to submission. Crass, irreverent and rugged McMurphy exhibits qualities the Chief among others have not been exposed to perhaps since they were on the outside. Observing the pathetic state of the patients’ spirits, McMurphy takes it upon himself to restore the free men within those he calls his friends. However effective he may have been in these efforts, they do not best represent the conflict between those men and the combine or rather, man and the machine. Most indicative of the relationship between free-thinking human beings and the machine-like institutions that govern them is McMurphy’s lobotomy at the end of the novel. The removal of brain tissue from his frontal lobe had little to do with his best interest. Rather, it was intended to send a message to the rest of the ward about what happens to those who would dare challenge authority and institutions of power effectively. The message is clear: “Don’t mess with us.”
ReplyDeletePart 2:
ReplyDeleteOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a literary work often criticized for its negative portrayal of female characters. Many suggest that the novel, being considered an act of social protest, takes a position against women in general and is overall anti-feminist or anti-female. It is often suggested that women are categorized in one of two ways in this novel. They are either emasculating “prudes” or they are “whores.” Though personally I possess a feminist bias, I do not believe that the language or sentiments expressed in this novel detract from its validity. The simple explanation for this is that Kesey is not necessarily expressing his own views on women through the text. While he may have had something to say about institutions such as government and the pharmaceutical industry, the purpose of the book was not to attack feminism or respect for women. Rather, I think the reason he includes contempt for women in this novel is to create flaws in the characters’ personalities. This way, the patients living on the ward are not overly lovable or endearing to the reader. After all, they are living in an insane asylum.
After reading One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest I did find that Randle McMurphy was in fact the hero of the novel. Granted, he is a bit rough on the edges, perhaps worthy of the skepticism his character receives from certain readers. He gambles, he likes liquor and “cheap” women and loves to raise hell in general up and down the ward while he can. I would however assert that there is a method to McMurphy’s madness and I do not believe that all of his actions are inspired by self-interest. Perhaps early on he may have been vying only for personal gain in the form of blackjack winnings and extra cigarettes but there is, I think, a sharp change in his motives. This shift is apparent when McMurphy begins advocating for patients and arguing on their behalf during meetings with the doctor, eventually winning them a fishing trip and the ability to laugh again. McMurphy gets more satisfaction out of this than he ever did out of spare cigarettes. This is why he goes to such lengths in order to make Chief feel big again and even stands up to the orderlies with physical force when they abuse George. He constantly pushes the patients out of their comfort zones, instilling self-confidence and audacity in their broken, scared minds, culminating in the final “fling.” Ultimately this endeavour costs McMurphy the brain matter that made him who he was, and most of the men went back to business as usual in the wake of his lobotomy. But if nothing else, McMurphy gave Chief the confidence to make his escape in the end and I believe he would have been more than satisfied with that.
Part 1:
ReplyDeleteThe central and most important theme (for me) in this story was definitely the idea between man vs. machine. Kesey's use of the patients and the nurse in order to demonstrate this conflict, connects well with his ideas of the real world.
Chief, and the patients are part of this "machine" or in other words, the existing, and well established order. Out of fear of reprisal and punishment, the patients do not act against the nurse, who represents the establishment, or those in power who do not want to see change. Chief, for example did not protest, but instead chose to adopt a lifestyle in which no one would suspect him. Like a machine, the patients operate on a strict schedule, and those who fall out of line, faced severe backlash, like McMurphy and the vegetables. McMurphy comes along, and essentially besieges the current system and breaks it down, as is evident by the end of the story where everyone breaks the rules. The most specific part of the text that represents the metaphor of man vs machine, is that of the lobotomy of McMurphy, as in the end, the machine had one. McMurphy paid the ultimate price for causing disrupt and chaos within the machine, or the already established order, that McMurphy had threatened. In the end, I think the use of man vs machine, is a way in which Kesey portrays the struggle of those without a voice and those who suppress dissent.
Part 2.
