Chief Bromden has made it clear that he has a pretty serious mental illness which makes him view the world in a very unique way. One thing that he has avoided up until now though is how his life outside of the mental ward has influenced him. Let’s take a closer look at the significance of this flashback occurring now in the novel.
Reader #1-Bromden remembers something about his childhood. Before he remembers, he is about to sign the list for the fishing trip but he is afraid it will blow his cover that he is faking that he is deaf. This is clear in the text when: “Bromden wants to sign the list, but he is afraid to blow his deaf-and-dumb cover, realizing that he has to “keep acting deaf if [he] wanted to hear at all.” (Kesey part 3) This relates to the childhood memory he thought of. He remembered that when he was a child he spoke to people that came to his home, but they acted like he had not said a word. I think he thought of this memory because it relates to the fact that he is acting deaf. He is acting deaf because he doesn’t feel he will be heard if he speaks, and he hears more when he is deaf because people think he can’t hear anyways. Reader #2-The flashback to Bromden’s childhood was a significant moment for his character. This moment is important because it represents something that he remembers. He hasn’t had a memory of his childhood in a long time. It was about his Dad; he was selling land to three people. When Bromden spoke to them, they seemed like they didn’t hear him. Bromden thought back when, “About 10 years old” and he was “in front of the shack”(Kesey 210). This is meaningful to him because it was a memory with his dad and childhood that never occurs to him. Nothing has reminded him it until that moment. Reader #3-Chief Bromden has a flashback to his childhood. This flashback is when he is little a group of people come and are trying to take over his indian land. This is like the ward how McMurphy is trying to get rid of the nurse. His flashback explains his last name and the difficult childhood he had and how it might make him the way he is today. “As my sociology professor used to emphasize, there is generally one person in every situation you must never underestimate the power of” This is a good quote to relate to the ward and nurse ratched vs McMurphy. This flashback is meaningful to bromden, because it is the first time he has ever witnessed the brutality of people and what they can do. Reader #4-In Part III Chief has a significant experience, he is able to remember something from his past. This started with Chief remembering that he was not the one that started acting deaf, in fact he just felt he was never heard. This triggered a flashback to his childhood and the day the government came to his tribe’s camp to appraise the property so they could buy it and build a dam on the waterfall they were on. This flashback could have been triggered by the huge changes in the ward, or him asking himself why he chose to start acting deaf and mute. Either way this was an important and meaningful moment for Chief because he was “amazed that I’d remembered that. It was the first time in what seemed to me centuries that I’d been able to remember much about my childhood.”(Kesey 215). Reader #5-In the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Bromden had a flashback and remembered something. Bromden remembers that people came over to talk to his dad about buying the land.”But someone should inform them of the government's plans” (Kesey 212).This is significant because this is the first time he remembered something from his childhood. This is meaningful to Bromden because he is slowly starting to remember things from his past and about his family. Before he had his flashback he was going to sign something but he couldn’t so he can hide his deafness. Slowly Bromden is starting to regain some memories he has from his past.
1 Comment
After Part II of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the people we encountered have become much more complex and have a lot more depth. What new things have we learned about human nature at this point?
Reader #4-There are many different people in the ward. Most of them are very quiet and some are very loud. Some of these people see the world as a scary place some people just don’t care. The thing that has stood out the most is the way that McMurphy is reacting to different things, and to Miss ratched. On page 159 it says ‘’He’d won his bet, He’d got the nurse’s goat the way he said he would, and collected on it,but that didn’t stop him from going right ahead and acting like he always had, hollering up and down the hall, laughing at the black boys, frustrating the whole staff, even going so far as to step up to the big nurse.’’ There they are talking about how McMurphy acts way different than any other person in the ward. He’s not afraid of the black boys or the big nurse, nobody else in that ward would ever do that because their scared of what’s gonna happen to them. McMurphy’s actions differ from any other person in the ward. He’s confident in what he says and what’s gonna happen, everybody else is just scared. You would think that if someone was placed in a mental ward, one of the main goals of the doctors and nurses would be treatment right? Well we all know that the ward in the novel might not be the greatest place to get that treatment. Despite this, we do see a lot of changes in McMurphy from the beginning of the story. Is it the ward causing this or something else? Let’s take a look at what is happening.
