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Many novels and other pieces of literature are often adapted into a movie production, and often times those who have read the literature and then see the movie adaptation express their approval or disapproval of the latter. There is a clear reason why such approval and disapproval exists within a reader; the reader is comparing and contrasting how well the movie portrayed the story with elements of which the author intended. These elements are instrumental shaping the story from beginning to end. One piece of literature where such a comparison could be made is One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest written by Ken Kesey. One element that Kesey intends to show in the novel is that McMurphy is an important static character as he is unwaveringly determined …show more content…
to enlighten the patients of the psychiatric ward of the Outside World. Kesey presents McMurphy as very persistent and as a revolutionary leader.
The movie director, Milos Forman, also portrays this element in his movie adaptation of the story, and does so successfully. It is crucial that Forman had successfully presented this element in the movie. Forman realized the importance of McMurphy’s unwavering voluntary leadership in the plot of the novel, that he is the driving force behind the future of the patients in the ward. If Forman had portrayed McMurphy stepping down as a leader midway into the storyline, he would have presented a movie that is anti-climactic and would distort the conclusion of the story. Therefore, in order to preserve the original plot of the novel, it is essential that Forman accurately presented McMurphy’s desire to show the patients the world beyond their psychiatric …show more content…
ward. In the novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, McMurphy’s unwavering determination to enlighten the patients of the ward is seen ubiquitously.
Literary techniques such as characterization, symbolism, dialogue, and imagery are all used to portray McMurphy’s character. One instance of how McMurphy demonstrates this behavior in the beginning of the story is when McMurphy disrupts the Group Meeting, and by extension, the routine of the ward, by making lecherous remarks in regards to Nurse Ratched and what she has said about Harding’s relationship with his wife. Nurse Ratched says, “‘He has also stated that his wife’s ample bosom at times gives him a feeling of inferiority. So. Does anyone care to touch upon this subject further?’ [...] ‘Mr. - ah - McMurry?’ ‘Touch upon what?’ ‘What? Touch -’ ‘You ask, I believe, “Does anyone care to touch upon - “’ ‘Touch upon the - subject, Mr. McMurry, the subject of Mr. Harding’s problem with his wife.’ ‘Oh. I thought you mean touch upon her - something else’” (44). Through dialogue, one can see how McMurphy has evidently tried to disrupt the flow of the routine. In the middle of the novel, McMurphy still shows this unwavering determination to show the patients the outside world. In the novel, McMurphy fights to change the television viewing time to when the World Series games are aired. “‘I’m proposing a revote on watching the TV in the afternoon.’ ‘You’re certain one more vote will satisfy you? we have more important things --’ ‘It’ll
satisfy me. [...]’ ‘Certainly [...]. A vote is now before the group. [...]’ ‘Wait! Wait a minute, let me talk to some of those old guys.’ ‘The vote is closed, Mr. McMurphy.’ ‘Let me talk to ‘em’” (124-125). Here, it is not only the obvious verbal confrontation McMurphy establishes behind his determination to adjust the television viewing time but also the symbolism behind it that is important. Finally, in the conclusion of the novel, McMurphy still prominently displays his resolute determination to show the patients the world beyond the walls of the ward. Prior to the conclusion to the novel, McMurphy finds out that Bromden is in fact not deaf and dumb as he acts in the beginning of the story. The two build up a relationship throughout the storyline from that point on. In the end of the story, McMurphy wants to assist Bromden in getting stronger and “bigger”. “What happened was this: He’d helped carry the tables into the tub room before one of the group meetings and was looking at me standing beside the control panel. ‘By God, Chief, it appears to me you growed ten inches since that fishing trip. And lordamighty, look at the size of that foot of yours; big as a flatcar! [...] And that arm! That’s the arm of an ex-football playing Indian if I ever saw one” (224-225). Through the development of the story, one can tell that the motive for McMurphy wanting Bromden to become more muscular was to move the control panel. “‘You know what I think? I think you oughta give this here panel a leetle heft, just to test how you’re comin’.’ [...] When I stepped back he was all grins and pointing to where the panel was off its mooring by half a foot” (225). Through both symbolism of the control panel and characterization of Bromden, Ken Kesey shows that, through the end, McMurphy continues to try to let the patients escape from the isolationism within Nurse Ratched’s psychiatric ward. It is evident that throughout the entire storyline in the novel, Ken Kesey portrays McMurphy’s character to be static by showing how his perseverance to expose the patients of the ward to the outside world is unswerving and omnipresent. Kesey shows such perseverance through the book through a variety of literary techniques, including but not limited to dialogue, symbolism, and characterization. These element of the novel are important as they contribute fundamentally to the plot of the novel. McMurphy’s actions play a crucial role in the future of the patients. As previously mentioned, if McMurphy were to step down from the role of being a revolutionary leader even in the novel, the outcome of the story would have changed dramatically. Specifically, it is important that Kesey