Symbols are a concrete object that stand for an abstract idea. There are a lot of things that could be considered a symbol in the novel, and one of those things is the repeated breaking of the glass in Nurse Ratched’s office. Let’s explore the significance and meaning behind this.
Reader #1-McMurphy busted a window recently. Not sure why, but his reasons became self evident. He ruined his chance for escape, or release. But, in a way, he helped Chief. It was a symbolic victory, a gesture in which he showed how you can defy society as an individual. He became a martyr, showing the men that they could be doing something more. He wants them to find themselves, regain who they once were. Reader #2-In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Chief bromden has a flashback and we learn chiefs past. Chief remembers what happened between his parents and how “ mother kept getting bigger while father shrunk into alcoholism and despair”. Chief joined world war II and in the army he learns about the electronics that he will later develop schizophrenically. His hallucinations come from the combine; a large mechanized matrix that control over mankind. Chief thinks he can hear the mechanized gears of the combine beneath the floors of the hospital where he has been living as a deaf mute since the war. Although chiefs confidence was returned by McMurphy, this is so meaningful because he has a first thought from his past, and he usually can't think of it. Reader #3-In this novel, the nurses station glass keeps breaking. As of what is going on in the book right now, i think this symbolizes a gesture of defiance, and wanting equality. Because the nurse is locked up in a room and everyone has to share the ward so it’s considered unfair. So mcmurphy defies that boundary. I think this act of rebellion is going to spread through the ward. This may lead to future fights or acts of defiance. One theme could be rebellion or individuality because mcmurphy wants to overpower the inequality of the ward. This is affecting the other patients because they witness this act and take consideration and think differently about the ward. Reader #4-After McMurphy shatters the glass at the nurse’s station he went back to the rebellious ways while Nurse Ratched tries to figure out another way to get ahead and have their attention again in the ward. McMurphy also brings a basketball team together and had Dr.Spivey sign it off as “therapeutic” value. Ratched wasn’t to fond of the idea and protested against it but overall McMurphy won. “tidiness like a pocket watch with a glass back, a place where the schedule is unbreakable and all the patients who aren’t Outside, obedient under her beam, are wheelchair Chronics with catheter tubes” In my opinion I believe the glass is represent the breaking of the old into the new. McMurphy was upset that Ratched declined his request that Candy Starr couldn’t come and see him. He broke the glass after the news; symbolizing that his old actions are in the past and he’s a new person now. Him and other people in the ward continues to break the glass. Also the glass in considered “unbreakable” as in the rules are unbreakable. McMurphy and other patients in the ward want to show that they’re breakable and continues to break the glass. Reader #5-The breaking glass might symbolize the people in the ward and how broken they are and how they lives were falling apart just like how the glass is breaking. McMurphy was the one who was breaking the class because on page 207 it says that ‘’ The nurse taped his hand in the station while scanlon and harding dug the cardboard out of the garage and taped it back in the frame, using adhesive from the same roll the nurse was bandaging McMurphy’s wrist and fingers with.McMurphy sat on a stool, grimacing something awful while he got his cuts tended, winking at scanlon and harding over the nurse’s head.’’ McMurphy felt sad about being in the ward and saw the glass and forgot it was there. Reader #6-During part 3 of the novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, the glass in the Nurse’s station keeps getting broken over and over again. The broken glass might symbolize Nurse’s power and the way Mcmurphy keeps breaking her, But she somehow keeps winning all her power back. After the glass broke, the aides put a piece of cardboard where the glass broke, and Nurse continues to sit behind it as if it were transparent. She looks like “a picture turned to the wall”. The second time McMurphy punched through the glass it was a continuation of his physical rebellion, showing his strength against Nurse Ratched. Nurse finds other ways to take down McMurphy, but no matter what he does to Nurse he still continues to lose against her. The broken glass also might symbolize McMurphy’s weaknesses. Reader #7-Mcmurphy goes back to rebellious way after breaking the glass. at the same time nurse ratched is trying to get ahead of the ward. McMurphy creates a basketball team for the ward which Dr.Spivey sign off as therapeutic value. nurse ratched did not like the idea, and went agaisnt him, but there was not much she could do, so he won. “tidiness like a pocket watch with a glass back, a place where the schedule is unbreakable and all the patients who aren’t Outside, obedient under her beam, are wheelchair Chronics with catheter tubes” I believe the glass represents the breaking of the old into the new. McMurphy was upset that Ratched declined his request that Candy Starr couldn’t come and see him. He broke the glass after the news symbolizing that his old actions are in the past and he’s a new person now. Reader #8-The glass represents Ratched’s power and Mcmurphy breaking it represents him destroying her power of the ward. He doesn't know what else to do, he has gotten through to her a couple times but it is not going how he wants. It is affecting the other patients because now they are starting to become rebellious. Not as much as Mcmurphy but they are taking after him. It is bringing up old actions and ways that he used to be before the ward. He realised that the other patients are depending on him and it got to his head. Mcmurphy thrives on punishment it gives him the rush that he is living for: “When you broke a rule you knew it. You wanted to be dealt with, needed it, but the punishment did not come” (Kesey 200). Mcmurphy brings life into the ward, but it might not be a good thing. Reader #9- There are many occasions when glass has been broken in One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest. What is so significant about this happening so many times is the fact that glass is very fragile, and also reflective. The way i see this is, people can also be very much fragile and reflective. Both glass and people can be so damaging, and In the ward, the people seem to be so lost in life because of different reasons, which can lead them to be so fragile.