Reader #1-In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest McMurphy changes the asylum forever. McMurphy has the opportunity to conform the the rules and save himself,but he chooses to fight for the men in the ward. After Cheswicks death McMurphy takes a turn when he realizes nurse ratched’s control is a life or death matter. McMurphy wants to change the ward and take away power from nurse ratched, but little does he know the danger hes in. McMurphy then totally loses it when Billy commits suicide and McMurphy tries to strangle nurse ratched to death. He goes to the hospital and when he comes out his spirits and parts of his brain are gone. McMurphy finally realized the danger in the ward and tried to change it. Reader #2-McMurphy’s behavior is starting to change as the book continues. However, the readers can really start to see the change as part II progresses. He used to talk out during the meetings, annoy the Big Nurse, and try to get the other patients to rebel against the authority figures. In this section though, McMurphy starts to come down and stops trying to get the best of Nurse Ratched. “He looked at McMurphy’s corner. Everyone did. McMurphy was there, studying the deck of cards that slid in and out of sight in his hands. He didn’t even look up”(Kesey 172). This shows that McMurphy didn’t care about the discussion, or try to get his way over the Nurse’s decisions. It’s not the treatment he is receiving that is bringing this change to McMurphy. The only thing that is making McMurphy change is the ward itself. He is starting to get “cagey” as Chief would describe it. He feels trapped in a corner like there is no hope of ever getting out of the ward. Reader #3-In part II of the book, McMurphy starts to act differently than he did before. Whenever he was assigned a chore he would do it very sloppy and not clean other areas of an object that he’s supposed to clean. But then, “The next day he surprised everybody on the ward by getting up early and polishing that latrine till it sparkled, and then went to work on the hall floors when the black boys asked him to.”(Page 172) Now the only thing that could’ve influenced McMurphy’s change is when he found out that the big nurse had the say in who and when someone gets released from the ward. This change seems to be voluntary due to him cooperating more respectively towards the big nurse and the staff. Now there’s not much benefit for McMurphy to be in the ward, except to get away from the farm he worked on as he said in part I, but one benefit might be to make new friends and see what’s life like for others possibly. So overall, McMurphy had changed the way he acted because of how he acted towards the big nurse, without knowing what she could do to make him stay at the ward for as long as she sees fit. Reader #4-McMurphy is starting to change, and it’s a lot different from the kind of attitude he normally has. He seems scared and frightened by the Big nurse. he seems upset when him and Harding speak about the Big Nurse and the shock shop. he says “ Then i just happened to find out about the way the nurses have the big say as to who gets discharged and who doesn’t.” (Kesey 193). He’s realizing that messing with the big nurse may not be the best idea if he eventually wants to get out of the ward. Mcmurphy is in the ward because he wanted to get away from the work he had to do before as punishment. He had goals of going to the ward and being able to experience something different, eat better food, and to have a good time messing around because he knew he wasn’t “mental” This change in him brought out a new side to him that he probably didn’t even think he had. fear. The words that Harding had to say were definitely influential in McMurphy’s attitude change. Reader #5-In part II, McMurphy is starting to change his character. “I know she's suspicious. I thought she might be too upset by the way McMurphy defied her to pay any attention to me, but she don’t look shook at all” (Kesey 152). McMurphy was not acting himself; he’s always happy, outgoing, and tries to make everyone feel the same as him. He’s perceived as a disturbance to the ward now. I think this attitude might be his response to the treatments he’s been having. I think they’re unnecessary for him to be receiving treatments. Some people in the ward thinks he needs to be placed in the disturbed ward, but some think he’s just ordinary with a bold personality. He might be acting different due to all the negativity he gets from the others. Reader #6-McMurphy is starting to change his actions and how acts toward the nurse. After he has a conversation with the lifeguard at the pool. He soon realizes what he has gotten himself into. The fact that nurse is still in charge, means he has to listen to her or never leave! the ward may help McMurphy appreciate life a lot more now that he knows how it feels to be controlled. I would say that although his attitude is changing because of the nurse, it is not forced. McMurphy decides to change voluntary, although if he keeps fighting her, the results would dramatically affect the outcome of his life. As much as I think he likes all the free benefits of the ward he can't stand the policy. McMurphys is not giving up or in hes learning. Reader #7-In part two of the Book One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest a tragic event happens to Cheswick. When Cheswick Dies from keeping his fingers in the pool drain and drowns it was no one's fault. We know for a fact That Cheswick Drowned because in the text it states, “with the grate still clutched by his chubby pink and blue fingers, He was Drowned.” I do not believe that Cheswicks possible suicide was anyone's fault. I believe that the drowning of him was all because the conversation of the rationing of cigarettes. It isn’t McMurphy and Ratchets fault. Also i think this incident can be fuel by the mental problem he had. Whether it is deserved or not, when something bad happens people feel the need to look for someone to blame. After the tragedy involving Cheswick, there is a lot of uncertainty of who is at fault. While we may never know why this tragedy happened, let’s think about what might have influenced the event.
