Examples Of Power And Control In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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‘The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse’ (Edmund Burke). Good morning/afternoon to the Writers’ Festival, I’m Campbell Behan an expert in 20th Century literature. The influence of literature is often a reflection of society. A common theme within society of the 20th century is the idea of power and control. Power and control is heavily embedded within society. From a mother that has power and control over her children to a boss that has total control over his or her employees. The first piece of textual evidence comes from the novel ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ written by Ken Kesey. Its literary context was developed from a time when society was experimenting with LSD and other hallucinatory drugs. Speaking to patients under …show more content…

Having been institutionalised since a young child, Chief Bromden came to know on an intimate level that control used in institutions always lead to the abuse by those in power. ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ exploites how those in power abuse their control of their patients within the institution. Throughout the novel Chief Bromden refers to the idea of ‘The Combine.’ The Combine is what Chief Bromden calls society at large, a giant force that exists to oppress the people within …show more content…

Bromden's ideas about The Combine arise from his own history as a Native American. His ancestral land, on which his people lived, was taken from him and his family for the purposes of the construction of industrial purposes. The Combine seen through the Chief's eyes is a taming force against human nature. This links in with how The Combine of the institution has abused its power to tame his human nature, like what happened to him when he was a child, to become a deaf and dumb ghost who wonders the halls. In the poem ‘Puppet Strings’ the same theme of power and control is spread throughout. In stanza 3 it states, ‘I am a puppet for you to use, like hollow wood for you to use.’ Breaking this passage down it is clear there is a higher power or institution controlling this person. This person refers to his/herself as ‘hollow.’ This makes a strong connection to how Nurse Ratched controls the Chief and the patients, like puppets, treating them as a hollow object she can abuse. Through the analysation of ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ and the poem ‘Puppet Strings’ it is clear that within institutions, control always leads to abuse by those in

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