portrayed McMurphy as such in the beginning of the story because by introducing McMurphy as a rebellious character who is unwilling to conform to the routine of Ratched’s ward, Kesey not only foreshadows the events that will occur later on in the novel, but sets up a catalyst for the development of the other patients of the ward; that is, being the only potentially sane patient at the facility, his passion to bring some “light” into the ward will inevitably affect the patients in some way. Through lewd jokes, perhaps, McMurphy is trying to pervert and alter the minds of the patients to see a new realm of thought that exists beyond the ward. It is also important for Kesey to portray McMurphy as such in the middle of the novel, when McMurphy demands a change in the television viewing time. McMurphy is showing through symbolism that his wish to watch the World Series is representative of his desires to continue to change the solitary environment of the psychiatric ward and that through protest and contest, change can occur. Finally, in the conclusion of the story, it is important for Kesey to present McMurphy as such as through Bromden being able to move the control panel, this symbolizes that the patients are finally allowed to break free from the bondage Nurse Ratched has set upon them and ultimately, McMurphy has succeeded in his ambitions. In the movie adaptation of the novel, director Milos Forman uses many film techniques in order to portray the character of McMurphy as a static character who is persistent in bringing some sense into the patients of Nurse Ratched’s ward. The use of film techniques such as acting, camera angle, and screenplay to show McMurphy’s character is seen all throughout the movie. In the beginning of the film, the patients of the ward are seated in a circle and in a group meeting. The topic of the confiscation of the patients’ cigarettes by Nurse Ratched comes up and Cheswick becomes unruly, refusing to sit down and demanding, “I want my cigarettes, Miss Ratched, I want mine! … What gives you the … right to keep our cigarettes piled up on your desk … ?” Ultimately, McMurphy goes up to the Nurse’s Station, breaks the glass, takes a carton of cigarettes, and hands it over to Cheswick. Clearly, Director Forman has taken advantage of being able to use the screenplay of the film in order to show that McMurphy is intentionally acting in such a way that he wants to bring freedom to his fellow patients. In the middle of the movie, after Billy Bibbit is caught by Nurse Ratched being intimate with Candy in bed, and Billy is pleading Nurse Ratched to not make his mother aware of what had happened, McMurphy is seen making a disgusted face toward Nurse Ratched as Billy is being dragged to the doctor’s office, and the camera cuts back and forth toward Nurse Ratched’s stare toward him as if she is saying, “[to McMurphy] You are next.” McMurphy continues to scowl. The camera angle used in these shots those that are aligned to the face of the object. This creates a competitive mood and McMurphy is again shown that he will not back down in the revolutionary spirit despite what Nurse Ratched will do. Finally, toward the end of the film, Bromden lifts the control panel and uses it to break the windows in the bedroom and escape. Bromden’s acting indirectly shows that McMurphy has succeeded in his goal of bringing freedom to the patients. Clearly, in the movie, Director Milos Forman uses a variety of film techniques in order to portray Bromden as an individual whose determination to free the patients of the ward is steadfast. The film techniques used throughout the film in order to accomplish such a task are, but not limited to, screenplay, the use of camera angles, and acting. In the beginning, the methodical use of screenplay is used to show that McMurphy will step in and act to bring about a change. Cheswick is complaining and wants his cigarettes, which Nurse Ratched has confiscated and will distribute to him in rations. By showing that McMurphy gives Cheswick his cigarettes, he is fostering the idea that protest can bring about change, even in such a controlling atmosphere such as Nurse Ratched’s ward. This is important as it will potentially lead to more protests and the patients will finally have a voice. When the director chose the specific camera angles as described above between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched following a conflict, this showed that McMurphy’s inertia without being blatant. By allowing the viewer to sense this competitive mood between the protagonist and antagonist, this shows McMurphy actually feels the way he does and is not being pretentious. McMurphy has been accused of being pretentious in order to not work on a work farm, and the aforementioned allows the viewer to believe that he is a character with a more reliable perspective. Finally, it is important that Bromden’s acting was methodically planned in the end of the movie as although at the end of the movie McMurphy is dead after being suffocated by Bromden, it was his acting, as portrayed similarly in the novel, that indirectly shows that McMurphy was relentless in the fight against Nurse Ratched’s control until the very end. In conclusion, through the ubiquitous use of literary devices and film techniques, author Ken Kesey and director Milos Forman show in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest that even as the story progresses through numerous conflicts, McMurphy never backs down from Nurse Ratched’s control. It was important to preserve this element of McMurphy in the film as it was a prime element of the novel in that it sets up the background for the conflicts and resolutions. All in all, the comparison between a novel and its film adaptation is inevitable as the latter will always be associated with the former. However, any comparison made will always be about how effectively the film has incorporated elements of the novel as the author intended.