Reader #1-I think what happened to cheswick was a possible suicide, although things lead to believe it could have been an accident. He was the first to support mcmurphy's rebellion. He died after mcmurphy did not support cheswick when he took a stand against nurse ratched. This could prove it might have been a suicide. Because of mcmurphy not supporting him, he felt unlistened to and unimportant. I think if mcmurphy would've listened to him and helped him out, cheswick would still be here. Mcmurphy realized how powerful he actually is and might use this to his advantage later on. Reader #2-cheswick is one of the first acutes to side with mcmurphy against nurse ratched’s power. an acute is a patient that seems to be “curable”. cheswick committing suicide showed mcmurphy that he has a lot of power and control over the men. from that being said i believe that mcmurphy is most at fault for cheswick killing himself. charles says “But just as soon as we got to the pool he said he did wish something mighta been done, though, and dove into the water.” (kesy 187). like i said before mcmurphy is the main suspect in my list. his influence would have caused cheswick to commit suicide. Reader #3-Early in the book, we figure out that Cheswick is an acute. McMurphy and him became good friends, and played cards together. When McMurphy decided he was going to go against Nurse Ratched, Cheswick was right there to support him. Cheswick wanted to cause chaos in the ward one day about cigarettes with Nurse Ratched. Although, McMurphy wasn’t up for it. In the book it says Cheswick wasn’t mad at McMurphy for not supporting him, but then Cheswick jumped in the pool getting his fingers stuck in the drain and what it seems to be, drowned himself after saying he wishes “something mighta been done...” In my opinion it was definitely suicide. McMurphy never realized how much influence he had on these patients, especially Cheswick. The fact that Cheswick was his sidekick in a way, and McMurphy didn’t support him on that one little thing, really got to Cheswick I imagine. Reader #4-In this section of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, something terrible happens to Cheswick. When He dove into the pool, after getting out of disturbed, his fingers got stuck in the grate and he drowned. Nobody has ruled this as a suicide, but it is possible and should not be ruled out. Some motives for his suicide could be the feeling of betrayal or being sent to disturbed over cigarettes. Ever since McMurphy arrived Cheswick has been by his side supporting him. When McMurphy didn’t defend Cheswick while he was going off on the nurse about the cigarettes. This could have led to Cheswick to feel betrayed because McMurphy didn’t help him when he has always helped McMurphy. This,”Even Cheswick could understand [...] and didn’t hold anything against McMurphy for not going ahead and making a big fuss over the cigarettes.”(Kesey 174). But could the time Cheswick spent in disturbed have changed his mind? I guess we will never know. Reader #5-Chewicks death was a tragic event in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Before his death there was a big fuss about cigarettes. Cheswick was complaining about it but no one was supporting him, which he told McMurphy he was fine with. “Even Cheswick could understand it and didn’t hold anything against McMurphy” (174 Kesey). Even though Cheswick seemed like he didn’t care if anyone was supporting him I think he just wanted somebody to agree with him. Since no one agreed with him I think that triggered his death because he felt alone and had no body supporting him. Therefore, because of this event I think the other patients will have different outlooks on things that happens at the ward. Reader #6-In Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” an incident happened when all the patients had to go to the pool for a day. Cheswick swam down to the bottom of the pool and held on to the grate so no one could pull him up. He unfortunately drowned and died. The mystery of his death questions whether it was an accident of a suicide. Cheswick was one of the more verbal patients and was willing to stand up to Nurse Ratched. Before Cheswick’s death, McMurphy began to give in on the rebellion with big nurse. Cheswick was angry at McMurphy for giving in. In the novel Cheswick says, “I ain’t no little kid to have cigarettes kept from me like cookies! We want something done about it. ain’t that right, Mack?”