ReplyDelete1. In a sense, Kesey does perpetuate sexist stereotypes of women throughout the novel. Many of the instances in which women are portrayed, were usually negative, as demonstrated with Big Nurse, Harding's wife, and the prostitutes. The only woman of respectable authority is portrayed as rather masculine, given that the ward hates her. Harding's wife was portrayed as promiscuous and unfaithful, as revealed by Harding who himself felt humiliated by his wife. Other women such as Candy and Sandy, are given the role of prostitutes, which is in itself, a negative portrayal of women. Despite, some sexist stereotypes and portrayals of women, I do not believe this book to be anti female, as these portrayals are part of a larger, more important aspect of message of the novel, which is that of the man vs machine metaphor. If this book were truly anti female, the Nurse would not have been given the authority that she had over the ward. The nurse could have been a man, and the same resentment from the patients would have existed. Additionally, the men in this book are portrayed as lesser beings compared to the Nurse, for example. Given that the men were not perfect themselves, there was not much you could expect, in terms of their relationships to women, and to anyone else outside the ward. Therefore, given that the more important aspect of this book was the theme of man vs machine, and that it was written during a time of emerging right's movements, I do not believe this book to be anti female.
2.
I believe McMurphy to be the ultimate hero, and a martyr, more specifically. Although McMurphy himself was not perfect, (dishonorable discharge, including several arrests later on his life) I believe McMurphy to have stood for individual freedom and have given a voice to a group of people who were otherwise too afraid to act on their own. Before the arrival of McMurphy, the patients were part of the machine, and not falling out of line. Chief chose to appear deaf and mute, in order to protect himself. However, upon the arrival of McMurphy, everything changed in a sense that most of the patients restored their own confidence, and acted in defiance of the nurse. The patients began to laugh and have some fun again, as McMurphy vied in support of the patients, in direct opposition of Big Nurse. Although McMurphy, at times, appeared to act in self interest, as seen in the case where he gained money off of the other patients, McMurphy eventually cleared himself of any doubt, through having died in the end. In dying, McMurphy becomes a martyr, who died as a result of punishment from the establishment or Big Nurse.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteKesey spread this idea of man vs. machine throughout the entire novel. From the very start Chief even exclaims that all the men within the combine are like machines. They stick to the strict routine held up by Nurse Ratched and are barely even living, just going through the motions. This element is represented through McMurphy because he was a figure there to try to destroy the machine and break its control over everyone within the hospital. In the end, he achieves breaking through to certain characters, mainly in focus, Chief, by getting him to regain his confidence and be able to escape. A specific moment in the text that I felt most aptly expressed the extended metaphor was when McMurphy gets Chief Bromden to move the control panel. This was a breakthrough moment because it was like the Chief transformed from a machine back into a human But, ironically McMurphy is defeated by the machine when he dies in the hospital and never gets out of it. Thus, this element was used to strengthen the text and foreshadow certain key events that would bring the story to some of its most dramatic points in the end.
Part 2- End
1. It is hard to say exactly my thoughts on how women were portrayed in this text because there is so much room for interpretation. On one side of the spectrum, you have Nurse Ratched. One can look at it from the perspective that it is empowering that the leading role and controller of everyone in the novel is a female, strong character. While, in comparison you can also see that she is portrayed as cruel and constantly hiding her femininity. Then there are the other female characters such as Candy and Sandy. They are two prostitutes basically shown as objects that the men around the ward can use and gawk at, who only wear extremely revealing clothing. Harding’s wife is also introduced and he only speaks of her as being sexy and an object for other men to stare at. So thus you can conclude that there is no woman portrayed in the story as smart, feminine, normal people. This in a way perpetuates women as a stereotype of either “whores” or “prudes”, but I wouldn’t go as far to say that this text is “anti-female”. This is because there were some instances of women being not so bad for example the nurse in the disturbed ward who had some light shining on her. Although not completely anti-female this book by no means portrays women in a positive way at all it just doesn’t completely diminish the female gender in total.
