Throughout history, there are many different examples of one human being shaping the course of history, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is no exception. Despite the stigma of mental illness, let us look at how we can use this book as an example of how going against norms can have a significant impact on society.
Reader #1-In the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest McMurphy is an example of someone who goes against the norms. Going against the norms can be scary at some times but can help in a number of ways. When McMurphy showed up at the ward he didn't take anything from nobody. He was just him and he wasn't gonna change. Everyone else just took what the ward gave them but McMurphy challenged the ward, for example on page 126 murphy tells Nurse Ratched “can we please move our game to the other room, it's too loud in here”. McMurphy went against the norms by not being like everyone else and didn't try anything to change it, McMurphy challenged them and changed the ward. He is a huge character in the book because he tries his best to save the people in the ward from Nurse Ratched. Reader #2-McMurphy went against the norms of the wards society, and proved to all the patients that there was a better way. He made the other patients feel alive and gave them something to live for. Nurse Racthed’s “norms” was that all the patients did what she said, when she said it, and exactly how she wanted it. She was in control of everything in the ward. However, when McMurphy came he made it his job, through a bet, to fix the ward’s “norms” for his friends. He went out fighting to give his friends the best: “we couldn’t stop him because we were the ones making him do it. It wasn’t the nurse that was forcing him, it was our need that was making him push himself slowly up from sitting, hi big hands driving down on the leather chair arms…”(Kesey 318). This quote shows that McMurphy was doing everything for the other patients, no matter the consequences. He knew what he was doing and what could happen to him. I believe he knew it was time for the fight to be over. He knew going against the “norms” would cost him something out of his life and in this case it was infact his life that he lost. He refused to surrender or lose. He was fighting to win this fight, so that he can encourage the others to fight against the normal society. Although, he did lose his life he gave his friends something they truly needed. He gave them hope and faith in themselves. He showed them that sometimes going against the norms is worth it. He encouraged them to be themselves, and that there was nothing they couldn’t do to get what they wanted out of life. That is why going against the norms of society is worth it. It can impact others to go against it themselves and get something out of it that they truly need/wanted. Reader #3-In a very short answer, being a martyr. There is no greater symbol for a cause than someone who dies for it. McMurphy died for a cause, that cause being the other patient’s trying to stick up for themselves. This was not his goal at first, he just wanted to do his time and be done with it. But the longer that he stayed there, the more he changed into being the point man for the Acutes. "No. No, I'm afraid I wasn't. Not a thing this morning but the cap that's on my head and—” This is a snippet from a conversation between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. He has on a towel because he has no clothes. He defies Ratched in front of the dorm, and Chief witnesses this. When you began to see someone fighting for a cause, that’s when the wheels turn. An example of this is the French or American Revolution. The ‘little people’ taking down the ones in charge. Reader #4-Social norms in the novel are mentioned quite a bit throughout it. Some examples are like how everyone is classified in social groups, and the people in them act accordingly. Mcmurphy went against social norms when he would speak out of turn, start voting, and acting out when everyone was quiet. Chief went against social norms by participating in a vote, and defying the role of being deaf. The result in this outbursts were loss or distraction of power, and a nurse who didn't know exactly how to handle the kids acting this way. “‘There is a marked disregard for discipline and authority," the doctor says.” (Kesey 34). I believe an individual can make an impact on society by going against social norms because it brings a difference and change. People can react positively or negatively depending on how they view this change. Chief benefited from this change, although nurse ratched didn't quite gain her top control. Reader #5-The social norms in the ward are to really not break any of the rules. You're suppose to just accept the fact that people are calling you insane, but really you probably aren’t. Many of them could leave, but are too scared. Mcmurphy goes against social norms. Right from his arrival, he was different than the others. He is very brave and not afraid to speak out. As the book went on, going against the norms became more comman. For example, “when McMurphy and the patients stage a protest against Nurse Ratched for not letting them watch the World Series” (Kesey Part2) Going against the norms caused conflicts in the ward. Nurse Ratched wanted things done a certain way, and obviously patients were making that very difficult. Reader #6-One person can have an impact on society. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the main character, McMurphy has a huge impact on the people in the mental ward. He changes the thinking of many of the patients and makes them realize that they have rights. He gives them hope that none of the nurses can understand. He may not be mentally ill like the others, but he understands the way that these people live and the way they're treated. McMurphy inspired Chief to go and see the world outside of the ward: “Mostly, I’d just like to bring some of it clear in my mind again. I been away a long time (Kesey 325). Chief is impacted because of McMurphy coming into his life. This is a clear example of one person changing a society. Reader #7-An individual can make a huge impact by going against norms. When McMurphy got to the ward he didn’t blend in with the other patients, he acted like himself which wasn’t the normal. “McMurphy comes down the line of Chronics, shakes hands.”(Kesey 23). McMurphy went straight to talking to the other patients whether they were Chronics or Acutes and introduced himself. When McMurphy did this all the patients were surprised and was wondering what he was doing because they usually just stick to their sides and not talk to the other group. By McMurphy going against the norm he demonstrated power to the other patients. The patients started to surround themselves by McMurphy which eventually got him to be the leader and the head of the ward. By going against norms it can either be good or bad but it demonstrates power and leadership. Reader #8-McMurphy has changed the lives of the people in the ward, he has shown them that they can stick up for themselves and do things against the ward that could help them throughout their time from being in there. The social norms in the novel were when the patients would go against the rules like for example when McMurphy and Turkle brought those girls into the ward after hours ‘’ Sandy was turning around in a big wide-eyed circle. ‘’whoee, candy girl, what are we in now? is this real? are we in an asylum?’’ The other patients also have examples of social norms like when turkle and the other patients snuck to the drug room and drank. The people in the ward have different examples of social norms. Reader #9-McMurphy is a man destined to change the ward forever from his influences. McMurphy is very smart and likeable at the ward, he gives the patients the thought and motivation that they have a word in the ward and that they can get their power back that Ratched stole from them. Even though McMurphy had the choice to save himself he put the others first and chooses to fight for them. Eventually he does put himself first for a little while but after Cheswick commits suicide is when it triggered McMurphy that Nurse Ratched has the biggest influence on everyone. He then steps up his rebellion with the others that wish to participate. His punishment was electroshock therapy but it only strengthens him. After the electroshock he becomes a powerful symbol in the ward and people start looking at him like a leader. Everyone soons learn that their mental illness isn’t as bad as everyone says it is. “Never before did I realize that mental illness could have the aspect of power, power. Think of it: perhaps the more insane a man is, the more powerful he could become. Hitler an example. Fair makes the old brain reel, doesn’t it? Food for thought there.” Even though Hitler is not a good example of power, he still had it and was once a very powerful influential man to millions. Finally McMurphy broke when Billy Bibbit commits suicide, he feels like his action of him trying to lose his virginity to Candy Starr was one of several reasons why he committed suicide. He started to strangle Nurse Ratched and was sent to a diffrent hospital. When he came back he was a diffrent man, part of his brain are gone. Reader #10-In the world people make an impact on society by going against the social norms. An individual might do this to be known better by other people, or even to make themselves look like someone they’re not but what other people want them to be. McMurphy in Cuckoo’s Nest goes against the social norms many times throughout the novel. He stands up to Nurse Ratched when no one else does,and he doesn’t follow the rules in the ward. In the novel dale Harding, another patient in the ward, says “I don’t think, it was the feeling that the great, deadly, pointing forefinger of society was pointing at me and the great voice of millions chanting, ‘Shame. Shame. Shame.’ It’s society’s way of dealing with someone different.”. When people go against social norms it makes an impact on society because it can change people completely, who they are and how they feel about certain things. Although, sometimes going against the norms can make an impact for the better, and help other people. In Cuckoo’s Nest when McMurphy go against these norms he’s doing it to help everyone in the ward and make things better. Reader #11-There are many social norms in the ward that no one dares to go against because they will most likely get sent to electroshock therapy. Before Mcmurphy arrived at the ward the patients were generally very calm and subdued. Nurse Ratched had complete control of the ward, not even the doctor in the ward could stop her because she would get him fired. When Mcmurphy entered the ward he immediately challenged the norm by not going through the normal entrance procedures willingly. Mcmurphy consistently defies Nurse Ratched in the novel, which is why