(Kesey 172). All McMurphy gave back was silence; He didn’t back up Cheswick. In my own opinion, I genuinely think McMurphy is at most fault because he betrayed Cheswick, at least that might have been the way Cheswick looked at the situation. Reader #7-Cheswick is one of the acute patients that was the only to support McMurphy when he had that conflict with Nurse Ratched, he was influenced by McMurphy that he protest against the ward policies and was hoping that McMurphy would help him. it doesn't work out and he gets the shock treatment. later in the book Cheswick was swimming in the pool when he had a accident and got stuck in the net. it was later found out it could have been a suicide. this tragic action caused McMurphy to finally think that he had a huge impact in the patient's life. Reader #8-In the beginning of the book, we find out that Cheswick is an Acute. This means they believe Cheswick is a curable patient. Also Cheswick was the first patient to stand by McMurphy when he was plotting to take down Nurse Ratched. One day Cheswick decided to take a swim, however he got his fingers stuck in grate covering the drain at the bottom of the pool. Ken Kesey wrote “and by the time they got a screwdriver and undid the grate and brought Cheswick up, with the grate still clutched by his chubby pink and blue fingers, he was drowned.” (175) When I read this part of the book, I thought this accident was actually Cheswick committing suicide. I think this because Cheswick was upset that McMurphy didn’t support him when he took his own stand against Nurse Ratched. This led to Cheswick’s accident because he looked up to McMurphy for being independent, but when Cheswick was independent McMurphy looked down on him so Cheswick felt bad about himself. Reader #9-Nurse Ratched sent cheswick down to the disturbed for a while. Cheswick went to the pool and told McMurphy that he understands why McMurphy no longer rebels against Nurse Ratched. Later Cheswick caught his fingers on the pool’s drain and drowned, his death is considered a suicide. I think it was McMurphy’s fault even though he didn’t intend to do it because he didn’t support cheswick’s argument against Nurse Ratched and that’s what triggered him. Cheswick was angry because he supported McMurphy when he rebelled against nurse Ratched and the one time he needed him he didn’t support him. Cheswick’s death gave McMurphy influence and opened his eyes to other things. Reader #10-Cheswick is one of the acutes in the ward and the first patient to support Mcmurphy in his rebellion against Nurse Ratched. In a group meeting Cheswick started to complain about the wanting the cigarettes and no one backs him up, not even Mcmurphy who was quickly backed up by Cheswick in the past. Later, at the pool Cheswick says, “But just as soon as we got to the pool he said he did wish something mighta been done, though, and dove into the water”, he then got his finger stuck in the pool grate and drowned himself. I think Cheswick killed himself because when no one stood up for him he realized that there was no hope for change in the ward because the only one who had the ability to change something in ward had given up because he wanted to get out. When Mcmurphy first rebelled he didn't realize that Nurse Ratched controlled when he could get dismissed from the ward. When Cheswick killed himself in the pool it made Mcmurphy realize how much influence he had on the people in the ward. The world can be a very tough place to live in. We all are fighting our own battles and life doesn’t make things easy for us. Because of that, sometimes we turn to things that make our struggles a little easier for us to deal with. Let’s take a look at how some of the characters in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest have been dealing with their struggles.
