There are a lot of different types of conflicts that people encounter in their daily lives. It may be just a small argument with a friend, but it could also be something a lot bigger than that. While there may be many reasons for these conflicts, one of the biggest causes of them is power and who has more of it. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, there is a very clear division between who has power and who does not have power. Through this novel, we can start to explore how people gain power, where they get it from, and why it is so important to have power. Let’s see how the readers answered this question!
Reader #1-The power and control is what is most important in Nurse Ratched’s view. In the combine, Ratched holds most of the power inside the institution, and no one can take it away from her. Even though, she has to okay her actions with the person who is incharge of the whole institution from the outside. Inside, the patients see her as a bully, the enemy, and someone to be afraid of. Nurse Ratched enjoys using fear to control the patients. “She doesn’t need to accuse. She has a genius for insinuation. Did you ever hear her, in the course of our discussion today, ever once hear her accuse me of anything?”(Kesey 64). This text example shows that although Nurse Ratched doesn’t actually accuse anyone of doing anything, somehow she has a way of making the patient feel as if they did something terribly wrong. In the real world women like Nurse Ratched do not get as much authority as she does, and if they somehow get to a big job. They are watched over and treated differently because of their gender. In the world of business if a person is not on top of the pyramid. They do not have any power over anyone. Cuckoo’s Nest has a different story however. Even though Nurse Ratched isn’t actually in charge in the eyes of the outside world. In the institution that is a very different story. She is in charge and has the power to do anything if she really wants to. Reader #2-The patient's view Nurse Ratched as the symbol of power in the ward. Nurse Ratched is more powerful than even the doctor because she can get him fired with just one phone call by saying “that the doctor seems to be making a great number of requisitions for Demerol” because if the supervisor heard that then she would suspect that he was using it himself. The patient's are afraid of her because she has the power to do whatever she wants to do. Chief Bromden hallucinates and thinks that Nurse Ratched is a gigantic monster that was gonna punish the aides but she changes back to human before the patients can see. Chief views her like that because she is an intimidating figure that over uses her power. The emasculation is what Nurse Ratched does to the male patients by make them feel like less of a man because they are being controlled by a woman. That is how the patient's view Nurse Ratched. Reader #3-where do people get their power from? power can come from a lot of things in the real world. In the book nurse ratched “calm as anything, puts the log book back in the basket and takes out another folder and open it and starts reading. McMurry….a series of arrests for drunkenness, assault and battery..” (kesey 45). This is how the big nurse uses her power. At anytime she can pull out someone's file and start reading it to shut them up, or make them understand that she is the boss and can do what she wants. There isn't really a power difference between the power in the book and in real life. Just as in the book people do that in real life too, They abuse their power to show the authority they have. Reader #4-Emasculation, more generally speaking, is to make a man feel less masculine and to deprive him of his strength. McMurphy immediately feels the effect of this upon entering the institution and after attending a meeting. He’s stunned by Nurse Ratched’s ability to manipulate and brainwash all the patients. They fear Nurse Ratched greatly and are aware of her extensive powers in the ward so they do all they can to avoid one of her punishments. She’s carefully thought out and executed who she hires to help her, methods of discipline, etc. Ratched is simply a control freak. The patients know that if they resist any of her regulations they could end up in the Disturbed Ward, the Shock Shop, or have a lobotomy done and that’s enough to keep them in their place . Harding says the only way to control a woman like her is through sex. A misogynistic view point but McMurphy takes it into consideration and continues to devise a plan of resistance against her. This scenario in the book is much different than in the real world where men typically are in positions of power, especially in the time period the book takes place, but then again that’s just how Nurse Ratched likes it. Reader #5- People gain power in society from how much they know. McMurphy has tried to take control of the Big Nurse by talking about his uncle. “Ma’am, McMurphy says, have I told you about my uncle Hallahan and the woman who used to screw up his name?” (Kesey 48). This shows that McMurphy is trying to take control mentally over the nurse. The patient's