he left such a big impact on the ward. People who go against the norm can leave big impacts on the world around them. One example would be Rosa Parks refusing to leave her seat on the bus, the norm in the day was for the African Americans on the bus to give their seats to the white people. Her defiance lead to the Montgomery bus boycott and was an important event for the civil rights movement. In conclusion, although going against the social norm may be difficult at first it can lead to great things. Reader #12-When an individual goes against the norms, it can make a huge impact on people and places. In the novel, we have become familiar with the characters and their personalities. McMurphy was one of theses characters, what we learned about him is he is very different than the others in the ward. He doesn't act or think like the others. Everyone in the ward is the for a reason, but it is very hard to understand why McMurphy is there. From the start he seemed “normal”, but as time went on, we began to understand why he is truly there, and it’s to fight for the other men in the ward. He shows them it’s okay to be different and be rebellious. When he was talking to someone in the ward, he tells this person to do something, the other guy asks “against ward policy?” and McMurphy says “Tha’s right.”, just like that he tries to help the others in the ward and it works, he shows them to be different and to have an opinion. By doing this he has changed the place by changing the people as well. Reader #11-Anyone can make an impact on society, being different and standing up for what you believe in may not change the society drastically but it will affect someone and that’s what is important. Before Mcmurphy the social norms were the acutes stayed with the acutes and the chronics kind of just there and don't do much. As soon as Mcmurphy got to the ward he broke social norms by talking to everyone and interacting with all of the people in some way. Another social norm is nobody laughed in the ward, it was a forgotten sound and Mcmurphy went against it by laughing and almost scaring the patients because they weren't used to it. Another social norm s the control, Nurse Ratched had very strict rules and ways hqt they MUST live by. Mcmurphy rebels immediately and once again broke the social norm starting a downfall of control from the nurse. Each time they break a social norm Nurse gets angry and tries to stay calm but it doesn't always work like that. However, Mcmurphy breaking these norms changed the way the ward works forever. People started getting released and the nurse was losing power. The power got to Mcmurphy’s head when he choked the nursed and got himself sent to get a lobotomy:“Doctors and supervisors and nurses prying those heavy red fingers out of the white flesh of her throat as if they were her neck bones, jerking him backward off her with a loud heave of breath, only then did he show any sign that he might be anything other than sane” (Kesey 319). Reader #12-In the late 1950’s understanding of mental illness was minimal and anything considered taboo needed to be “fixed” as much as possible as soon as possible. Sadly the ward’s idea of help for the patients isn’t exactly healthy (mentally) or helpful. Though sadistic and toxic, interference with an institution like this must be done carefully and subtly. McMurphy’s approach was bold and rather disruptive to the order of things in the ward and they know exactly how to deal with disruptive patients. Patients are basically slaves to Nurse Ratched’s orders and are expected to behave accordingly. McMurphy constantly went against the rules because he didn’t know how much he had to lose. The other men of the ward followed his lead for the most part but were conscious of the power against them. Unfortunately institutional power almost always trumps marginalized groups (in real life and in the novel) even if the smaller group is for the more just cause. Chief had realised this long before McMurphy’s arrival but Nurse Ratched’s power goes far beyond herself. McMurphy sadly became a visual in a hideous bigger picture; a casualty of a cycle that would only change with the change of social norms. Reader #13-mcmurphy is very strong and intelligent. since joining the ward he has shown the patients that they deserve a saying in their everyday life. he has proven to them they also have power in the ward in that they deserve the rights that everyone else has. he gave the patients the power than nurse ratched took from them. after chewstick commits suicide mcmurphy realizes that nurse ratched has more power in her hands than any human should have. after experiencing time with mcmurphy the patients begin realizing that they are not as ill as they were believed to be, as quoted in the book “ Never before did i realize that the mental illness could have the aspect of the power, power. think of it: perhaps the more insane a man is, the more powerful he could become. hitler an example. Fair makes the old brain reel, doesnt it?” mcmurphy changed the lives of many of the patients, he has changes the whole miniature society of the ward. Reader #14-An individual can impact a society going against the social norms of the time. That individual of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that went against the norms was McMurphy. In the the ward the social norms are considered weird or crazy. When McMurphy goes against the norms it is for the better of the other patients in the ward.