17 Comments
Kiara Jones
12/7/2015 12:26:25 pm
I agree with Reader #3. McMurphy's actions reflect a rebellion he wants to happen between the patients and the administration of the ward. He doesn't realize that he's only making matters worse for himself.
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Ryan W
12/7/2015 01:32:37 pm
Reader 3 is correct. The glass breaking symbolizes defiance. McMurphy is the best the best example for someone showing defiance.
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Follmer
12/7/2015 02:09:47 pm
Reader #6 makes very good points when they point out that McMuprhy always looses. No matter what he does nothing seems to bother her
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Follmer
12/7/2015 02:10:54 pm
The comparison between the people and the glass is a very good point! It's very interesting to see the glass being broken so many times
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Hanna Smith
12/7/2015 10:09:16 pm
I agree with reader #1 because Mcmurphy was trying to show the other patients that he was capable of doing something for someone other than himself. He's showing then that he's on their side and he's going to help them through it. And it really has progressed throughout the novel, he's show actual affection for those men and it seems like he's helping them out as much as he can lately.
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Lauren seidenzahl
12/8/2015 07:49:35 am
I agree with reader #3 that breaking the glass was an act of defiance on mcmurphys part. He wants to rebell and I agree that that will probably spread throughout the ward.
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jiselle
12/8/2015 07:49:48 am
Commenting off of reader #1, some might say hat McMurphy is a bad influence on the patients. However, I disagree. After being in the ward for so long, I believe the patients lost themselves and who they once were. By breaking the window, it showed the patients that they can defy and regain their self power.
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Becca Seidenzahl
12/8/2015 10:15:07 am
I agree with this because McMurphy isn't trying to be a negative influence on the patients. He is trying to help them regain their self power and worth. The patients just need a little help seeing this.
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Kylie Kasey
12/9/2015 03:57:39 pm
I agree because the black boys or Nurse ratched might think that McMurphy is a bad influence on the patients in the ward but he really isn't because he has helped patients a lot throught the book and has stuck up for them in the ward, and by breaking the window it showed true symbolism to the other patients
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KylieKasey
12/9/2015 04:03:06 pm
I agree with reader #8 because McMurphy has gone through a lot with nurse racthed and by breaking the glass makes him feel like he got all of her power.
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shannon heraty
12/8/2015 09:21:34 am
I agree with reader 9 about the glass. i agree that it represents people are fragile and reflective. People in the ward can change so quickly in a matter of time
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Paige
12/8/2015 10:01:58 am
I agree with reader #3, when they talk about the symbol of defiance. I thinks that's a strong point.
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Becca Seidenzahl
12/8/2015 10:13:10 am
I agree with reader #2 about the glass. It breaking could symbolize rebellion in some way and McMurphy is helping to influence this. He wants to rebell. The other patients may soon be influenced by this to take a stand against the ward.
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ryan franicevic
12/8/2015 10:38:22 am
#5 I would say the glass breaking represents change for McMurphy and the ward. everyone was so tired of the string held by nurse Ratchet being so tight around them. Before this they have never had anyone to stand up to her. Now they have McMurphy as their leader.
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daniel c
12/9/2015 10:23:33 am
i agrre with reader number 3 the glass could be representing equality
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Dorian
12/10/2015 10:10:20 am
I agree with reader 1 that McMurphy is now stuck in the ward for an awfully long time. He has very little, if not no chance to get out now.
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Megan
12/15/2015 10:32:55 am
I totally agree with reader 1. When he broke the glass, it was an symbol of victory! Showing everyone in the ward that he is on their side.
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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
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