Insanity In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, written by Ken Kesey in 1962, recounts the experience of Chief Bromden during his time in a mental institution. Throughout the novel, Kesey conveys several themes and ideas centred on 1950s corrupted society using several important literary techniques to enhance the effect of his message. Moreover, through Kesey’s design of the characters, clever manipulation of the plot and the use of symbols and motifs, his novel criticizes and contrasts how different people are treated unfairly in his society.
Kesey explores the idea that society's perception of insanity is flawed through the characterisation of the main characters: Nurse Ratched, Bromden and McMurphy. Signifying the head of Society, Nurse Ratched controls

the patients and confines them within her perception of sanity. She does this by condemning the patients during the daily group meetings and by keeping a mechanical, rigid routine. Bromden describes Nurse Ratched as a machine. Even her name is a homophone of a mechanical tool, sounding like “ratchet” and “wretched”.

Her presence and control over the ward can be shown by the way she makes her first appearance; ‘with a gust of cold’ (7). However, underneath the Big Nurse’s mechanical nature and her stiff uniform, she does possess a human feature in her breasts. By introducing McMurphy, a redhead gambler who fakes his diagnosis as a psychopath, the entire system of the ward have been disturbed. McMurphy’s character contrasts with that of Nurse Ratched as he symbolises freedom and self-determination. Even though Nurse Ratched has suspicions that McMurphy is not actually “insane”, she treats him as insane in order to maintain authority and control over him. This very act can be considered insane as the ward who is meant to help cure the patients, is trying to exercise control over a sane man by the mere belief of Nurse Ratched that he is insane. In addition, Kesey’s depiction of the character prompts the reader to question the line between normal and insane. There is no doubt that the

character are damage both mentally and physically but are they really insane? Or do they not fit in with the rigid society of the 1950? Furthermore, by looking at some of the damage that the ward has done to some patients, Kesey once again successfully enhances the idea. From looking at the character of the narrator, Chief Bromden, the reader can tell that he is a sane man through his lucid and rational way of recalling events despite the hallucination he suffers from. ‘Lose myself in the fog the way some of the other Chronics have’ (27), the occurrence of a hallucinatory fog Bromden describes is something that society and the ward have done to him rather than an aspect of his mental illness. Through all these characters, an intentional point had been made by Kesey to challenge the reader to question the separation of the normal and abnormal, and who determines this boundary.
Kesey uses symbolism as a literary technique to express the idea of rebellious acts against authority. Using symbolism and the ward as a representation of society, Kesey is able to illustrate the state of society at that time. In the novel, Chief Bromden describes the society as a “combine”, a machine that confines everyone in a harsh set of rules. Within these rules, there is no place for individuality and the natural, instinctive expressions are subjugated. Having total control and dominance in the ward, the Big Nurse is used to symbolize the head of society. The patients, on the other hand, are depicted as screws and cogs for the combine. If they did not function properly, they are taken to be “repaired”. The statement ‘Now calm down. The best thing we can do is go on with our daily routine’ by Nurse Ratched after Billy Bibbit’s death, demonstrates her true character and beliefs. However, as McMurphy, an individual with a unique character of enters this society, the head of society is been challenged. Together with the patients, McMurphy intends to overthrow Nurse Ratched and encourages the patient to have a character of their own. He eventually reach two climaxes with Nurse Ratched, one been the fishing trip and the other been the Bacchanalian revel at night.
As a consequence McMurphy is crucified on the symbolic electro therapy table.

The shape of the table itself represents a cross, with straps across the limbs and the head of the patients. Additionally, the table serve a similar function to that of the public crucifixion of the Roman era. Even though, McMurphy was eventually lobotomized for his actions, his effort and influence still remain amongst the patients. One of the patient who was freed by McMurphy was the narrator, Chief Bromden. From having been pretending to be completely suppressed by the rules and authority, Chief Bromden gradually picks up his confidence and regains his true character. Readers have witness this through the syntax as the novel progresses. At the beginning of the book, Bromden narrates in short, simple sentences whereas later in the novel, the arrangements of the sentences were beginning to become more complex and diverse. In addition, having to speak after pretending to be deaf and dumb indicates he is gradually becoming mentally

well.
Ken Kesey’s, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, recounts the conflict between an authoritative hospital management and its patients, told through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a mixed raced Native American. Within the novel, Kesey manages to personalise key ideas and themes pertaining to 1950s society to the reader, through his clever use of symbolism and characterisation. Through his illustration of major themes and ideas in a relatable way to the reader, a deeper understanding and appreciation of the novel is gained.