Individuality In Ken Kessey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo
When a person is born, they are taught to be themselves and that they are free. However, as time goes on, society deems what “themselves” should be. In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kessey, a story is told about a new patient, McMurohy, who arrives into an asylum ward and causes trouble. Much like the world today, there is a force of individuality and a force of conformity. In the book, the main character, Chief Bromden, must decide on whether he wants to become a minion to society or have his own free will. When society forces social norms and demands obedience, there is an opposing force of individuality that rebels back within them. In this community, a person has to decide whether they are going to conform to what they are told
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BEfore McMurphy arrived, the patients believed in everything Big Nurse said and continued to follow the rules without hesitation. However, as McMurphy starts to mock the rules and give the patients opportunities to speak up, they become me vocal, and power starts to shift within the ward. In the beginning of the text, everything is controlled by Big Nurse, as said in the text when she says, “Of course, you may take the suggestion up with the rest of the staff at some time, but I'm afraid everyone's feelings will correspond with mine” (98), implying that her word is final. At this time, McMurphy is asking politely to watch the baseball game, and Big Nurse uses her power to decline without hearing his reasoning.When they throw a party in the ward, however, without any supervision, Big Nurse is nowhere to be found. All the patients come together and decide to get drunk, invite a prostitute, and have fun. Without regard to the rules, Chief starts to realize that as he partied, “ it came to me as a kind of sudden surprise that I was drunk, actually drunk, glowing and grinning and staggering drunk for the first time since the Army, drunk along with half a dozen other guys and a couple of girls—right on the Big Nurse's ward!” (311). This is the moment when the patients finally completely let loose and have fun. This is important because even though McMurphy plans everything, the patients don't back out like usual and finally let loose. By the end of the text, the power shift from the ward to the patients becomes more
BEfore McMurphy arrived, the patients believed in everything Big Nurse said and continued to follow the rules without hesitation. However, as McMurphy starts to mock the rules and give the patients opportunities to speak up, they become me vocal, and power starts to shift within the ward. In the beginning of the text, everything is controlled by Big Nurse, as said in the text when she says, “Of course, you may take the suggestion up with the rest of the staff at some time, but I'm afraid everyone's feelings will correspond with mine” (98), implying that her word is final. At this time, McMurphy is asking politely to watch the baseball game, and Big Nurse uses her power to decline without hearing his reasoning.When they throw a party in the ward, however, without any supervision, Big Nurse is nowhere to be found. All the patients come together and decide to get drunk, invite a prostitute, and have fun. Without regard to the rules, Chief starts to realize that as he partied, “ it came to me as a kind of sudden surprise that I was drunk, actually drunk, glowing and grinning and staggering drunk for the first time since the Army, drunk along with half a dozen other guys and a couple of girls—right on the Big Nurse's ward!” (311). This is the moment when the patients finally completely let loose and have fun. This is important because even though McMurphy plans everything, the patients don't back out like usual and finally let loose. By the end of the text, the power shift from the ward to the patients becomes more