Examples Of Authorial Voice In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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‘Compare the techniques that the authors of the two texts use to show disapproval of the society each presents.’

Ken Kesey and Arthur Miller illustrate an analytical opinion on their own society’s inconsistencies and inequality through their texts using various techniques inclusively symbolism, authorial voice, metaphors and points of view, which urges the reader to question their own society. Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a dramatic novel, which explores the confinements of a psychiatric ward in the 1950’s and the corruption within the system to express the discrimination and prejudice against individuals within the American society. While Miller’s historical drama The Crucible, which is set in 1692 Salem, emphasises on how hysteria …show more content…

In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, although narrated by Chief Bromden, it is Randle McMurphy the protagonist who carries the authorial voice of Kesey. McMurphy’s actions consistently demonstrate the importance of courage in the fight against tyranny and by choosing to oppose repression, McMurphy also demonstrates freedom of choice a concept important within any society. When McMurphy discovers that the patients have elected to admit themselves to the institution voluntarily, he is infuriated and says “What do you think you are for Christ sake, crazy or something?” which implies that they are not in fact crazy and to have chosen to stay institutionalised is not demonstrating courage. Through McMurphy’s voice against the laws and views within the ward, Kesey is able to express his dissatisfaction and frustration of his own society. Correspondingly, Miller presents Proctor as a voice of reason and truth within a world seemingly gone mad with hysteria. Within the text Proctor is seen as a man of strength and dignity as displayed towards the end of the text when he refuses to lie and taint his good name to satisfy those in charge. Proctor’s distaste for the current laws and rules of Salem are made clear through statements such as, “I like not the smell of this authority”. Proctor’s disgust for his society represents the …show more content…

Kesey utilizes Chief to furnish an insightful and detailed look on the ward and its patients. Chief is the eyes and ears of the ward and despite his schizophrenia, which influenced his mind as he has stated “It’s hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it ", Chief is trusted as the narrator as throughout the text. Chief also promotes the saviour or Christ like position McMurphy takes on by rebellion against the Big Nurse by illustrating how Chief would stand up for McMurphy. Through Chief, Kesey displays the dissatisfaction he feels on the matters at hand, both within the text and his own

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