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.
5 Comments
charli burgess
12/15/2015 03:59:00 pm
I agree with reader #2's blog. McMurphy has changed the men in the ward for the better because since he's showed up they've become more brave and been able to stand up for themselves. Also ever since McMurphy showed up the men have seemed like they've gotten better with their illnesses.
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shannon heraty
12/16/2015 09:13:19 am
i agree with reader 6. i agree that McMurphy has made a huge impact. Also that he speaks his mind and does what he wants influenced the other patients to stand up for themselves.
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Danielle Morrissey
12/16/2015 09:59:05 am
I agree with reader #1 because America has been shaped by people with a dream. Who stand up for what they believe in and go for their dreams
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Ryan W
12/16/2015 06:53:43 pm
To go along with what reader 1 said, McMurphy was able to shape the ward for the good. I also think McMurphy would be able to shape the real world, if he were real. Someone with a strong personality, like his, can go far in this world.
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Paige
12/16/2015 08:55:09 pm
I think reader #4 makes some great points comparing past leaders in America such as M.L.K, and Abraham Lincoln to McMurphy. McMurphy has the need to be different and lead people into change, much like these two men did with slavery.
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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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