view Nurse Ratched as someone who’s in charge, but can be taken advantage of. McMurphy says, “Our dear Miss Ratched? Our sweet, smiling, tender angel of mercy, Mother Ratched, a ball-cutter?” (Kesey 60). She is perceived as a pretty, motherly like woman to the patients. Most patients call her a “Veritable angel”(Kesey 61). To gain the power in society, they try to take control and advantage of the ones that are in charge. Reader #6-People gain power in society by using anger and intimidation. Nurse Ratched is a perfect example of this. In the ward, everyone knows that she gets furious when something isn’t going her way. “The Big Nurse tends to get real put out if something keeps her outfit from running like a smooth, accurate, precision-made machine. The slightest thing messy or out of kilter or in the way ties her into a little white knot of tight-smiled fury.” (Kesey 28) Nurse Ratched’s main motivation is order. She wants things in order and she wants things her way. To achieve her desire for order and power, Nurse Ratched practically has a meltdown when even the slightest thing is out of place. Reader #7-In this group discussion a lot is going on between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched they are both key players, fighting for dominance. McMurphy feels emasculation in the way all the patients are not allowed to show any real emotion. For example when Mcmurphy arrives and Chief Bromden says it's the first real laugh he has heard in years. McMurphy doesn't really notice this until the meeting, where all he gets are a couple of grins. Nurse Ratched has an advantage in the way that she controls the place. The patient's view her like a big machine because of her on schedule consistency. She also has a very short fuse when people Interupt her smooth flow. Mc Murphy though is about to challenge her. “that's a good rule for a smart gambler; look the game over awhile before you draw yourself a hand.
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There are lots of things that go into making a great character in a story. Great characters are dynamic, elicit strong emotions, and seem to jump right off of the page. Randall P. McMurphy, a newcomer to the mental ward in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is one of those characters. His arrival not only creates a lot of turmoil in the ward, but holds a lot of significance to our narrator, Chief Bromden. Let’s see what that significance is according to our readers.
Reader #1-Mcmurphy doesn’t fit into the typical 3 Categories that the institute provides. The types of patients in the wards are called Chronics, categorized as a walker, wheeler, or vegetable. And then there’s the acutes who are the type that can barely function. The Chief admires Mcmurphy because his way of approaching others is different than anyone who’s ever been here. The chief gets nervous at the way Mcmurphy approaches him. The chief was thinking that “He wasn’t fooled for one minute by my deaf-and-dumb act; it didn’t make any difference how cagey the act was, he was onto me and was laughing and winking to let me know it.” (Kesey 24) The Chief knows that Mcmurphy is smarter than anyone here, and that he doesn’t fit into any of the ward’s categories because he feels he’s outsmarted them already with this one unforgettable look he gave the Chief. In the ward the woman they call the “Big Nurse” runs the place. By the way that The Chief describes her, it seems like everyone has to fear for her, because she is a very strong-minded individual. She shows her authority through the way she treats patients and has a keen eye for anything she sees out of place. The way that power is gained in the ward is cooperation. The chief has a power that no one else knows he has. They all think he can’t hear and that he doesn’t have anything going on up in his head. But really, he’s seeing everything that goes on with the patients, and staff and no one knows about it because he cooperates and puts on a harmless act. Mcmurphy is different because he’s loud and rambunctious. He also seems to be functioning well. He’s also tried to take authority quickly, rather than just letting the day go by like all of the other patients. Mcmurphy is not like anyone in the ward. He’s smart just like The Chief, and he’s going to do anything and everything in his power to make that ward his. Reader #2-McMurphy isn’t like the other patients in the ward, he is more open and friendly than the other patients. The type of patients in the ward are different from McMurphy. When he is walking around asking people to play cards and talking about random things and just being very open. The other patients are frightened by him. He just wants to make a good impression on everybody since he’s gonna be there for a while as he says that on page 19 ‘’ It’s my first day and what i’d like to do is make a good impression straight off on the right man if he can prove to me he is the right man.’’ overall McMurphy is different from others because he’s more outgoing than the other patients. Reader #3-It is clear that McMurphy doesn’t fit into the typical mold in the ward. The patients in the ward are