2. Although McMurphy might not have realized it himself, he in the end was the hero of the story. Without him, Chief and several other patients in the ward would have never found themselves and regain the confidence they need to heal their minds from all the damage they have undergone. The disturbing fact that these people could have left this torture and they weren’t in the mindset to understand this was frightening and without McMurphy this would have never been changed. He was the necessary character in the story to enable change and growth within the others. He is a hero in the sense that he died for leading and helping the other men find themselves in some way and break them from the “machine”. In addition, he even attempts to kill Nurse Ratched who is the one who caused a lot of the damage done to the patients of the ward. Overall he was the hero because even though he couldn’t save himself, he selflessly saved others.
Part One:
ReplyDeleteOne of the prevalent themes of this novel is the idea of man v. machine. When McMurphy enters the hospital, he has difficulty adjusting to the strict schedules and rules because he is different from everyone else. The hospital ran exactly like a machine; strict rules and schedules. Patients were tuned whenever they acted out and given pills that were found to have electric circuits in them. Those who attempted to break out of the system were severely punished with electroshocks or sent to the Disturbed ward. However those who were able to perfectly adjust to the system were able to be sent back to the real world. McMurphy was the one who saw the flaws in the system and encouraged the other patients to rebel against the injustice and unfairness of the "machine." He wanted to be able to watch the World Series, go on a fishing trip, smoke more than 1 pack of cigarettes a day. McMurphy was more than loud and expressive of what he wanted which wasn't what the system allowed. He spoke against it not because he was selfish but because he knew that it wasn't how they should be living life. However, in the end, the war against the machines was lost. Only one person cannot fight an established society/system which is exemplified when the hero McMurphy comes back to the ward in a vegetative state. In the end, the system won regardless of how unfair it was.
Part One:
ReplyDeleteIn "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey, the author continually implements the idea of man vs. machine in the text. He uses machine imagery, such as steel-grey machines in a factory or the low humming of the operating machinery, to symbolize the functioning psyche ward. This setting is mainly intended to be a microcosm of the larger society and therefore represents the smooth running of the well-oiled society. However, it is not until McMurphy is introduced where the author begins to describe the 'machines' in the psyche ward as beginning to break down and err. McMurphy's disruptive behavior as he rebelled against the authoritative Big Nurse caused chaos within the ward and therefore represents the anti-establishment and anti-government sentiments of the novel, especially considering the 1960's time period in which it was written. However, while the machine can represent society, there are other applications to which the conflict is involved in the novel. For example, the machines could represent the men in the psyche ward and how each of them are their own machine waiting to be fixed by the Big Nurse. Unfortunately, the conflict arises where the Big Nurse decimates all the confidence and brokenness they have, thus leaving them in poorer condition than when they first arrived. The Big Nurse also stripped the men of any individual freedom as they are able to leave the ward whenever they please but are too afraid of her and he power that they are incapable of leaving such an unpleasant place. Therefore, the Big Nurse represents the Man and the men within the ward represent the machines. This extended metaphor could be greatly seen in the beginning through the end of the novel where Chief brings the audience through the rigid schedule of the day that is timed to the minute and describes how the men simply go through the motions and comply to what they are told. However, it is not until McMurphy arrives where the schedule is obliterated and the Big Nurse, who was the largest authority, begins to lose control and power. Thus, man vs. machine is one of the key conflicts within the text.