He continued to show the patients that the nurses were not in power in fact had little power over him. Inspired patients occurred once again he had inspired them with is lack of surrender to the wards system. With this situation in play this brought up McMurphy picking the needs of patients to motivate his own plan of
From the moment McMurphy enters the ward it is clear to all that he is different and hard to control. He’s seen as a figure the rest of the patients can look up to and he raises their hopes in taking back power from the big nurse. The other patients identify McMurphy as a leader when he first stands up to the nurse at her group therapy, saying that she has manipulated them all to become “a bunch of chickens at a pecking party”(Kesey 55). He tells the patients that they do not have to listen to Nurse Ratched and he confronts her tactics and motives. The patients see him as a leader at this point, but McMurphy does not see the need for him to be leading alone. McMurphy is a strong willed and opinionated man, so when he arrives at the ward he fails to comprehend why the men live in fear, until Harding explains it to him by
This essay will be exploring the text One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest by Ken Kesey and the film Dead poet’s society written by Tom Schulman. The essay will show how the authors use over exaggerated wildcard characters such as McMurphy and Keating. The use of different settings such as an insane asylum and an all-boys institution. And Lastly the use of fore shading to show how the authors can use different texts to present similar ideas in different ways.
-Character Development- All of the characters experience significant development throughout the story. This starts when McMurphy first enters the hospital and teaches the patients to not be afraid of expressing their feelings. For example, he wanted to watch the world series in the television, but the television hours were at a different time than the world series. He got some patients to vote for the time to be changed by questioning why they were afraid to vote for the change. “You afraid if you raise your hand that the old buzzard'll cut it off”(pg 117). with the aid of McMurphy, chief Bromden goes from withdrawn with flashbacks on his time in the war to actually participating in activities instead of hiding away. “I noticed vaguely that I was getting so’s I could see some good in the life around me. McMurphy was teaching me”(pg 223). Lastly, McMurphy's efforts to rebel against the system and Big Nurse's rules do not go to waste. Chief Bromden runs away from The asylum, and is finally free at the end of the novel (pg 310-311). He was free of the asylum and its' rules. Harding also speaks up to Big Nurse when she tells him that McMurphy will be back after his electroshock treatment. At the beginning of the novel, he wouldn't have dared to say anything to her because he would have been too afraid, but he tells he that he thinks she is “so full of bullshit”(pg 307).
Comparison of Book and Movie of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. & nbsp; One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest is a book written by Ken Kesey to accomplish a certain mood within its 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. & nbsp; 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.
As the film progresses, McMurphy is able to create a “backbone” for the patients. The patients begin to rebel, as seen when Charles Cheswick demands his cigarettes after Nurse telling him no. She feels extremely vulnerable after one of the patients named Billy commits suicide because she feels like she lost her grip on the patients. McCarthy impulsively strangles Nurse Ratched, although she is able to survive; she punishes McMurphy by letting him go under a lobotomy. Protagonist Randle McMurphy can be classified to have Narcissistic P...
