Deepika Kommineni
Mr. Carter
AP Literature and Composition
22 January 2015
‘60’s Counterculture in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
An era defined by counterculture, the 1960s is considered one of the biggest turning points in American values. Many believe that this radical uprising is an effect of Vietnam War, when Americans began to pressure the federal government and higher authorities to shield them from unfair social forces that plagued the nation, as they believed it had the power and responsibility to do so. Political corruption in America’s institutions was unveiled, and Americans demanded justice be provided by these higher authorities. As this movement unfolded, youth in the society began to challenge not only the government,
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but also the traditional, conservative values set by the older generation by bringing the romantic ideas of unrestricted love, sex, peace, and drugs to life. These radical ideas were often shared through rock music, appearance, and in Ken Kesey’s case, literature. Kesey could not have chosen a better time period to publish his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, as the plot keenly serves as a parallel to the unfolding 1960s counterculture through developing the themes of power and authority, oppression, and conformity. Power is fittingly a powerful theme in the novel: who retains it, who wants it, who loses it, how it is used to manipulate, and most importantly, how it is subverted. Through the complex relationship between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy, the novel reveals the ways in which an individual in pursuit of power will not hesitate to condense those threatening that pursuit, applicable to riots and protests when the government and higher authorities intervene a person’s perceived rights. In this sense, the mental institution acutely represents society and the government as a whole, as both establishments had a common goal to suppress and control the patients who are nonconformists in society. Furthermore, Chief Bromden’s view of the institution as a combine symbolizes the process by which the institution and government fulfil their desire of conformity. Nurse Ratched acts as a facilitator in this process of achieving the goal by punishing misbehaved patients in physical or mental ways including lobotomy, electroshock therapy, and in Billy Bibbit’s case, belittling him by threatening to complain to his mother. Before McMurphy arrives at the hospital, Nurse Ratched's routine works efficiently in maintaining a simple sense of order. "The ward is a factory for the Combine," Cheif Bromden notes in his narration. “It's for fixing up mistakes made in the neighborhoods and in the schools and in the churches...When a completed product goes back out into society, all fixed up good as new, better than new sometimes, it brings joy to the Big Nurse’s heart […]” In this quote, the hospital is presented as a metaphor for the oppressive society in the late 1950's.
Chief believes that society is controlled by a large, mechanized system that he refers to as "The Combine” that is intended to “fix up” individuals who pose a threat to a programmed society or those who fear rejection from conformists. The ruler of this system, Nurse Ratched, works in subtle yet manipulative ways so that the patients are often unaware of her tyrannical control. When McMurphy enters the hospital, he essentially introduces counterculture into the institution. He utilizes mischief and humor to deflate the authority of Nurse Ratched. Throughout the novel, McMurphy continuously roots for the patients to discover an outlet of freedom by either escaping or by overthrowing the regime and reorganizing the institution’s policies. However, when he realizes that he and Scanlon are the only unwillingly admitted inmates in the ward, these plans become subverted. All of the other patients had chosen to be a part of The Combine; they would rather give in to societal pressure and become passive followers than hold liberty in a society where they may not be able to function, similar to Americans in the …show more content…
60s. McMurphy concludes that emasculation is the main reason for the submissive behavior of his inmates and sees exposure to unrestricted sexuality as the solution. McMurphy attempts to work within the Nurse's wired system by outfoxing her with his various schemes, but he quickly learns that his actions are beyond risky. During a group therapy session, McMurphy admits that his inmates “let [him] go on hassling Nurse Ratched, knowing how much [he] had to lose, and never told [him] nothing.” This quote expresses McMurphy’s regret for his actions and his ignorance of the consequences. This reflects the feelings of participants in social and political riots of the 1960s, such as the Detroit Riot of 1967, who were victims of brute armed forces. It again sheds light on the dangerous power of authority; it can make even a simple, humorous man feel insecure about his individuality. McMurphy eventually he realizes that the only way to lead is by setting an example. Although the time in the institution had programmed his mind to avoid agony by following the rules, McMurphy insists on pursing his goal. This leads him to rip open Nurse Ratched’s blouse, resulting in lobotomy. With these examples, Kesey makes a clear point that power and authority can be hazardous if not put in check, and this theme in the novel leads to questioning the governmental influence on the oppression of sexuality in the 1960s and explores the revolt against it. The sexual liberation era marked a time that involved the rejection of typical gender roles. The young generation