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.
12 Comments
charli burgess
12/2/2015 06:55:03 pm
I agree with reader #1 because McMurphy is clearly changing his ways. He used to used patients to change things for himself, but now he actually thinks about the whole ward. I think he's changed a lot throughout what we've read so far.
Reply
Jenna Ross
12/3/2015 10:16:42 am
reader #1 made me change the way I think about McMurphy because I thought he was all about himself, but he is changing the ward for the other men also
Reply
Amanda Follmer
12/2/2015 07:04:52 pm
I agree with Reader #1 that McMurphy is changing the behaviors in the ward. He makes the patients feel alive and like they have power over themselves. He makes his own rules, and this causes the patients to act out of turn.
Reply
dan c
12/3/2015 08:11:15 am
i agree with reader #7 there is no one to blame for that accident
Reply
shannon heraty
12/3/2015 09:40:07 am
I agree with reader 7 that there is no one to blame for.and that it could be triggered by his mental problem.
Reply
Danielle morrissey
12/3/2015 09:51:05 am
I agree with reader #7 it is nobody's fault that cheswick died. He did it to himself
Reply
Lauren seidenzahl
12/3/2015 10:05:12 am
I agree with reader #2 that mcmurphy has changed and that the meeting where he is quiet, when he is usually talking out, shows that's he has changed significantly.
Reply
Bridget
12/3/2015 10:08:58 am
I agree with reader 7. It was no ones fault and no one should be blamed for cheswicks death
Reply
Jacob kalasa
12/3/2015 10:10:09 am
I agree with reader #1 Mcmurphy has changed the ward. With the 2 deaths of the ward I could see why mcmurphy tried to strangle the nurse
Reply
Matt
12/3/2015 10:18:27 am
McMurphy changes throughout the book showing signs of changes in nurse ratched. He sees how she's taking power away from all the patients in the ward.
Reply
Dan c
12/3/2015 10:40:11 am
I agree with reader number 4 because McMurray is acting less confident and seems to be more affraid
Reply
Ryan W.
12/3/2015 11:10:53 am
I agree with reader #1 McMurphy is changing the ward, not the other way around. McMurohy is fighting for change in the ward and wants to try to give the patients a say.
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
|