very reserved and quiet. You can tell that it makes them uneasy when McMurphy is loud and when he laughs. In the book, it says “Yet he looks like he’s enjoying himself, like he’s the sort of guy that gets a laugh out of people.” (Kesey 23) McMurphy introduces himself to everyone in the ward, one by one, and the patients don’t really know what to think about it. The Chief admires McMurphy because he seems to be the most exciting thing/person to come into the ward in a long time. The Chief likes how McMurphy is very confident and fearless. McMurphy is very different when he talks about his gambling as well. Harding holds the power in the ward, but you can tell that McMurphy wants it and thinks he is going to get it. Reader #4-McMurphy doesn’t fit in with the other patients in a variety of ways. Before Mcmurphy got to the mental hospital you can tell it wasn’t a social environment and people just kept doing their regular routines. When McMurphy arrived in the text it says “After he checks the day room over a minute, he sees he’s meant for the acute side and goes right for it, grinning and shaking hands with everybody he comes to”(Kesey 18). He’s being friendly to everyone and just wants to get to know them in a social way. When McMurphy was being social some of the patients were uncomfortable and were fidgeting and twitching because they weren’t used to that kind of interaction. Since McMurphy is very social i believe he will keep gaining power from the other patients every day he’s at the hospital. Overall McMurphy is very different than the other patients because of his personality. Reader #4-The patients in the ward are much more disabled and mentally ill than Mcmurphy. They all keep to themselves and aren’t as open with why they are there. They follow the rules, for the most part, and they aren't trying to take control of the ward. They are just sliding by, doing the same thing everyday until Mcmurphy gets there. When Mcmurphy walked in the ward he made sure that everyone noticed him, shaking the hands of every patient and he even laughed. Chief was shocked when he heard it he said “Not like that fat public relations laugh. This sounds real. I realize all of a sudden it’s the first laugh i’ve heard in years” ( Kesey 12). It’s almost as if he didn't recognize the sound, like nobody in the ward ever laughs. Harding used to hold the power in the ward, but it quickly changed after Mcmurphy made it very clear that he is the craziest man in the ward. There are the chronics, acutes, and the vegetables, all a different amount of crazy. Mcmurphy doesn't fit in any of the groups, he is his own kind of crazy. Someone who they have never seen before and this is significant because he is bringing something new to the ward, maybe happiness maybe rebellion. It is still too soon to tell, the Big nurse if nervous about him messing up “the outfit”. Reader #5-The types of patients at the ward are Chronics, Acutes, Vegetables, Wheelers, and Walkers. Acutes are the ones who are the most close to people without mental illnesses. Wheelers are people who are patients that are in wheel chairs. Lastly, Vegetables are patients who are brain dead and cannot function for themselves. The Chief admires McMurphy because McMurphy is different than everyone else at the ward. He does everything for himself, and he doesn’t let anyone do anything for him. In the ward, the three black boys and Big Nurse hold the power. The three black boys force people into doing things. For example, in the beginning of the story Chief was hiding in the closet because he didn’t want to be shaved. When he left the closet, the three black boys hit Chief with brooms and forced him into the room to get shaved. The Black boys however, look up to the Big Nurse. Whatever the Big Nurse says to do the three black boys do it. To gain power in the ward you make others fear you by forcing them to do things they do not want to do, and that is how the three black boys and the Big Nurse have power. As I said before, Mcmurphy isn’t like everyone in the ward because he is very independent. He doesn’t give into the force of others, and functions by himself. Reader #6- It is significant that McMurphy doesn’t fit into the typical mold of patients in the psychiatric hospital. Most of these patients can either be cured or not, and this is how they’re divided. They are mostly depressed, confused, and lost. Chief Bromden pretends to be more confused than he really is. He acts like he’s death and doesn’t have a clue about what’s going on, when he really does. He admires McMurphy because he’s fun, entertaining, and bring something new to the hospital. In the story, it states on page twelve that, “Yessir, that’s what I came to this establishment for, to bring you birds fun an’ entertainment around the gamin’ table.” McMurphy is came across to be a mistake that he was placed in the ward. He knows what’s going on unlike some others in the center. It’s important to have him in this environment to maybe gain control of the ward. Reader #7-The book mentions that they’re two types of patients, Acutes and Chronics. Acutes are believed to be cured and Chronics are people that can’t be cured. McMurphy doesn’t fit into any of these places because he can be cured but he chooses not too. The chief admires McMurphy because she views him as an ordinary man with no problems, she ends up spending all her free time with him to help him. “My name is McMurphy, buddies, R.P McMurphy, and I’m a gambling fool.”