of the 1960s essentially rejected their parents' values by challenging what was previously seen as sexual norms. With the release of the birth control pill and contraceptives, society slowly grew in tolerance for intercourse before marriage, allowing individuals more freedom as well as a feeling of being less rebellious. Moreover, many LGBT Americans at this time have developed a “gay culture.” This social movement was clearly developed in Kesey’s novel as a fundamental issue. Kesey uses Dale Harding to address the issue of the highly negative stigma attached to the LGBT community of the 60s. Harding chooses to repress his homosexual urges and prefers to face the shame of never pleasing his beautiful wife rather than facing the consequences in a harsh, judgmental society. This fact shows how the gay community was treated in the 60s and presents another reason for the sexual revolution, and radical change to occur. The novel presents a metaphorical contrast between controlled sexual desire and freewheeling, instinctive, "natural" sexual freedom. McMurphy is almost animalistic in his sexuality, as he was convinced of rape of a young girl and awhich is a main reason he has been institutionalized by a repressive society. He is considered dangerous and hostile because he acts on his urges, such as committing statutory rape of a young female. At the end of the novel, though McMurphy frees nearly all the main characters sexually--bringing a prostitute for fellow inmates, encouraging the men to rediscover the emasculated souls they've surrendered to Nurse Ratched--he must pay for his free sexuality by losing a part of his brain. Kesey suggests that unconstrained sexuality is too precarious for society to tolerate, so they go far enough to physically or mentally punish an individual that makes sexual choices outside the norm. When Nurse Ratched discovers that Billy Bibbit had lost his “innocence” and virginity to the prostitute, she threatens to tell his mother.
Billy’s paranoia of rejection causes him to take his own life, yet Nurse Ratched’s reaction was to simply tell the men to calm down and that “the best thing [to] do is go on with [their] daily routine.” This line alone encapsulates her entire character and belief system. Nurse Ratched projects an unnatural restraint by trying to maintain quiet, order, and routine, while everyone else is gasping in horror to Billy’s bloody corpse. She instructs the men on how to feel about their friend’s death and attempts to alleviate the intensity of the shock by reminding them of the “daily routine.” In this sense, Kesey suggests that she, parallel to those who enforced and governed in the 1960s, is more insane than the mental
patients. In conclusion, Kesey uses his novel as a tool to bring awareness to the selfishness and dangers of a repressive government/society through themes of power, oppression of sexuality, and conformity. He uses the characters and events in the novel as symbols of values in the 1960s and presents a reason for radical change in society, politically and socially. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is still viable in our society today as it encourage the reader to open their eyes and to further analyze their lifestyle in relevance to authority.
During the 1960’s, there was a rising tide of protests that were taking place. College students began to stand up for their rights and protest for a stronger voice in society. The United States was going through a tough period marked by the Cold War against communism and also the war in Vietnam. From Truman to Nixon the United States government involved the country more and more in Vietnam. Nixon announced a new policy in 1968 called Vietnamization. (Foner, 4th edition, pg.1028) This policy would bring American troops back home, but it neither limited the war nor ended the antiwar movements.
The 1960’s was a time society fantasized of a better world. However, the horrors of the Vietnam War soon became evident; the mass amounts of death occurring because of the war became a reality. It created a “movement”, especially in American colleges, in order to stand up for what they believed to be “right”. By 1970, many Americans believed sending troops to Vietnam was a mistake, however there were also various individuals becoming increasingly critical of the student antiwar movement
The novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey tells a story of Nurse Ratched, the head nurse of a mental institution, and the way her patients respond to her harsh treatment. The story is told from the perspective of a large, Native-American patient named Bromden; he immediately introduces Randle McMurphy, a recently admitted patient, who is disturbed by the controlling and abusive way Ratched runs her ward. Through these feelings, McMurphy makes it his goal to undermine Ratched’s authority, while convincing the other patients to do the same. McMurphy becomes a symbol of rebellion through talking behind Ratched’s back, illegally playing cards, calling for votes, and leaving the ward for a fishing trip. His shenanigans cause his identity to be completely stolen through a lobotomy that puts him in a vegetative state. Bromden sees McMurphy in this condition and decides that the patients need to remember him as a symbol of individuality, not as a husk of a man destroyed by the
