Mcmurphy Character Analysis

A hero is someone who goes on a life journey that is a quest for self-awareness and self-development. Published criticisms of Kesey’s protagonist, R.P. McMurphy, argue that his character is crazy and dangerous; I partially disagree disagree because McMurphy is also adventurous and has a good intention in what he does. McMurphy has a life journey that could consider him as heroic. McMurphy’s journey starts off with him working on a farm then he gets sent to a mental institute. During his time at the mental institute he meets new friends and his mentor, Chief. He also meets his enemy, Nurse Ratched who causes him setbacks. His friends helps him overcome these obstacles. McMurphy became a leader for the other patients at the hospital because he

McMurphy was sentenced to six months at a prison work farm when he was diagnosed as a psychopath for too much fighting and fucking. He fakes having a psychosis so he could transfer to a mental institute. “Nobody left in that Pendleton Work Farm to make my days interesting anymore, so I requested a transfer, ya see. Needed some new blood” (12). McMurphy wanted to leave the work farm because he was getting bored there. He wanted to find new enjoyment so he chooses to transfer to a mental institute. “What happened, you see was I got in a couple of hassles at the work farm, to tell the pure truth, and the court ruled that I’m a psychopath...If it gets me outta those damned pea fields to be whatever their little heart desires, be it psychopath or mad dog or werewolf, because I don’t care if I never see another weedin’ hoe to my dying day” (13). McMurphy did not protest because he thought the hospital would be more comfortable than the farm. McMurphy arrives at the mental institute.McMurphy introduces himself to the other patients. “My name is McMurphy, buddies, R.P. McMurphy, and I’m a gambling fool” (12). McMurphy starts to know the rules at the hospital and gets to know the other patients

McMurphy transfers his confidence over to the other patients during his time at the mental institute. After McMurphy had been gone for weeks, he finally came back. When Chief goes to tell McMurphy that he is ready to escape he sees that McMurphy is not the same person he was before. Chief tries to think like McMurphy to see what McMurphy would have done in this situation. “I watched and tried to figure out what he would have done. I was only sure of one thing: he wouldn’t have left something like that sit there in the day room with his name tacked on it for twenty or thirty years so the Big Nurse could use it as an example of what can happen if you buck the system” (322). McMurphy gets help from Chief to suicide after he was given lobotomy/brain surgery. Chief knew that McMurphy would not have liked it to live the rest of his life laying there. “The big, hard body had a tough grip on life. It fought a long time against having it taken away, flailing and thrashing around so much I finally had to lie full length on top of it and scissor the kicking legs with mine while I mashed the pillow into the face. I lay there on top of the body for what seemed days. Until the thrashing stopped” (322). Chief assists McMurphy in his suicide because McMurphy became a vegetable after the surgery. Chief knew that McMurphy would not have liked to live a life of a vegetable. McMurphy transfers/gives confidence to Chief. “I