(Kasey 12) In the book McMurphy introduces himself as a gambling fool and is known for his brassy voice and his confident, iron- heeled walk. It is believed that McMurphy doesn’t want to be cured because he wants to take over the whole ward and he doesn’t want to go back to his old life. Reader #8-In the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, McMurphy is different from all the rest of the patients in the ward. When Randle McMurphy, a new patient arrives his appearance is seen by his brassy voice and his confident walk. McMurphy is a redhead and has a devilish grin and had introduced himself as a gambling fool. McMurphy tells jokes and everyone enjoys his humor. Chief explains that the way he “talked reminded him of a car salesman or a stock auctioneer because of his loud talk and his swagger”(13). McMurphy exclaims that he had some hassles at the work farm, so the court ruled him as a psychopath. McMurphy is different from the rest because he challenges the ward, which is the direct opposite of the nature in the hospital. The two types of groups in the ward are called Chronics and Acutes. Chronics are the ones that can still get around if there fed but are mostly “vegetables”. Acutes are known as the ones that can be fixed. McMurphy is overall different from the rest because technically he made his way into this ward because he didn't wanna work in the pea fields. Reader #9-McMurphy in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” is not a type of the person who seems to fit in with the typical mold, or groups, of the ward. As said from Chief Bromden on page 11 “Even though I can’t see him, I know he’s no ordinary admission. I don’t hear him slide scared along the wall, and when they tell him about the shower he don't just submit with a weak little yes, he tells them right back in a loud, brassy voice that he’s already plenty damn clean, thank you.” Now normally there are Acutes, who are young patients who can still be “fixed” and don’t have many problems, then there’s the Chronics which are older people with lots of problems and won’t be able to recover. But both groups have a sense of fear in the ward when it comes to the Big Nurse and the black boys. So when McMurphy enters in the ward, everyone was in a state of confusion by how McMurphy was acting like a tough, confident person. And that’s probably the reason why Bromden admires McMurphy for how he’s friendly, and not scared of things as easily as the others in the ward. Making it so that McMurphy managed to stand out in the ward, when he’s only just arrived. Plus when McMurphy went to the same room with the Chronics and Acutes, he took the time to shake hands, talk, and have fun with the other patients before getting stuck with the thermometer. Reader #10-There are many different patients in the ward, but there's a specific patient that sticks out to Chief Bromden. A new patient came to the ward named McMurphy and Bromden feels like he's different from everyone else. All the other patients are kind of separated. The more younger patients are called “Acutes” All they do is walk around and tell jokes. Then there's the Chronics that are called walkers because that's all they do. Bromden thinks that McMurphy has his own kind of group because when he first arrived he didn't care what people thought of him, he just went up to everyone and introduced himself. Hes also breaking rules already because hes suppose to go to the “shower when they enter the ward. McMurphy is his own kind of person so that's why Chief Bromden feels he's different from the other patients. Reader #11- during the book, it is mentioned that there are 2 different types of patients at the ward. The acute and the chronics. Acute being the type of patients that can be cured who come in to the hospital. The second type of patient is a chronic, being the type of patient that cannot be cured. As quoted on page 12 McMurphy introduces himself saying “ My name is mcmurphy, buddies R.P Mcmurphy, and i'm a gambling fool” (kasey). Mcmurphy is described to have a confident brassy voice and a high heeled walk. Mcmurphy doesn't fit into to any of the patient categories because he isn't there to for help, but to escape the farm life and take over the institute for mental help. Reader #11-In the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest the character McMurphy stands out more than others. Perhaps because he is not really mentally ill like other patients, but really because he is loud, brings a lot of attention to himself and doesn't care about and does not follow the rules. He's very opposing to the rules in the ward and became the alpha. There are two types of patients in the ward chronics and acutes and McMurphy is none of those. Reader #12-As soon as Mcmurphy enters the ward Chief Bromden can tell he is different than the