McMurphy has been a larger-than-life presence in the ward since his arrival, and that presence has only grown to the patients in the ward. Let’s take a closer look at how meaningful he has become to the other patients he interacts with.
Reader #1-I think McMurphy is starting to become as symbol of a leader and someone who is getting the wrong punishment. The crown of thorns is referring to jesus. I think Mcmurphy can be compared to jesus because of how jesus was killed on the cross even though he didn’t deserve it, the same is happening when McMurphy gets this treatment. He doesn’t deserve it. I think McMurphy is viewed as a leader in the ward. The effects of his arrival is that all the patients have changed and come to realizations. McMurphy has been a benefit to the ward. Reader #2-One might think that McMurphy is a christ figure in the ward. He is full of laughter and happiness that a lot of the ward looks up to. He is also against the odds in the ward; he stands up for what he believes in. I think McMurphy has been a benefit to the patients in the ward, but not to the nurses. McMurphy always will question the nurse like, “Not very long, you’re afraid?” (Kesey 278). McMurphy is always sticking up for the rest of the ward by asking questions. I think patients really appreciate him, like a christ figure. Everyone knew when he entered the ward, life was looking up. Reader #3-McMurphy is becoming a symbol for change and hope in the ward. McMurphy comes into the ward and is different than the others. He changes the game by demanding more from Nurse Ratched. He gives them hope because he’s the first to really change things. For some of the patients they will be in the ward for their whole life. I think that they all need a little hope when you have a future that will consist of the same thing almost everyday. McMurphy shaking things up is seen as a hope because he just might change things in the ward forever. Chief Bromden sees McMurphy as a: “giant come out of the sky to save us from the Combine” (Kesey). Chief realizes that McMurphy is his hope, and he needs him. Reader #3-McMurphy is a symbol of hope to the patients, they have been like a group of sheep following the nurse who is their shepherd. When the nurse subjects MCmurphy to electroshock therapy he willingly goes because he know if he resists it will show the nurse weakness. McMurphy is started to be viewed as a traitor for taking money from the other patients. The nurse shows them a bulletin showing a steady decline in their money but McMurphy's stays the same. McMurphy and bromden are sent to disturbed the learn a little about the nurse,Aa Japanese nurse who works there she says that army nurses are“a little sick themselves’ referring to how the nurse likes to run the ward like an army hospital. While McMurphy is deciding what card to play next the nurse tries to figure out how to control him. She has been uncomfortable ever since he arrived, and is not use to the mischief. Reader #4- mcmurphy goes is now engaging in electroshock therapy, and in the book as he is getting prepared for his therapy he asks “Anointest my head with conductant. do i get a crown of thorns “) (page 270) mcmurphy sees himself almost like jesus because the ward sees him as kind of rebellious against them. mcmurphy is a leader to the patients of the ward, just as jesus was to his disciples. So just jesus received a crown of thorns, mcmurphy believes he will too. mcmurphy has dones good in the ward to the people in it, giving them more freedom and fun. during his electroshock therapy he feels like he getting punished for doing nothing wrong, as was jesus. Reader #5-Mcmurphy is becoming a symbol of God, everyone looks up to him, he has no fears and he refers to the “crown of thorns”. The crown of thorns is an allusion to the bible. Jesus was crucified and wore a thorn of crowns. There are many biblical allusions in Cuckoos Nest. Mcmurphy is viewed as the most powerful man in the ward, that he knows all. Anything he says goes, eventually, for example he got them all to go on a fishing trip. Some effects he has had on the ward are positive and negative. He has gotten the patients out, made them laugh again, and even broken down nurse Ratched a couple times. Chief said “ He knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance” (Kesey 250). Without Mcmurphy laughter would still be foreign. He has been a benefit to the ward, he has helped the patients realize that their illnesses don't define them. Reader #6-“A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me.” (Andrew Murray, Jesus Himself). McMurphy initially is very confused about electroshock therapy and doesn’t understand why it’s permitted by the public. Harding explains that people just want flawed things to be fixed as fast as possible regardless of method. Since McMurphy’s arrival at the ward he’s become a glimmer of hope for the patients; the second coming of Christ, if you will. This is the reason he draws a comparison between the electrodes and a “crown of thorns”. He’s creating a visual of Christ being crucified on the cross which was a grave sacrifice. McMurphy’s antics have gone too far for comfort of the staff of the ward. The electroshock therapy is supposed to put him in his place so he can no longer cause trouble, thus putting an end to the rebellion against Nurse Ratched/The Combine. The patients realise how much McMurphy is risking by acting out but, in a way, see him as invincible considering how much he’s gotten away with. Completely sane, they feel they owe McMurphy their obedience. Brain-dead, they feel they owe McMurphy his legacy. Reader #7-“Anointest my head with conductant. Do I get a crown of thorns?” (p. 270). McMurphy isn’t really sick. During his time he has done good things, he made a basketball team and helped other people. This allusion is towards Jesus Christ because he feels like he’s being punished when nothing is really wrong with him. He used his strength to get of electroshock therapy to give him a more powering image. McMurphy is a leader in the ward just like Jesus was to his disciples. This is why Mcmurphy is creating the picture he is similar to jesus christ, but towards the ward. Reader #9-Mcmurphy and Bromden are being taken to electroshock therapy, when Mcmurphy gets on the table he says “Do I get a crown of thorn?”(Kesey 270). This quote is an allusion to Jesus, Mcmurphy is similar to Jesus in many ways. Mcmurphy sacrifices himself for the better of everyone in the ward, and he also sacrifices himself willingly. Mcmurphy is viewed as the savior of the ward, and the only one to end Nurse Ratched’s control. I think that Mcmurphy has been a benefit to the ward because he has shown everybody that you don’t always have to conform. He has also shown the people of the ward that you can stand up for yourself.