Part Two:
ReplyDelete2. Author Flanner O'Connor commented on the idea of using distortion as the only way for people to see. This theme is prominent in the novel as the plot follows McMurphy, the Big Nurse, Billy Ribbit, and more, but is is seen through the eyes of Chief Bromden. Chief pretends to be deaf to the others in the psyche ward and keeps to himself which gives the book a slight third person omniscient perspective. However, while Chief leads the reader to believe that he does not necessarily belong in the psyche ward because he comes across as mentally stable, he distorts and alters many events. For example, Chief witnesses Harding throw a punch at another man in the psyche ward but he describes his fist as having a metal ball swinging around, intended to severely harm his opponent. Hence, Chief's distortion of reality, which is the only perspective the readers see, is meant to reveal what is true. Thus, Kesey could have written through this point of view to bring to light the terrible conditions of insane asylums during the 60's, but also to bring out more of his main themes in the novel. He tended to focus a lot of the issues of racism, sexism, and anti-establishment ideals, and uses Chief's innocent yet "fogged" perspective to create the strong overall message of the novel regarding society's issues.
3. In some ways I believe McMurphy could be seen as the hero of the novel, but I do not believe he is the ultimate hero. I think his character was definitely necessary to rebel against the Big Nurse because there was no way the men on the ward were going to cause a disturbance. I also think he instilled a lot of confidence in the men which was severely lacking prior to his arrival. He helped Chief 'get bigger' mentally and many of the men soon followed his actions when he countered the rules and regimens of the Big Nurse. While McMurphy accomplished a lot in that respect, I do not consider him to be the ultimate hero. Eventually, he talks with the lifeguard at the pool and realizes the only way to be put of the misery is to stop fighting and stay silent. At that point, McMurphy was already tired of the Big Nurse and her rules, that he essentially stopped rebelling and submitted to her in a sense. Although he did not go down without a fight, McMurphy was noticeably weakened by the psyche ward. Especially after his electroshock therapy, he reached the ultimate low and was at his weakest point. I believe being a hero means fighting until the end to the point where results are seen, however the only results were the differences in confident personalities of the men. It was as if he kept fighting for the other men but not for himself as he became a vegetable and therefore is not the ultimate hero of the novel.
Part 2
ReplyDelete1. The way woman are portrayed in this book is extreme on both ends; provocative or oppressive. I don't find the novel to be anti feminist because there's such a wide spectrum of the types of women portrayed throughout the novel. However, women are by no means portrayed in a positive or endearing light. On one side there's Big nurse; powerful and oppressive. She emasculates the men by taking away any type of power and controlling them through fear. BN is woman that only draws hatred from her actions. However on the other side, there's Candy; an attractive sweet prostitute. She described as an attractive woman with a nice body, an emphasis on her breasts. Candy is put in an endearing light because of her attractiveness and sexiness. She isn't valued because of her actions or personality but simply because she's a woman with a nice body. Although the book isn't necessarily anti-female, it by no means has a woman character that is liked or respected. The two main women characters gives the idea that woman are either prudes or whores. More than Kesey touching the topic of stereotypes, he simply describes the various types of woman that there are. Besides BN and Candy, there are the other nurses who are more in the middle of the spectrum. Also, even though women aren't portrayed positively, the men in the novel aren't either. The book overall doesn't have a bias towards men or woman because both are portrayed in a negative light.
3. In my opinion, McMurphy was the tragic hero that the ward needed. McMurphy was the one that was able to arouse the patients to realize that the system that they volunteered to be in only put them in a state of fear. From pointing out the oppressive nature of Big Nurse to voting to watch the World Series, he showed them that there was much more to living than just being in the ward. McMurphy put on a tough facade because he knew it was what the patients needed; a big confident hero. Through McMurphy, the patients were able to realize that they could do so much on their own without being dependent on others. Thus, some patients began speaking out against Big Nurse and even checking out of the ward all together. Although McMurphy had his flaws, he ultimately was the one who brought life into the ward. Chief even said that his laugh was one that the patients haven't heard in forever. His tragic fall of becoming a vegetable simply showed what happened if one tried to fight the system but his actions made a large impact on the people around him.
