Wednesday 8 August 2012

After reading Part 2 of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, I definitely have mixed feelings of the book. I enjoy reading how the character McMurphy challenges the authority of Big Nurse, and how Big Nurse tries to regain her control of her ward, however, my opinion of Kesey’s style of writing still stands as difficult to follow. I enjoy reading about the theme of struggle and going against conformity; I have this image of a fish swimming upstream, or an ant that chooses to fall out of line. These are only two examples of non-conforming in nature.
            It’s entertaining to read how the other patients in the ward look up to McMurphy as the their “leader”. For example, on page 68, when McMurphy first introduces the bet of getting under Big Nurse’s skin, “Cheswick is hopping from foot to foot and rubbing his hands together like McMurphy rubs his”. This is just one example of how influential McMurphy is towards the other patients. McMurphy is like the quaterback of a football team, the pointguard of a basketball team, or the skip of a curling team. At first, McMurphy doesn’t realize his leadership over the other patients,  but then after Cheswick’s death/suicide, I believe McMurphy feels a little but of guilt and responsible.
            When McMurphy punches the glass that Big Nurse hides behind, I think that it shows him regaining the upper hand of authority within the ward. Punching the glass shows his msculinity and strength, both physical and mental strength. Reading the power struggle between McMurphy and Big Nurse is similar to watching a tennis match: After McMurphy punches the glass, I got the feeling that in his head he’s thinking “the ball is in her (Big Nurse) court now”.
            McMurphy is genuinely scared of the electroshock therapy treatment...of course he would be, it sounds extremely excruciating. The EST that Big Nurse issues to the patients that behave unaccordingly is a cruel way to establish her control in the ward; although cruel, it is effective as well. I could even argue that Big Nurse is the one who is “mentally ill” for not hesitating to perform such a malicious act towards the patients, it is almost as if she takes pleasure in putting the patients of the ward through so much pain. I believe that everybody in the ward, (the patients, the staff/aides, and Big Nurse) are all there because they are all in some form or anothe, “mentally ill”. The black boys act like Big Nurse’s evil minions...carrying out her devilish demands of administering sedatives, performing the EST, and acting upon the snap of her fingers. Perhaps the black boys lack self-confidence and direction in their lives, that’s why they look towards Big Nurse for guidance.
Who really is crazy, and who isn’t? Maybe everyone is crazy...or maybe they're all normal. Who really knows anything these days

1 comment:

  1. Hi Matt,

    Good metaphors of the fish and ant - it shows that process to succeed against conformity is a slow, uphill battle :( Also a good simile for McMurphy and the sports captains :)

    Insightful comments about insanity and Big Nurse perhaps being the one who is insane.

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