Reader #1-I believe people volunteer for several reasons. Ons is to help others: it is human nature to be kind to each other. That’s why we call humans who go against our nature monsters. Another reason is to get away from home life. Sitting around all day doing nothing and wasting your life feels pointless, probably cause it is. And we like to feel accomplished. We are prestigious creatures, wanting to get ahead in life and leave behind a legacy we will be remembered for. And finally, a third reason is to get brownie points and look good to others. We all want to impress someone, or at least have. Reader #2-Patients in the ward choose to stay in the ward rather than the outside world. Most of the acutes are in the hospital voluntarily and can leave whenever they choose. In the book, Billy Bibbit shows why he stays in the ward when he could actually leave. In the text, it says “McMurphy, completely perplexed, asks Billy Bibbit why he chooses to stay when he could be outside driving a convertible and romancing pretty girls. Billy Bibbit begins to cry and shouts that he and the others are not as big, strong, and brave as McMurphy.” I think that is the reason why patients choose to stay in the ward. They think the outside world is a scary place and that they need to be big and strong to handle it. They feel much safer in the ward and they are probably too afraid to admit that they uncomfortable with going outside to the real world and being on their own. Reader #3-A lot of people in the ward are there by choice rather than force. People might want to be there because they’re afraid of living in the outside world. McMurphy is awestrucken by the fact that people choose to be in the ward. That’s because he values being on his own, and having his own freedoms. When you're in the real world you have a lot of responsibilities and choices to make. One of the patients who is there voluntarily says this to McMurphy, “Well I’m not big and tough” (Kesey 195). By living in the ward, the people are giving all those hard decisions up, and handing them to the nurses and doctors in the ward. Not having to make choices is comforting to the patients who are living in the ward. Being in the ward might not be as bad as them living in the real world. Many of them need the help that is given to them, so by leaving the ward, they are also leaving help. When you're struggling from a disorder, help is one thing you definitely need. Reader #4-many patients at the ward love their environment because the outside world is a cold place, with cold people, and cold vibes. in the ward these patients feel safe, and sound. they are fed and not beat. instead abused on the streets they are enjoying their stay, in what they believe is the best thing ever. free food, free showers, and many friends to make. being homeless is tough, not being able to sleep, eat or have a social life. any one would rather have the treatment that those patients get than be out on the streets. Reader #5-A person would want to be in the ward because it provides food, shelter, and keeps them from having to do work. Mcmurphy for example, didn't want to work on the farm so he went to the ward instead. He claims to be completely fine, but he really does have issues. Some drawbacks of being in the ward are having no freedom, being completely controlled, being forced to take medicine and even living with time slower than normal. Some benefits of being in the ward are that you don't have to work, you have food provided, you have people that are going through what you are, you have free medical care and you don't have to worry about paying bills or money. Also you can make your own decisions and having freedom. You can go out and enjoy fresh air, live go have fun with your friends instead of being inside all day. Little things remind Chief of those enjoyable times outside he said “The sound reminded me of how I used to feel standing in the cold fall Friday night out on a football field, waiting for the ball to be kicked and the game to get going” (Kesey 198). Some drawbacks of being in the real world are having to work, money problems, buying food and clothes, and just living like a normal human not having everything done for you. Reader #6-I think that the patients would rather spend time in the ward because that is the only place they are able to get attention. For example, Billy Bibbit is a shy patient in the ward with a bad stutter. He is there voluntarily because he is afraid of the outside world. Another patient is Harding. He is hiding in the ward, voluntarily, because he doesn’t know how to deal with his homosexualality. Some drawbacks to being in the ward is that the patients are too busy dealing with all of the unreasonable rules that they can’t actually work on solving their own problems. ALthough, it is beneficial because the patients are able to escape the danger and judgment of the outside ward. I do not think some of the patients are there for the right reasons though. Running from your problems will solve nothing. Reader #7-I feel some people want to spend their time at the ward because even in the environment and conditions of the ward, they are ‘protected’ from the real outside world. While in this environment, I believe they have realized this is the safest place for them. Being in the ward compared to the outside world is so much better for many reasons. These reasons are: they don’t have to face reality, they don’t have to take care of themselves, and even come to the conclusion of being a “normal” human being. They want to stay because in the ward the word “normal” is being different and odd, unlike the outside world. For the ones who want to stay, it’s simply because it’s easier for themselves. Reader #8-In the late 1950s/early 1960s many things were considered taboo. Understanding of mental illnesses/disorders or anyone that didn’t fit the mold of a typical model citizen was minimal. If the patients are treated so poorly inside the asylum, which is supposed to help them, it would be even worse in the outside world. They would be completely ostracized in society, probably seen as the equivalent of an animal, and treated accordingly. These patients have already tried their luck living among others who operate differently than them and that’s why they’re in the asylum to begin with, it’s where they feel comfortable. "Sure!" It's Billy, turned from the screen, his face boiling tears. "Sure!" he screams again. "If we had the g-guts! I could go outside to-today, if I had the guts. My m-m-mother is a good friend of M-Miss Ratched, and I could get an AMA signed this afternoon, if I had the guts!" (Kesey 2.7.65) Here McMurphy realises that he, probably the most sane, is one of the few actually committed to the hospital while the other patients, young as some of them are, are there by choice because it’s all they know and they’re scared of being anywhere else. They don’t realise how manipulative and harmful the environment really is to them because they envision the outside as much worse. They let McMurphy try to rebel against Nurse Ratched knowing how much he had to lose. |
AuthorWelcome to Miss Hardie's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Blog! Here we will be posting our thoughts and discussing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Please join in on the discussion! ArchivesCategories
All
|