Similarities Between Dead Poets Society And One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Dead Poet’s Society, by Peter Weir, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, both contain characters who struggle for independence, but explore it with a wide variety of techniques. Dead Poet’s Society was shown in a time when young people in middle-upper class families were being pressured into doing perfectly in school and forced into futures without their input, and explores independent living in school life. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest also explores a life without independence and both texts use contrasting points of view, symbolism and narrative structure to explore ideas.

Both texts have similarities in the narrative structure and this can be used to showcase how they explore the struggle for independence. Many characters

and their relationships are able to be compared; in the setting of Dead Poet’s Society we start with Todd Anderson, and learn about the institute and characters through him. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is narrated by Chief Bromden, through whom we learn about the institute and characters. They both give the sense that the institutes are strict and almost prison-like*get examples*. The complication in both stories is the addition of someone who brings a new way of thinking and starts to go against the institute. In Dead Poet’s Society this was Mr. Keating, who introduced unorthodox methods of teaching, while in Cuckoo’s Nest this was McMurphy who antagonized the nurse and took back some freedom for the patients. The complication escalates as patients and students make increasingly greater tests of their freedom; from voting for changes in ward policy to attempting to escape the ward in Cuckoo’s Nest. In Dead Poet’s Society this is seen in restarting the dead poet’s society and eventually Neil going against his father’s wishes to act. The climaxes in both texts involve suicide, which can be seen as a final, ultimate act of independance. The text’s show the retained independance in different ways; Bromden escapes the mental hospital while the students show their independance from the school by standing on their desks for Mr. Keating. The structures follow the same conventions but leave different impressions of the struggle for independance.

Symbolism is used well in both texts, portraying acts of independance or oppressive parts of the environment.

Kesey uses symbolism mainly to represent despotism, while Weir uses symbols of independance. Kesey uses machinery to symbolize what normal society seems like in Bromden’s mind. Bromden often sees the process of someone being made fit for society as the process of a machine: “Sometimes a guy goes over for an installation, all mean and mad and snapping at the whole world and comes back a few weeks later with black-and-blue eyes like he’d been in a fist fight, and he’s the sweetest, nicest, best-behaved thing you ever saw…but I say he’s just another robot for the Combine”. “Robot” in this quote symbolizes normal people who are part of society, which is represented by the Combine. During their first lesson together, Keating takes the boys to the hallway where they examine a dedication to past students. “They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones…believe they’re destined for great things…eyes are full of hope, just like you…you can hear them whisper their legacy to you…Carpe Diem.” The students are a symbol of what the boys could become if they take their independence, or in other words, if they seize the day. Kesey and Weir both use symbolism as a way to show what might happen; In Kesey’s case what is desired and in Weir’s case what is

feared.

There are two contrasting views in each text with different characters representing each one; the views are of taking independence or keeping control. In both texts there is a character at the head of the institute who tries to keep control and a character with some authority who tries to encourage independence. The principal, Nolan, is opposed by Keating, while the Nurse, Ratched, is opposed by Doctor Spivey. Keating, however is more of a main character and someone who inspires the struggle, rather than the doctor who simply enables and supports McMurphy’s campaign. Both Nolan and the Doctor believe the oppressed patients and students deserve more freedom and help the oppressed take it. Nolan and Ratched, on the other hand, do their best to keep control and prevent the oppressed becoming independent. Their points of view on how the patients and students should be treated differ, and this creates similar conflicts and a similar fight through exercises of authoritative power. Spivey and Keating use their power over the limitations and mindsets in place respectively. Nolan and Ratched both use the power of punishment or threat thereof to limit these grabs for independence. The contrasting points of view between the authoritative figures are very similar, and create scenes or tensions between characters.

Both texts have very similar usage of structure and contrasting points of view, following the traditional narrative structure. The symbolism used is also similar but used to represent different ideas. Both texts represent different ideas through analogous techniques to great effect.