Jessie Bono --
I feel I should be honest and just come out and say that I don't enjoy history work over the summer. Without a teacher to guide me through it, I find history completely overwhelming. Because of this, I chose One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. This book contains a shocking perspective of life in a mental institution, told by a patient who suffers terrible, nightmarish illusions. It astounded me that Kesey could completely grasp the viewpoint of the patient telling the story. It also forces me to question the sanity of Kesey himself.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tells of the introduction of Randle Patrick McMurphy into the ward. McMurphy completely shakes up the ward with his loud, outgoing, and rebellious nature. The ward, which has been running the same way for nearly a decade, begins to undergo changes, such as the (illegal) addition of gambling to the recreational activities. Even the other patients (mostly the ones known as "Acutes") begin to change, becoming more daring, more themselves than ever before. But McMurphy battles constantly with the Head Nurse -- a cool, collected demon woman with steel-blue hair and piercing green eyes. McMurphy and the Head Nurse (Mrs. Ratched) butt heads constantly, McMuphy winning some, "Mrs. Rat-Shed" (as McMurphy calls her) winning some. I'm about halfway through the book, but I predict that either McMurphy will be completely shattered by the ever-cool Mrs. Ratched, or that the whole ward will have an uprising against her, one in which they win.
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2 comments:
John Thyer - Nice insight, Jessie. I hope you've enjoyed the rest of the book and that the conclusion lives up to your expectations.
I find the Nurse to be one of the most interesting antagonists I've ever seen. She torments all of the patients psychologically and physically, yet maintains this incredible facade to the point that, while everybody knows what she's doing, the patients can't help but think that maybe she's just doing it for their own good. And thus she maintains her power, which is all she wants. She wants to have perfect control over these forty people, to utterly and completely rule their lives.
McMurphy is the worst person imaginable to her, a chaotic element, someone that doesn't conform to her neat little plan. And worst of all are a few of her rants where she chastises McMurphy, accusing him of manipulating people and playing God. She is one of the most hateful characters I've ever witnessed, and the amazing writing just brings her to life.
Emily Phelan
I choose this book also. I think that you got a lot out of this book and expect a lot to happen. Jessie you defiantly got more out of the book than I did because I did not like it. I am really glad that you liked it. I hope that it meets what you expect out of it and that you get the conclusion that you were hoping for. I also hope that you like it more than I did.
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