Ken Kesey s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest - 1619 Words

’Ya know, ma am,’ he says, ‘ya know-that is the ex-act thing somebody always tells me about the rules...’†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨ He grins. They both smile back and forth at each other, sizing each other up. †¨ ‘...just when they figure I m about to do the dead opposite.’(Kesey 64). One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, a story of inmates in a mental institute who struggle to maintain their freedom and masculinity, portrays the time-honored story of the unstoppable force versus the immovable object, law and order versus anarchy and freedom, and, most importantly, men versus women. This reflects the changes of the novel’s era. Published in 1962, Cuckoo’s Nest was Kesey’s response to the changes of the times during the Civil Rights period and the second wave of feminism, a commentary on mental illness and the value of law and order, but also on changing gender roles in society. Kesey advocates for a more traditional patriarchal society by undermining women both with and without power, and holding a misogynistic stance on women’s’ place in society, particularly how women deal with power or control. A recurring motif throughout the novel is that women are resented for being in positions of power, opposed to more traditional, subjugated roles. Any female character in a powerful, influential, or otherwise controlling position are demonized as a â€Å"ball-cutter... – people who try to make you weak so they can get you to toe the line, to follow their rules, to live like they want you to.† (KeseyShow MoreRelatedOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1534 Words   |  7 PagesThe portrayal of women and minorities in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, shows readers the opinions of a majority of the population during the 1960s in which women in power were ridiculed. The book’s antagonist Nurse Ratched is presented as machine-like, an d robotic. This shows how author Ken Kesey dehumanizes women who are in power, and decides to take away all their feminine qualities when they are in power because to Kesey it simply doesn t make sense that a female can beRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1925 Words   |  8 PagesPatient: Bromden, Chief For many years in modern history, what occurred in mental institutions were not well known and discussed about widely. One book that actually brought the reality of what happens inside mental institutions to public attention was the book entitled â€Å"One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest† written by Ken Kesey. The book shows the lives of the people residing in an Oregon mental asylum through the perspective of the patient named Chief Bromden. In the book, it isn’t stated exactly whatRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1860 Words   |  8 PagesThe book titled, â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest† written by Ken Kesey is what I chose to read and evaluate. Before I go any further, it is important to share some of Kesey’s background in order to better understand why he wrote this book. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Kesey ended up at Stanford University in a creative writing program. During his time at Stanford, he volunteered himself to be in an experimental drug program where he was used to test the different effects of the drugs atRead MoreKen Kesey s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest1629 Words   |  7 Pages1962, Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a timeless classic. This novel has been subject to analysis through many different literary lenses: feminist, Marxist, and of course, psychoanalytic. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest provides a plethora of evidence when it comes to using the psychoanalytic lens. The lens in question deals with the teaching of Sigmund Freud. When reading this novel, the audience sees quite clearly that the world of psychology plays an impactful role in One Flew OverRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1332 Words   |  6 Pagesboth a bully or that one individual that we simply didn t need to be around or even anybody they knew. Additionally, every person has had that one character they favored, for sticking up for themselves and declaring what they wanted, even though it intended sure punishment. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo s Nest by author Ken Kesey, these attributes stick out in the story. A dialogue of the setting, theme, and character situations into the story will help one capture how ones’ feelings fall into lineRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1579 Words   |  7 PagesIn the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo s Nest by Ken Kesey we are taken into the mind of a mental hospital patient who does not seem to cope well with reality. The whole book itself, revolves around the issue of either being sane or not. We are met with the thought of whether the narrator themselves are sane. But when it comes to our world today, we must ask ourselves how can we define someone as insane or sane? If if we can, who should be in charge of saying that they are? The first character thatRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1873 Words   |  8 PagesThe novel I chose to read was entitled â€Å"One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest† written by Ken Kesey. First off, It is important to provide some of Ken Kesey’s background in order to better understand why he wrote it. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Kesey ended up at Stanford in a creative writing program. He ended up volunteering in an experimental drug program where he was used to test the different effects of the drugs at the Local Veterans Administration hospital. This was where he began toRead MoreKen Kesey s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest1716 Words   |  7 PagesThe Geese in the Wolf’s Nest â€Å"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.† (Orwell). Although animals might only look like animals, they are symbols of deeper meanings. Throughout the fiction novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, many symbols/motifs are presented in the form of animals that represent characters. These animals give meaning to the story and illuminate the plot by givingRead MoreAnalysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest By Ken Kesey1622 Words   |  7 Pagesor someone. Leadership on the other hand, may be a tool used to overcome authority which is depicted when McMurphy is admitted into the ward and effectively changes the patient’s lives for the better. Throughout the novel, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, written by Ken Kesey, McMurphy’s leadership dominates Nurse Ratched’s authority due to his success in transforming the patie nts into better people from the second of his arrival and giving them the option to live a better life. McMurphy, a gamblerRead MoreAnalysis Of Ken Kesey s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest2637 Words   |  11 Pages The Author and His/Her Times: Ken Kesey was born on September 17, 1935 and died on November 10, 2011 at age 66. Kesey was once arrested for possession of marijuana and a â€Å"faked suicide† and was put into prison for five years. He also had a lot of experimentation with psychoactive drugs, which could spark his interest in the human mind, which has a lot of influence on the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The novel was put on The Times list of To honor Kesey after his death, there is a film