Part One:
ReplyDeleteKesey continually references that theme of man vs. machine throughout the novel. Through Chief, the narrator, a unique perspective is given for the events that take place in the hospital. The Chief compares the other patients, the staff, and even the building to machinery and he even describes them using technical terms. Through this theme of man vs. machine, Kesey can give the reader a special viewpoint on how things are run in the hospital. When Chief uses the mechanical terms and comparisons, the reader can see how the hospital is run like an oiled machine and how each patient is a machine that “needs to be fixed.” Through these descriptions given by Chief, Kesey can present the feeling and mood of the hospital at all times. Insight is also given to the characters through the use of the theme. The reader sees a major conflict of man vs. machine when McMurphy tries to amend the entire system in the hospital. McMurphy attempts to make the patients more human and less “machine” by showing them that they can still control their lives. Because of McMurphy, the patients are able to change policies in the ward and stand up for themselves. The machines in the story fight back through characters like the Big Nurse and the aides who want to keep the hospital up and running smoothly. The moment that most aptly expresses the extended metaphor of man vs. machine is when McMurphy attempts to change the TV schedule so he can watch the World Series. McMurphy rallies against the Big Nurse by sitting in front of a black TV screen and refusing to work. This instance of rebellious activity causes a spark in the other men who join him and ignore the Big Nurse’s warnings and threats. Man fights against the overwhelming force of “machine.”
ReplyDeletePart Two:
1. I believe this book, viewed in a feminist lense, ultimately portrays an “anti-female” interpretation. Through the only major female characters, Nurse Ratched and Candy, we see two extremes of the modern female. Every time Nurse Ratched is mentioned or described in the book, the discussion about the size of her breasts comes up. She tries to cover them and hide them within her stiff uniform, but it is still mentioned numerous times. She is on one end of the extreme where she is seen as a “prude” for covering up and acting in a masculine way more than in a feminine way. Candy, on the other hand, is openly called a whore in the book. She wears a thin, see-through shirt which the men can’t help but look at. It seems that Candy’s only purpose in the book was to sleep with Billy. She does not seem to have any bigger role than to provide Billy with a sexual interaction. Because of this interaction, Billy kills himself in order to avoid confessing to his mother. Since it was Candy’s relation with Billy that ultimately causes him to die, it can be inferred that it is women that cause the downfall of men and society. In the hospital, Nurse Ratched is portrayed as emasculating the men of the ward. Therefore, since the only major female characters are the cause of the downfall of men, this book has an “anti-female” tone.
3. I think McMurphy is somewhat the ultimate hero of the book. McMurphy’s role in the book was to show the patients their potential to be be real, contributing members of society and that they can take control of their lives. McMurphy fulfills this role, so therefore, I believe he can be considered an ultimate hero, but I think McMurphy let the other men be the heroes of their own lives. On the fishing trip, McMurphy lets Billy volunteer to give up his life jacket so he can he seen as a hero of the day (and in the eyes of Candy). McMurphy helps the Chief realize his potential enough for him to lift the control panel and escape. Through this action, the Chief saves himself and becomes the hero of his own story. Harding finally leaves the hospital and goes home with his wife because McMurphy helped him realize that his life would be better outside of the hospital. Thus, I believe McMurphy is a hero of the novel, but not necessarily the ultimate hero because there were quite a few others. If I look at the book as a whole, I see McMurphy as the hero, but looking at the individual characters, I see each patient and a kind of hero to himself.
Cuckoo’s Nest
ReplyDelete1. Kesey’s outlook on society is one of pessimism and disillusionment with the norms that have governed men from the beginning of time. To show this he draws a parallel between machines and men in the sense of the linear conditioning that machines receive. This concept is certainly true since machines are constructed for singular purposes and then are fixed and changed every time those machines deviate from their original purposes. Kesey aims to make us understand that this is exactly what’s happening with the asylum in the sense that some of these men are simply questioning the norms of society too often and that they must be helped to see the light. To do so Big Nurse (the established authority and representative of the government (the Combine)) uses different means, such as electrocution (much like a hard reset on a machine), a lobotomy (much like pulling a defective component out of a computer), and much simpler: strict scheduling to condition them to respond to conformity. And to this end there are plenty of examples throughout the book, such as the continued and repeated electrocution of Chief Bromden, the lobotomy of McMurphy, and the treatment of fear used on all the patients.