He would always sneak in wine, gamble with them, and would have them play along on all his jokes. His need for freedom was refreshing to everyone else, that what kept them going. At points when he gave up from being a rebel, other patients gave up. McMurphy wins this war between him and Ratched because he helps other patients continue to be excited and helps them get out of there. McMurphy influences patients to stand up for themselves and not take orders from Ratched. Harding listened to McMurphy and did exactly that. He started to call her out on things and make fun of her, and she couldn't respond. It was clear that Nurse Ratched wasn't the same person and because of what McMurphy did, she couldn't get back in control. Ken Kesey writes, “She tried to get her ward back into shape, but it was difficult with McMurphy’s presence still tromping up and down the halls and laughing out loud in the meetings… she couldn't rule with her old power anymore… She was losing her patients one after the other” ( 320-321). McMurphy has always taught them to follow their own rules and not obey Ratched. In particular, he influenced Chief, a quiet patient that watches his surrounding carefully. After teaching Chief what it's like to follow your own rules, Chief begins to follow McMurphy’s role. After the incident of stripping Ratched’s identity, he learns that McMurphy was a hero to him and although he doesn’t physically help him out, McMurphy has taught Chief how to play this game. Chief tries to be like McMurphy by taking over. DOing so he tries on his cap, trying to be the new McMurphy. Ken Kesey writes, “I reached into McMurphy’s nightstand and got his cap and tried it on. It was too small” (323). Chief realized that no one could take over McMurphy's role, but that Chief would have to be in control over himself to make a statement. Chief does exactly that, he runs for it, making him happier than he has ever
Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest explores the dysfunctions and struggles of life for the patients in a matriarch ruled mental hospital. As told by a schizophrenic Native American named Chief Bromden, the novel focuses primarily on Randle McMurphy, a boisterous new patient introduced into the ward, and his constant war with the Big Nurse Ratched, the emasculating authoritarian ruler of the ward. Constricted by the austere ward policy and the callous Big Nurse, the patients are intimidated into passivity. Feeling less like patients and more like inmates of a prison, the men surrender themselves to a life of submissiveness-- until McMurphy arrives. With his defiant, fearless and humorous presence, he instills a certain sense of rebellion within all of the other patients. Before long, McMurphy has the majority of the Acutes on the ward following him and looking to him as though he is a hero. His reputation quickly escalates into something Christ-like as he challenges the nurse repeatedly, showing the other men through his battle and his humor that one must never be afraid to go against an authority that favors conformity and efficiency over individual people and their needs. McMurphy’s ruthless behavior and seemingly unwavering will to protest ward policy and exhaust Nurse Ratched’s placidity not only serves to inspire other characters in the novel, but also brings the Kesey’s central theme into focus: the struggle of the individual against the manipulation of authoritarian conformists. The asylum itself is but a microcosm of society in 1950’s America, therefore the patients represent the individuals within a conformist nation and the Big Nurse is a symbol of the authority and the force of the Combine she represents--all...
People often find themselves as part of a collective, following society's norms and may find oneself in places where feeling constrained by the rules and will act out to be unconstrained, as a result people are branded as nuisances or troublemakers. In the novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, the author Ken Kesey conveys the attempt McMurphy makes to live unconstrained by the authority of Nurse Ratched. The story is very one sided and helps create an understanding for those troublemakers who are look down on in hopes of shifting ingrained ideals. The Significance of McMurphy's struggles lies in the importance placed on individuality and liberty. If McMurphy had not opposed fear and autocratic authority of Nurse Ratched nothing would have gotten better on the ward the men would still feel fear. and unnerved by a possibility of freedom. “...Then, just as she's rolling along at her biggest and meanest, McMurphy steps out of the latrine ... holding that towel around his hips-stops her dead! ” In the novel McMurphy shows little signs like this to combat thee Nurse. His defiance of her system included
The Sixties, by Terry H. Anderson, takes the reader on a journey through one of the most turbulent decades in American life. Beginning with the crew-cut conformity of 1950s Cold War culture and ending with the transition into the uneasy '70s, Anderson notes the rise of an idealistic generation of baby boomers, widespread social activism, and revolutionary counterculture. Anderson explores the rapidly shifting mood of the country with the optimism during the Kennedy years, the liberal advances of Johnson's "Great Society," and the growing conflict over Vietnam that nearly tore America apart. The book also navigates through different themes regarding the decade's different currents of social change; including the anti-war movement, the civil rights struggle, and the liberation movements. From the lunch counter sit-in of Greensboro, N.C. in 1960 and the rise of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Black Power movement at the decade's end, Anderson illustrates the brutality involved in the reaction against civil rights, the radicalization of some of the movement's youth, and the eventual triumphs that would change America forever. He also discusses women's liberation and the feminist movement, as well as the students' rights, gay rights, and environmental movements.