14 Comments
Ryan W
12/10/2015 11:52:10 am
I agree with reader 2. McMurphy does appear to be a Christ figure to the patients. He is their savior, doing everything for the patients and expecting nothing in exchange.
Reply
Paige
12/14/2015 10:30:17 am
I agree with reader 6. McMurphy is seen as a Christ like figure to the people in the ward.
Reply
jenna ross
12/15/2015 10:33:32 am
Reader #9 made me think of Mcmurphy in a different way. Before ready this i was confused on what the crown of thorns was but now i know that it was a connection to jesus.
Reply
shannon heraty
12/10/2015 12:38:51 pm
i agree with reader 9. Reader 9 says that McMurphy is a symbol of christ because he puts others first before him. Also he is a savior because of when he first came into the ward he changed everyrthing
Reply
charli burgess
12/10/2015 01:51:48 pm
I agree with reader #9 because throughout the novel all McMurphy does is try to help others in the ward. He is helping everyone with their fear and making them better and more confident. He is the biggest and best person of the ward for himself and everyone else.
Reply
Amanda Follmed
12/10/2015 04:38:58 pm
Reader #1 has made a very good point by comparing Jesus to McMurphy. McMurphy is getting very unfair treatment when he didn't do anything to deserve it. Reader #1 has many very good views on how McMurphy is referred to as the leader.
Reply
Amanda Follmer
12/10/2015 04:42:12 pm
I agree with reader #3 when they pointed out that McMurphy changed the way the wards society is. All the other patients look up to McMurphy to help them get what they want/need in the ward that Nurse Ratched refuses to get them.
Reply
Allie David
12/10/2015 09:08:19 pm
McMurphy is a symbol in the book. He wants the ward to be a good place to be but nurse ratched is manipulative and has to be stopped
Reply
Becca Seidenzahl
12/11/2015 10:03:07 am
I agree with reader #3. McMurphy does symbolize hope for he patients in the ward, they have become dependent on him in a type of way. The patients look up to McMurphy, even though nurse Ratched hates him.
Reply
Becca Seidenzahl
12/11/2015 10:04:40 am
I agree with reader #9. McMurphy is a symbol of Jesus because he sacrifices himself for the other patients. He speaks is voice and opinion and is not afraid of the consiquences. Which is why the crown of thorns was a piece of symbolism.
Reply
Christian Pishotta
12/12/2015 09:49:25 pm
I agree with reader #3 about how McMurphy seems like the next coming of christ to some degree. The patients do see him as a sign of hope for how he acts like himself in the ward and bring happiness to the patients. Plus he managed to even managed to get the best of the big nurse, which the patients yhought was impossible to accomplish.
Reply
emily
12/14/2015 10:39:15 am
I agree Mcmurphy is a god figure because everyone looks up to him and listens to him and he is very powerful and demanding.
Reply
emily
12/14/2015 10:40:48 am
i agree with reader 2, when they said "He is also against the odds in the ward; he stands up for what he believes in." I think the nurse doesnt know how to handle such a strong figure in the ward
Reply
Hanna Smith
12/15/2015 10:25:20 pm
I agree with reader number one because I think that Mcmurphy is referenced to God a lot in this book. He's show to be a martyr for these people which is exactly what Jesus did. Both of them didn't care about the consequences that would follow their actions, they knew what was right and stuck by it.
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
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
|