2. Mr. O’Connor has the interesting viewpoint of thinking that everything is seen through distortion of facts and events. Unfortunately he is ultimately correct because all people approach things with biases and prejudices that we often don’t see past. For this reason everything we see is distant from the actual truth in one way or another, and Bromden exemplifies this very well. He is in fact an extreme of the spectrum, but in the end the meds he is on and the altered psychological state he is in (both caused most probably by the hospital) has altered very much the manner in which he sees things so that what is metaphorical for us (machines, fog, etc.) has become realistic enough for him and is thus the only true way of seeing it for him. This distortion brings about some deeper questions about the reliability of the narrator, but also allows us to delve deeper into the allegories and metaphors that the author uses to explain his views.
3. McMurphy is most certainly not the ultimate hero for the simple reason that our society defines that as a truly selfless being. I think that McMurphy is at his core deeply selfish and only resists Big Nurse in an attempt to replace her. He does nothing for the good of the patients, and often scams them. His continued abuse of authority is only to impose his own and will in the end only result in him acting as the overarching authority figure he teaches the patients to deride. His end goal being supremacy, he would be at best a beloved dictator and at worst a tyrant if he were to succeed.
Part One
ReplyDelete1. Kesey's critique of society, government, and societal institutions is evident through the actions and reactions of Chief, McMurphy, and the other patients in the ward. To start, Chief is the narrator of the novel and the the metaphorical eyes and ears of the ward. He sees and hears everything that occurs in the ward without anyone noticing him or his true knowledge. At the beginning of the novel, Chief has completely conformed to the rules of the ward and is not willing to question any authority or rebel in any way. He has assumed the persona of someone who is blind and deaf, so not to draw any suspicion. He has completely been lost in the machine and feels that it is better not to question why things are the way they are, but rather to accept that that is how things are supposed to be in the world. Chief understands that the machine is working against him and the patients, but he believes he does not have the "size" to overcome it because of the way society has treated him and led him to feel that he is inferior. Furthermore, McMurphy portrays society in a way that the other patients of the ward have never encountered. All of the patients have fallen victim to the machine and lack individuality or any free thought. McMurphy stumbles into the ward with the freedom of thought, speech, and action that all of the other patients have learned to live without. The other patients were led to believe that the strict conditions of the ward are the normal rules of society, and if they cannot follow those rules, then they are not fit to be living in the outside world. McMurphy realizes that this conditioning has led all the men to believe that society and the government have intentions other than cures. He rebels to fight against the machine and stop the conformity that the other patients cannot seem to stray from. Finally, the most aptly expressed example of man vs. machine is when Chief has the dream that the floor in an elevator that lowers him into the ground to see the inner workings of the machine. The hospital is in fact a factory, but instead of building, it is destroying. It is depicted as a slaughterhouse for everything that includes freedom of any kind. You must conform or pay the ultimate price, which is what Chief saw happen to a man in his dream. It is difficult to decipher dream from reality with Chief, but this example is expertly utilized to emphasize Kesey's critiques.
Part Two:
ReplyDelete1. The portrayal of women in this text is negative to say the least. I believe that Kesey knew what he was doing when he included all of the women in this novel as either weak, blaming of men, or whores. I think this portrayal is wrong of all women, but it is reflective of the time period in which the novel was written. Kesey does, in fact, perpetuate the stereotypes of women society and in literature in his novel and he does so with a purpose. I am not sure if this portrayal is a reflection of his own experience or just a prejudiced view on the opposite gender, but Kesey is after something. An all male mental ward, ran by a head female nurse, and three black aids, says a lot about the time period and how Kesey viewed others. Furthermore, I am on the fence about this text being "anti-female" because I do not think that is solely a goal of Kesey. With all of his societal critique, I believe that this portrayal is nothing more than another critique. It does not show women in a good light but the goal is not to degrade them either.