Ken Kesey in his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest question a lot of things that you think almost everyday. With this famous portrait of a mental institute its rebellious patients and domineering caretakers counter-culture icon Kesey is doing a whole lot more than just spinning a great yarn. He is asking us to stop and consider how what we call "normal" is forced upon each and every one of us. Stepping out of line, going against the grain, swimming upstream whatever your metaphor, there is a steep price to pay for that kind of behavior. The novel tells McMurphys tale, along with the tales of other inmates who suffer under the yoke of the authoritarian Nurse Ratched it is the story of any person who has felt suffocated and confined by our
The 1960’s was a happening decade. It was a time when many people came together for a common good and stood against injustice. The 60’s is often recalled as the era of the peace sign, one ridden with hippies, marijuana and pacifism. While true of much of the era, some of the movements calling for immense social change began as non-violent harbingers of change and later became radicals. The reason for this turn to radicalism, as seen in the case of the Students for a Democratic Society, and as suggested by the change between this organizations earlier Port Huron statement and the later Weatherman Manifesto, is due to the gradual escalation of the Vietnam war.
In the duration of one year, 1968, the American national mood shifted from general confidence and optimism to chaotic confusion. Certainly the most turbulent twelve months of the post-WWII period and arguably one of the most disturbing episodes the country has endured since the Civil War, 1968 offers the world a glimpse into the tumultuous workings of a revolution. Although the entire epoch of the 1960's remains significant in US history, 1968 stands alone as the pivotal year of the decade; it was the moment when all of the nation's urges toward violence, sublimity, diversity, and disorder peaked to produce a transformation great enough to blanket an entire society. While some may superficially disagree, the evidence found in the Tet Offensive, race relations, and the counterculture's music of the period undeniably affirm 1968 as a turning point in American history.
The main character, Randle Patrick McMurphy, is brought to a state mental institution from a state prison to be studied to see if he has a mental illness. McMurphy has a history of serving time in prison for assault, and seems to take no responsibility for his actions. McMurphy is very outgoing, loud, rugged, a leader, and a rebel. McMurphy also seems to get pleasure out of fighting the system. McMurphy relishes in challenging the authority of Nurse Ratchett who seems to have a strong hold over the other patients in the ward. He enters into a power struggle with Nurse Ratchett when he finds out that he cannot leave the hospital until the staff, which primarily means her, considers him cured.
The 1960’s and early 1970’s were a time that eternally changed the culture and humanity of America. It was a time widely known for peace and love when in reality; many minorities were struggling to gain a modicum of equality and freedom. It was a time, in which a younger generation rebelled against the conventional norms, questioning power and government, and insisting on more freedoms for minorities. In addition, an enormous movement began rising in opposition to the Vietnam War. It was a time of brutal altercations, with the civil rights movement and the youth culture demanding equality and the war in Vietnam put public loyalty to the test. Countless African-Americans, Native-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, women, and college students became frustrated, angry, and disillusioned by the turmoil around them.
During the sixties, Americans saw the rise of the counterculture. The counterculture, which was a group of movements focused on achieving personal and cultural liberation, was embraced by the decade’s young Americans. Because many Americans were members of the different movements in the counterculture, the counterculture influenced American society. As a result of the achievements the counterculture movements made, the United States in the 1960s became a more open, more tolerant, and freer country. One of the most powerful counterculture movements in the sixties was the civil rights movement.
There were no heroes on the psychiatric ward until McMurphy's arrival. McMurphy gave the patients courage to stand against a truncated concept of masculinity, such as Nurse Ratched. For example, Harding states, "No ones ever dared to come out and say it before, but there is not a man among us that does not think it. That doesn't feel just as you do about her, and the whole business feels it somewhere down deep in his sacred little soul." McMurphy did not only understand his friends/patients, but understood the enemy who portrayed evil, spite, and hatred. McMurphy is the only one who can stand against the Big Nurse's oppressive supreme power. Chief explains this by stating, "To beat her you don't have to whip her two out of three or three out of five, but every time you meet. As soon as you let down your guard, as sson as you loose once, she's won for good. And eventually we all got to lose. Nobody can help that." McMuprhy's struggle for hte patient's free will is a disruption to Nurse Ratched's social order. Though she holds down her guard she yet is incapable of controlling what McMurphy is incontrollable of , such as his friends well being, to the order of Nurse Ratched and the Combine.
American society and culture experienced an awakening during the 1960s as a result of the diverse civil rights, economic, and political issues it was faced with. At the center of this revolution was the American hippie, the most peculiar and highly influential figure of the time period. Hippies were vital to the American counterculture, fueling a movement to expand awareness and stretch accepted values. The hippies’ solutions to the problems of institutionalized American society were to either participate in mass protests with their alternative lifestyles and radical beliefs or drop out of society completely. The government and the older generations could not understand their way of life.