Comparison of Book and Movie of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Comparison of Book and Movie of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest is a book written by Ken Kesey to

accomplish a certain mood within it's chapters. The feelings and moods

given in the book differ greatly from those in the movie because of

multiple changes in character development. Each and every time a movie is

produced from a book, the producers are forced to change parts of the story

in order to suit the audiences needs for a faster paced plot. It is

impossible to capture every mood or setting which the author creates. What

is lost can sometimes be the real meaning behind the story.

The characterization of chief Bromden is a good example of the

changes made from book to movie. His past is a vital piece of information

contributing to the mood and understanding of the story. In the movie,

Bromden is nothing more than a crazy Indian who doesn't want to talk so

pretends to be deaf and dumb. Much of the understanding and respect is

lost in the transition between book and movie. In the book, Bromden has

flashbacks to his childhood, lighting on significant points in his

childhood. His background is never even brushed upon in the movie. Of

course it would have been nearly impossible to tell of Bromdens life in a

movie, much less show the world from his point of view as in the book.

Bromden is still a very interesting character but the real puzzle to his

problems is lost.

McMurphy is a very sly, cunning man. He knows how to play his game

and does it well. In the book as McMurphy progresses, he goes through many

stages where he is rebellious, then docile, then rebellious again. This is

due to the fact that he learns exactly what it means to be committed and

what it takes to be released. Then he begins to see that all his ward

mates (I don't know what you want to call them) are counting on him so he

becomes rebellious again. These reactions to his environments encourage

McMurphy to be not crazy but intelligent and quick. This is exactly the

way a character such as McMurphy should act.