other patients. Most patients are either chronics or acutes. Chief describes the chronics as “machines with flaws inside that can’t be repaired”(Kesey 16) and acutes as teens who can be repaired, but Mcmurphy doesn't really fall into either categories. One way he is different is that he doesn’t just submit like the other patients do when they are admitted. Mcmurphy enters very loud and introduces himself to the entire ward and even tries to make some bets calling himself a gambling fool, all while avoiding the aides who try to put him through the normal admission process. Mcmurphy doesn’t think he should at a institute of psychology but the court ruled him psychopathic because he got in a couple fights at the work farm. Mcmurphy is nothing like any of the other patients as Chief says. Reader #13-In the ward, there are Acutes, the people that come in with smaller/ less severe conditions. They usually can be “fixed” and get out of the ward. Chronics, the people who have suffered from traumatizing things like war. They can't really get out of the ward. The Chief is one. Vegetables are people who are basically brain dead and can't do anything for themselves, the black boys feed them purees because they have no teeth. They pee themselves as well because they have no control over their bladders. Wheelers are mostly chronics who can't walk and even some vegetables. I think Chief admires McMurphy because he stirs things up in the ward and brings some entertainment. Also, McMurphy doesn't care about the rules or how things work and he wants to be head “bull goose looney”. It seems to me like the black boys and the Big Nurse have most power in the ward. The black boys are like the Big Nurse’s minions and they do whatever she tells them to. They clean up the ward and make sure everything is always in line and the patients are doing as told and following the rules. To gain power in the ward, basically, you just have to scare all the other patients. McMurphy is different from all the other patients because he isn't actually “crazy” (to me at least). He just got sent to a ward by the court and he chose doing that instead of going to jail. Also, he's much louder and has “swagger”. He's big and tough looking and likes to be in charge. He’s the complete opposite of all the patients and you can tell because when he first comes in, all the patients become uneasy and nervous. Reader #14-McMurphy stands out in the crowd when it comes to being a patient in the ward. In the ward, there are two types of patients: the acutes and the chronics. The difference between the acutes and the chronics is that the acutes actually have a greater chance of getting cured. The Chief admires McMurphy because McMurphy unlike the other patients, seems pretty normal. McMurphy has confidence. He went around greeting the acutes and chronics as if it were no big deal. He even “competed” by mocking Billy’s stutter and won. He laughed, and it was a genuine laugh. The Chief also admires how McMurphy wasn’t fooled by his “deaf and dumb” act. “But then’s when I remember thinking that he was laughing because he wasn’t fooled for one minute by my deaf-and-dumb act; it didn’t make any difference how cagey the act was, he was onto me and was laughing and winking to let me know it.” (Kesey 24) If McMurphy fit into the stereotypical acute or chronic patient, there’s no way he would be able to go around bragging about gambling, casually greet both the acute and chronic patients, and catch onto the Chief’s act. Reader #15-McMurphy sticks out from other people in the ward because he is different than them. He smiles his wild smile, and pushes the boundaries of a patient. He may be crazy, but his problems may not best be worked out through being in this mental hospital. McMurphy is unlike the other patients because he wants authority and the other patients don’t. He will question nurse Ratched because he has the character trait of a character who doesn't follow rules. The main character, Chief Bromden, admires McMurphy because he’s everything he’s not. He appreciates that there's someone new that will change up the ward and push Nurse Ratched. Reader #16-McMurphy doesn’t fit in at the ward. His personality is very different from the rest of the patients. The patients in the ward are much more quiet than Mcmurphy. I think the chief admires Mcmurphy because he probably wishes he was like him. Mcmurphy is much more confident and loud than others in the ward. The patients think it's unordinary when he is laughing. they don’t see people laugh often. In the text, it says “i see McMurphy notices he’s making the money uneasy, but he don’t let it slow him down.” (Kesey 19)You can tell that Mcmurphy already thinks he is going to end up with all the power in the ward and be the leader. Reader #17-In the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the main character Chief Bromden introduces a new character into the story McMurphy. I feel like him and bromden are become good friends in time and both rebel against the nurse. Bromden, who has been there the longest and is used to everything being the same. He is curious about the new patient, because he