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a story that draws into light how a lot of different perspectives come together to shape different things. Let’s see how McMurphy and the other characters we have encountered show how where you come from has a huge influence on your life.
Reader #1- In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest There are many decisions to be made in the ward, Such as the music in the day room. There are always multiple perspectives to take into mind when making these decisions. For example, McMurphy makes most of his decisions with only the people he likes in mind. But if you were to compare him with Nurse Ratched, you would see that she solves problems with everybody in mind. McMurphy brings up how they should turn off the music or at least lower it in the day room. Nurse Ratched replies with a “No”(Kesey 111) saying that it was the only thing the chronics could enjoy all day. McMurphy care more about himself and the acutes and agrees that he had never thought about how the chronics would feel if there was no music. Proving that the nurse has everybody's interests in mind. Almost everyone today can agree that they make decisions without others in mind. Are you any different than McMurphy? America is a place that is shaped by a lot of different types of people. Being unique is something that is celebrated in our country, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a story that tries to show that being “different” doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Let’s take a closer look at how McMurphy’s represents how America is shaped by individuals and their experiences.
Reader #1-America today has been shaped by individual freedom and conflicts. With all of America's conflicts in the past, we made solutions that have molded our country. Just like McMurphy has done in the ward. He is full of laughter and joy that has became apart of the ward. He’s like any great leader in the world that people look up to. The patients and nurses have all been impacted in the ward by McMurphy's presence. The book went to tell, “She tried to get ward back into shape, but it was difficult with McMurphy’s presence still tromping up and down the halls and laughing out loud in the meetings and singing in the latrines”(Kesey 320). He is always full of happiness and that is something that has changed in the ward. Just like how any leader can step up, and make a change. Reader #2-In the book Kesey is trying to show how one person can make an impact if they try. Anyone who came in the ward before gave in to nurse ratched and the ward. They all thought it was to big, too powerful until one loud mouth redhaired man show up. All the men have been affected by McMurphy. It doesn't matter if they like him or not he has changed them for the better, he has taught them to stand up. The biggest change would have to be in bromden based on how he started off so lost in the fog. Rockefeller has affected America turning it into a place of prosperity and industry. Showing you can start from nothing with no money and become something. America has changed in many ways sometimes for the worse. This book helps drives the fact that you can make a difference you don't have to watch anymore just like Bromden. Reader #3-Individual freedom has helped shape America over time, just like how McMurphy has helped shape the other patients. Ever since he came to the ward, all of the patients have seen or done things in a different way. I think that Mcmurphy has had the most impact on Bromden. This is because Bromden has always pretended to be stupid and deaf to avoid attention, McMurphy gives him attention. Once MCmurphy found out that chief can hear, he offers to help him. He has helped the patients realize that they shouldn’t choose to be in the ward just because they are afraid of the outside world. In the novel, he helps the patients stand up to nurse Ratched by insisting on watching the world series baseball game. He has changed the patients for the better, helping them become more independent and outspoken. One person who has impacted American society is Martin Luther King. He helped African Americans stand up for what they believe in and their rights. McMurphy does this similarly with the patients. He helps the patients see their self value, just as Martin Luther King did. We can help apply this idea to humankind by making sure everyone you know and care about feels like they serve a purpose in the world, and that their voice can be heard. Reader #4-In ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ McMurphy has gained and huge influence on the ward and the patients as well, resulting to have an impact on them and the staff as well. But the one person who McMurphy had the most impact