Unable to see McMurphy imprisoned in a body that will go on living (under Nurse Ratched’s control) even though his spirit is gone, Chief smothers him to death that night. Then he escapes the hospital and leaves for Canada and a new life. We begin to see the different situations in which the patients struggle to overcome. Whether insane or not, the hospital is undeniably in control of the fates of its
With all the awards and praise, the movie was considered to be a masterpiece. On the other hand, Ken Kesey felt that this production would ruin his mindset of his own novel. The main reason why there were more differences between the book and the movie was because Kesey had arguments with the producers, Michael Douglas and Saul Zaentz. Of course, everyone has a different view of how a story should be told. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is superb as both a movie adaptation and a novel that all critics can appreciate.
McMurphy is an individual who is challenging and rebelling against the system's rules and practices. He eventually teaches this practice of rebellion to the other patients who begin to realize that their lives are being controlled unfairly by the mental institution. When McMurphy first arrives at the institution, all of the other patients are afraid to express their thoughts to the Big Nurse. They are afraid to exercise their thoughts freely, and they believe that the Big Nurse will punish them if they question her authority. One patient, Harding, says, "All of us in here are rabbits of varying ages and degrees...We need a good strong wolf like the nurse to teach us our place" (Kesey 62).
He was a character that manipulated everyone at the ward to his advantage from the Nurse Rached to The Old Sea Captain and not forgetting the patients. Randle McMurphy was a protagonist who messed up the ward system and with it gave it humor, manipulative skills and an interest to the
Everybody wants to be accepted, yet society is not so forgiving. It bends you and changes you until you are like everyone else. Society depends on conformity and it forces it upon people. In Emerson's Self Reliance, he says "Society is a joint stock company, in which the members agree, for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater." People are willing to sacrifice their own hopes and freedoms just to get the bread to survive. Although the society that we are living in is different than the one the Emerson's essay, the idea of fitting in still exists today. Although society and our minds make us think a certain way, we should always trust our better judgment instead of just conforming to society.
Fred Wright, Lauren's instructor for EN 132 (Life, Language, Literature), comments, "English 132 is an introduction to English studies, in which students learn about various areas in the discipline from linguistics to the study of popular culture. For the literature and literary criticism section of the course, students read a canonical work of literature and what scholars have said about the work over the years. This year, students read One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey, a classic of American literature which dates from the 1960s counterculture. Popularized in a film version starring Jack Nicholson, which the class also watched in order to discuss film studies and adaptation, the novel became notable for its sympathetic portrayal of the mentally ill. For an essay about the novel, students were asked to choose a critical approach (such as feminist, formalist, psychological, and so forth) and interpret the novel using that approach, while also considering how their interpretation fit into the ongoing scholarly dialogue about the work. Lauren chose the challenge of applying a Marxist approach to One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. Not only did she learn about critical approaches and how to apply one to a text, she wrote an excellent essay, which will help other readers understand the text better. In fact, if John Clark Pratt or another editor ever want to update the 1996 Viking Critical Library edition of the novel, then he or she might want to include Lauren's essay in the next edition!"
He also made the other men comfortable with breaking the rules. When McMurphy rebels against the big nurse, the men see this as an opportunity to get their manhood back, because up until McMurphy arrived, the nurse used fear to gain control. McMurphy recognizes this can kind of repression has lead to the worsening of their mental conditions. “ ‘You’re gonna sit back and let some blue haired women talk you into being a rabbit?’ ‘Not talk me into it. No, I was born a rabbit. Just look at me. I simply need the nurse to make me happy with my role.’ ” (Kesey 91) In this quote, McMurphy is arguing with Harding about his identity in the ward. Harding feels beaten down into a small, harmless animals that do not disobey the rules of the hospital, made by the Big Nurse. Harding is so whipped into obedience by the ward, he truly believes he is this helpless and weak. His disbelief in his abilities is truly why McMurphy is drawn to him to help; to show him just how strong he could be. Even Kesey’s word choice to use “need the nurse” shows how long Harding has been feeling this way for. This speaks to society’s harsh views on individuality because Harding is suspected to be homosexual, therefore, going against the regularities of society in this time period of the 1950s. McMurphy plays the role of being a new light in the ward. He is one who does not easily abandon his uniqueness, no matter how odd or unconventional
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.
In the end chapter McMurphy attacks Miss Ratched because she drove Billy Bibbit to suicide. This could be seen as murder and should not be forgiven easily. In my text I will show how McMurphy empowered the patients and how they subsequently revolt against Miss Ratched after his death.