doesn't act like any of the other people there. Most of the patients there are shy and unable to carry on a real conversation. McMurphy who has just arrived has a gambling problem, he goes around to meet all the other patients. During this time nurse chases him down to get the welcoming shower.”ya know ma’am that is the exact thing somebody always tells me about the rules”. This quote said by McMurphy is a hint to what will happen between him and the big nurse. He is the only one so far that has really challenged her. Reader #18- McMurphy doesn't fit into the typical mold so far in the book. All of the patients in the ward seem to follow McMurphy because he is different from the other patients. He is outgoing and very social, while the others are kept to themselves and do what they're told rather then do what they want. In the ward, the head person in charge is Nurse Ratched, she is very controlling and manipulative. The staff that work with her, listen and do everything she says and wants. Most of the staff treat the patients like they don't know anything, like they are less than, which in this case they kinda are, but in McMurphy's case, he seems like he know more than any of the other patients. Towards the beginning of the book he says “They don't bother not talking out loud about their hate secrets when i'm nearby because they think i'm deaf and dumb, everybody thinks so. I'm cagey enough to fool them that much.” This Statement alone shows how differently he is compared to the others, which is the main reason he doesn't fit into the typical mold at the ward. Truth. What is it? Why is it important? Why do we value the truth so much? Our society hates liars, however everyone lies once in awhile right? What is our motivation to do that? In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, telling the truth has great value to Chief Bromden. Why is truth so important to Chief Bromden and society, especially when one is not in a position of power? Let’s take it to the readers!
Reader #1-Truth is important in all areas of life. Not telling or sharing the truth hurts people and could affect the outcome and possibly hurt you in the end as well. The importance of truth is all around us. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Chief Bromden mentions “But it’s the truth, even if it’s not real” (Kesey 8). He pretends to be deaf to avoid contact and conflict, but people treat him differently because he's ‘deaf’. This is a good example of how not telling the truth can affect him. He should learn soon that lying can and could affect him negatively. After dealing with this problem for awhile, he’ll learn that you can't always assume lying will get you through life. Reader #2-When there is imbalance of power, victimised groups must be spoken up for as they can’t do so for themselves. Chief has been fooling the people of the asylum into thinking he’s deaf and dumb. They believe the act and in turn treat him poorly. He’s waiting for his perfect chance to expose Nurse Ratched, the orderlies, McMurphy etc. He describes how liberating it will feel when he finally does but admits he doesn’t have a crystal clear memory of the events that took place. Fear is probably what has held Chief Bromden back in the past from telling the truth (possibly an effect of his schizophrenia). “...you think this is too horrible to have really happened, this is too awful to be the truth! But, please. It’s still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen” (Kesey 8) Although he may not remember clearly things that’ve happened, he feels whatever he says will still be accurate as far as how brutal they’ve been to him. His intents are most likely to improve treatment of patients in the asylum. Reader #3- it is important for the truth to told in a circumstance where a person doesn’t hold a lot of power because telling the truth is how one gains power. The truth that needs to be told is that McMurphy is not actually deff like everyone thinks. When everyone talks about things in the hospital and they talk about it in front of McMurphy, they don’t know he actually hears everything they are talking about. When chief Bromden says “but it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen”? i think it means even if you say something that isn’t true there is still a little bit of truth in the lie. McMurphy hasnt told the truth yet because he probably feels no one will listen or care. Thats how i would feel about the situation. He feels like he has t tell the truth now because now he feels everyone is looking at him differently in the hospital. While we have made some drastic leaps and bounds in the field of the human mind in recent times, there is still much that is unknown. One thing that is certain though is that everyone thinks in different ways. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, we encounter a lot of different perspectives on how the world is viewed. Chief Bromden, the narrator of the story, believes that the world is a “Combine” that we are all parts of. What is “The Combine” and how might biases towards mental illness in the 1960s help develop his thoughts about it? Let’s find out!
