Text Analysis: One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest
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Ken Kesey's 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest' is set in an Oregon psychiatric hospital and narrated by Chief Bromden, a patient suffering from hallucinations. The story revolves around Randle McMurphy, who challenges the authoritarian control of Nurse Ratched, symbolized by the oppressive 'combine.' The novel explores themes of mental illness, rebellion against authority, and the importance of individuality, using various literary devices such as symbolism, irony, and personification.
Text Analysis: One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest
- 1. YEAR 11 ENGLISH One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- 2. Introduction “One Flew over the Cuckoo‟s Nest“ by Ken Kesey is set in an Oregon psychiatric hospital. The narrator of the story is a half-Indian man known as the Chief who is a seemingly deaf and dumb patient who suffers from hallucinations and paranoia. Nurse Ratched is the head nurse of the hospital and she runs a tight ship with strict rules and routines governing the running of the ward. The story begins with Randle McMurphy‟s transfer from the Pendleton work farm where he has been sentence to six months hard labour and it is his introduction to the ward and its all male patients that set the story in motion.
- 3. Main Characters The Chief •Narrator. The son of a Columbian Indian, the Chief is a patient in the hospital (chronic) who is deaf and dumb and suffers from hallucinations and paranoia. The Big Nurse •Protagonist. A self confessed gambler and con man, McMurphy has been transferred to the mental hospital in an attempt to get out of his sentence on the prison work farm. The Big Nurse •Antagonist. She is the head of the ward and runs it to a tight schedule/routine. The nurse likes to be in control and as such she uses strict rules and manipulation to ensure that the patients and other hospital employees do as she asks.
- 4. Characters Dale Harding Martini Scanlan Charles George Cheswick Sorenson Ellis Billy Bibbit Pete Bancini Sefelt Fredrickson
- 5. Literary Devices These are the tools that an author uses to tell their story. Characterisation Irony Symbolism Personification Motifs Metaphors Themes Similes Narration Exaggeration Foreshadowing Flashbacks
- 6. Literary Devices: Symbolism The Combine • The combine is the machine the harvests wheat. This symbolises the mechanical nature of the hospital and the way in which the individual is cut down to size and controlled The Fog • The „fog‟ clouds our vision of the real world. In the fog the harsh realities of life can be softened, you can choose not to deal with things, you are protected. The chief tells us that McMurphy attempts to pull all the patients out of the fog. The Electro Shock Therapy Table Images of the table are linked with crucifixion. The table also serves as a symbol of the nurses power.
- 7. Literary Device: Motifs Real Vs Imagined Size •Size is an imagined construct. The people in the ward are thought to be „small‟, the chief too, is a very tall person; however, he sees himself as being small, cut down by society and the nurse. •McMurphy may not be the tallest man, but to the Chief he is larger than life. •Size is linked with confidence. Invisibility •The nurses control of the ward is invisible but always there. • The Chief tries to be invisible. He moves about the ward with ease blending into his surroundings and he chooses to be deaf and dumb, for him a defence against a society that doesn‟t listen to him or value him as a person. The Power of Laughter Chief comments on the fact that before McMurphy‟s arrival no one actually laughs. Laughter seems to be linked with freedom and in the confidence of a person to accept what is happening in their life and defend themselves against society.
- 8. Literary Device: Themes Mental Illness Rebellion Against Authority The Individuality Expressing one‟s sexuality
- 9. Literary Devices First Person Narrator: The Chief The reader comes to know what is happening through the Chief. We learn about the characters, the plot and the storyline through the Chief and are limited to his point of view. Foreshadowing This is used to alert or warn the reader about what is going to happen. An example of this is when the chief tells us about Ruckly and Fredrickson.
- 10. Literary Devices Irony .When a statement or situation is made and the opposite of the literal outcome occurs. The Nurse dislikes that way McMurphy has power over and manipulates the patients (in her view). This is ironic because that is what she does to them. Personification .Giving human characteristic to inanimate objects. It can be said that the nurse personifies what the chief sees to be society constraints. She too personifies the negative images of women in the text.
- 11. Literary Devices Imagery .This is used to help convey ideas to the reader. Imagery about the fog and the combine help us to understand the Chief and his views about the world. Metaphors and Similes .These also help to convey ideas to the reader. The metaphor of the nurse as a tractor and similes where the patients are thought of as chickens.
- 12. Literary Devices Exaggeration We exaggerate when we overstate things or stretch the truth. In telling the story the Chief may be doing this to grab our attention. . Flashbacks A device used to present action that occurred before the beginning of the story. As the chief tells us his story he often reveals a story from his past. .
- 13. Writing an Analytical Essay Knowledge and •Develop an argument that shows your understanding Understanding of text and the way it was created. Analysis •develop a point of view, connecting ideas from the text to your essay question. Application •support that view through close textual references and analysis Communication •Write a well planned and well structure essay that answer the essay question.
- 14. Writing an Analytical Essay • Essay titles come in two types, the specific and the general. QUESTION • Write your selected question or thesis statement at the start of your essay • Say how you intend to approach the question, INTRODUCTION define terms, outline the points you intend to elaborate on in the order you plan to tackle them • take each point you have outlined in the MAIN BODY introduction and discuss it using evidence from the text and quotes as support. • This single paragraph pulls together the parts of CONCLUSION your argument in a summary, do not include new information here
- 15. Writing an Analytical Essay STAGE 1 STAGE 2 Analyse the question. Define STAGE 3 key terms and Outline, in point ideas and rewrite form, the main STAGE 4 ideas for each Begin writing. these in your own Ensure that each words to ensure paragraph. This Proof read your means your paragraph has a that you topic sentence, essay and let it sit understand. introduction, main for a while – you body and clear argument and that this is may find errors conclusion later. Submit it for supported with evidence. drafting prior to the due date.
- 16. Analytical Essay Students complete an analytical essay on one of the questions below: Can one person make a difference?‟ To what extent does One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest provide an answer to this question? Refer to symbols, motifs, characterisation The Chief often makes reference to the combine. What is the combine and how does it work? Why do you think the Chief is so fearful of „this machine‟? How does Ken Kesey use the interaction between McMurphy, and two other characters to explore ideas in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest? You might look at McMurphy, the Big Nurse and Chief Bromden here.
- 17. Can one person make a difference?‟ To what extent does One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest provide an answer to this question? Refer to symbols, motifs, characterisation • If you choose this question you could focus on either McMurphy or Nurse Ratched and you will need to argue for or against the question. • If you choose McMurphy you would be looking at how he was successful, or otherwise, in reforming the patients and the ward. In some ways you could say he was successful as many patients did gain the confidence to lead the ward; however, the cost were high. • If you looked at the nurse you could focus on the difference she has made to the lives of the patients for better or worse.
- 18. The Chief often makes reference to the combine. What is the combine and how does it work? Why do you think the Chief is so fearful of „this machine‟? • If you choose this question you need to define the combine, telling the reader how it works using textual references and evidence • Explain what the combine symbolises to the chief • Then say why you think that he is so fearful of it. • “what can you pay for the way a man lives”
- 19. How does Ken Kesey use the interaction between McMurphy, and two other characters to explore ideas in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest? You might look at McMurphy, the Big Nurse and Chief Bromden here. • To answer this question you need to discuss two or three ideas, themes or symbols and then explain how it is through character interaction that these ideas are conveyed. • Example: Idea of Authority – Interaction between the Nurse and McMurphy • Example: Idea of Mental Illness – Interaction between McMurphy and the other patients • Example: Idea of Expressing Sexuality – McMurphy and the Nurse or McMurphy and Harding.