on would be Chief Bromden because he has influenced Chief to once again speak and interact with the patients and staff. This impact was how McMurphy included Chief into doing stuff and other activities throughout the book. So as for the rest of the men on the ward, some seem to have been changed for the better, while others were for worse. Because at the end of the book most of the acutes were beginning to feel better than before, such that they began to leave the ward as said in the text, “Sefelt and Fredrickson signed out together against medical advice, and 2 days later another 3 acutes left and 6 more were transferred to another ward… Harding signed out and was picked up by his wife, and George transferred to a different ward” (pages 319 & 321). As for the others who changed for the worse, Cheswick and Billy Bibbit, who became very depressed and killed themselves. Now some examples of people making an impact on America would be M.L.K. with his “I had a Dream” speech, and Abraham Lincoln with how he brought about the abolishment of slavery. Comparing McMurphy to them, McMurphy has done a good service in getting the acute patients the chance to feel alive and be like men again. So McMurphy’s experience can be applied to humankind by simply being who you are and not let anyone change who you are or let them stop you from doing the things you love to do. And that is how America has been shaped by individual freedom and conflicts. Reader #5-McMurphy in my opinion has had the biggest impact on Nurse Ratched. Throughout the book, Nurse Ratched always did whatever she could to get the better of McMurphy. From one of the first group sessions, McMurphy and the Nurse have been playing a game against each other, trying to take one another down. However, even though McMurphy and the Nurse were plotting against each other, McMurphy had a positive impact on the rest of the patients. For example, McMurphy stayed in the ward until Billy committed suicide, because he wanted to help him get over his fear of women. Also, Chief Bromden was affected positively by McMurphy. Chief Bromden was stuck in the fog until McMurphy told him “You had a choice: you could either strain and look at things that appeared in front of you in the fog, painful as it might be, or you could relax and lose yourself....Being lost ain’t so bad”(117-118). Chief stepped out of his comfort zone once McMurphy came into the ward. McMurphy is like the people who have had an impact on America because both him and them persuade people how to act and think. McMurphy’s experience can be applied to humankind because everyday people are trying to be better than one another, just like him and The Nurse, and people are always following in ones footsteps just like the patients were doing to McMurphy. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Randle McMurphy had a great impact in the ward. Reader #6-America has been shaped by individual freedom and conflicts by how people share their opinions. For example, Mr. McMurphy has the most impact on the ward. It may not have been the best in some parts, but he really affected Chief Bromden. At first he was this guy who was afraid to be in his own skin, with tons of insecurities. Bromden definitely is changed the moment he walks down from the chronic floor and thinks “I told [the men on the ward when I returned] all I could, and nobody seemed to think a thing about me all of a sudden talking with people—a guy who’d been considered deaf and dumb as far back as they’d known him, talking, listening, just like anybody.”(Kesey) When Mcmurphy came on the ward everything changed for him. Not right away, but towards the end of the book. Bromden realizes that he’s strong and powerful physically, and emotionally. He knows that Mcmurphy had a huge role in his transformation, he was happy that the other men were accepting of his outcome, and that he finally shattered through some of his insecurities. People who share their opinions have the most impact because when they speak, they’re passionate about what they talk about. People like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, etc. all have something in common with Mcmurphy, Passion. It may not be the same type of passion, but each one of them has a strong opinion towards something they stand for. If Mcmurphy were here today, he’d be categorized almost as he is in the book, just maybe dialed down a bit. I wouldn’t consider him to be insane, I would say he’s a very forward individual and he speaks his mind. Lots of people aren’t accepting to that kind of person, because they’re afraid of someone out of the ordinary, but it’s people like that, that get the attention they’re seeking, and their opinion heard. |
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