Reader #1-In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Chief describes the asylum system as “the combine”. Chief believes the asylum is a huge over controlled atmosphere which he believes is being run by the combine. He uses “combine” to describe the authority figures and the society around him. “The ward is a factory for the Combine. It’s for fixing up mistakes made in the neighborhoods and in the schools and in the churches, the hospitals. When a completed product goes back out into the society, all fixed up good, as new, better than new sometimes….”(Kesey 40). This is explaining the point that the society wants the patients to be controlled under lock and key. Being watched and told what to do. Just as in the 1960s, the society wanted nothing to do with the mental and they would stop at nothing to try to “fix” them. They would try to come up with new solutions such as using shock therapy and other brutal techniques. Similar to what the “Big Nurse and the black boys” do in Cuckoo’s Nest to deal with the patients that are still unacceptable. In the 1960s being “mental” was something that needed to be fixed. It wasn’t normal and needed to get out of the way for the rest of society. Similar to how the society looks at the people in Cuckoo’s Nest. Reader #2-In the novel Chief Bromden uses the term “the combine” to describe one of his beliefs in the first part of the novel. In the book Bromden says, “when you got something under your belt you’re stronger and the bastards who work for the combine aren’t so apt to slip one of their machines in on you in place of an electric shaver.”(Kesey 6). The combine to bromden symbolizes the forces of authority and society that place the mentally ill inside the asylum he currently is in. The combine represents people that want mental ill patients to be kept under control and locked up. In class we have learned about the 1960s and the way people would deal with the mentally ill. Doctors and all of society would think of patients as crazy/psychotic people that needed to be locked away somewhere and this is why institutions like asylums were created. the combine are those people that do not respect people with a mental illness. These people that are apart of “the combine” are just there to keep these patients locked up in the asylum. Reader #3-what is the combine? chief Bromden describes it as a “ huge organization that aims to adjust the outside as well as she had in the outside” (Kesey 28). This connects to what we learned about mental illness because it shows that people need to be controlling of their surroundings and what is going on. People with a mental illness want to be controlling of what they think is going on; even if what they think isn't really happening. The combine actually controls things by tricking the patients into doing what they want. this does not describe the truth they are altering what reality is. Reader #4-In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Chief uses ,The Combine, to represent the asylums machine like character. This “machine” has control over how the asylum runs in it’s day to day operations. Chief describes The Combine as a machine that either makes or destroys a man when he says” Across the room from the Acutes are the culls of the Combine’s product, the Chronics.”(Kesey 15). Since mental illness had no set treatments in the 1960’s, many new treatments failed and would damage the patient physically or mentally. Chiefs delusion of this machine could possibly represent protocols for treating patients or even society's little experience in treating mental illness. Although The Combine is a figment of Chiefs imagination, it is describing the truth about mental institutions. These institutions followed the same cookie cutter treatment plan for everyone, those who were broken in the process just rot in the institution until they suffer the same fate as Chief or Ellis, life in a institution. |
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