2. The Chief starts off the novel by saying, "But it's the truth even if it didn't happen." Already, the reader has an idea about the extent of the exaggeration in the novel. Every story the Chief recounts is distorted in some way, whether it be from his medication, mental state, or utter confusion. Yet, it is all the truth because it is his reality and he can only tell the story through that reality because nobody else knows it. Despite his reality and however distorted it may be, the distortions contribute to the overall essence of the novel. The novel would not be the same without the extreme hyperbole, extended metaphors, and impossible imagery that the Chief utilizes in his storytelling. The main reason for this extreme distortion is that Kesey wants his message to be heard and the more bizarre the distortion is, the more likely the reader is to understand the meaning behind it. Therefore, Kesey employs copious instances of distortion that, ironically, clear the eyes of the reader. Kesey's critiques of society, government, and societal institutions would not be as prevalent as they are had there been no distortion in the novel. Every patient in the hospital has their reality distorted in some way or another and Chief is no exception. So, his distorted reality allows the reader to relate to the situation of all of the patients and uncover the meaning that Kesey conceals in the text.
Question 3
ReplyDelete3. McMurphy is a hero in this novel for sure, yet his true nature does not come through right away. He comes into the mental ward with no intentions of changing the lives of anyone in it. He employs his charismatic ways and the people begin to like him and follow him. McMurphy gains their trust and takes advantage of it immediately for his own personal gain. However, it is not long before McMurphy is needed by the patients in a bigger sense than he could have ever imagined. All of a sudden, he is being praised by the other patients as someone who can free them from the conformity and imprisonment of the ward and society. McMurphy realized that he must help them and he does so to the best of his ability. He becomes a martyr for his cause. Overall, he is the ultimate hero because he pays the ultimate price of death in the end. He did not have to challenge the Big Nurse and lead the men out of the fog. He did not have to make them rebel and show them that they had power as individuals. Yet, he knew that these people needed to realize that they were still people, and not machines pieced together by fake rules of societal conformity. McMurphy is the ultimate hero because he was willing to do anything for his cause. He may not have imagined that things would end the way they had, but we can infer that he would be glad that they did. His life was important to him, but the other patients lives' had been trapped by the machine for so long that he knew that they were worth the sacrifice. He was not a perfect hero, but he was the hero that they all needed, without ever knowing that they wanted.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteThe prevalent theme of Man v. Machine in this novel is handled in much different ways by the different characters. Before McMurphy arrives Chief goes with the flow and does not dare think about challening the machine that is the Mental Insitituiton and the way that Nurse Racthed runs things because it is all he knows. But when McMurphy arives, a gambling man who tries to test and push the machine to its limits, Chief starts to see what they are trying to do to the patients however he still does not try and provoke the machine in the way McMurphy does. The other charcters are sheep and will follow whoever the most dominant person in the room is. Many of them will follow McMurphy until he goes to far for them as they are essentially programmed to not go agaisnt Big Nurse to much as it will possibly result in them reciveing "the operation". A monet in the book that displays the "machine" perfectly is during the first pecking party that McMurphy attends and he realizes that Big Nurse uses the patients agaisnt each other by having them "help" eafch other in pointing out their flaws. This sort of underlying tactics has broken the men and they are fully submitted to Nurse Ratched.
Part 2
ReplyDelete1. I agree that this book portrays women in a negative light. Kessey uses harsh language throughout the text when referring to women. McMurphy is especially demeaning to women and seemingly only refers to them as sexual objects. All of the characters besides McMurphy fear Big Nurse until McMurphy rips her shirt off and exposes her chest to the men making them realize that she is "only a woman".
3. I do not think that McMurphy is the ulitmate hero as he has far to many flaws to be the hero in my mind. McMurphy has a criminal past and a gambling problem. These are not tratis of a hero. In the end McMurphy is forced to have a lobotamy. That is not how a hero should have gone out in my mind.
I had entered this but for some reason it never saved.