Chapter 6:
“One Christmas at midnight on the button . . . in comes a fat man with a beard, eyes ringed red by the cold and his nose just the color of a cherry. . .The black boys move in with the flashlights. They kept him with us six years before they discharged him, clean-shaven and skinny as a pole.”(70)
This quote is important to the book because it shows how being in the ward can take everything away from you including your beliefs. The man in this quote is supposed to be Santa Clause and when he enters the ward he his jolly old self that everyone knows him to be. When he leaves the ward he is “shaven and skinny as a pole.” Which is showing that being in the ward strips the patients of everything that defies them. Once they leave that have no spirit and have lost who they are.
“You see that’s a recording playing up there, my friend. We seldom hear the radio. The world news might not be therapeutic. And we’ve all heard that recording so many times now it simply slides out of our hearing, the way the sound of a waterfall soon because an unheard sound to those who live near it. Do you think if you lived near a waterfall you could hear it very long?”(73)
Harding says this to McMurphy when McMurphy starts to get annoyed with the constant playing of the radio over the loud speakers. None of the other patients are bothered by the light music because it has become familiar for them, and it just blends in with whatever else is going on. This shows that their day never changes and they never get to hear or experience anything knew. Also they are in isolation by not being able to see what is on the news and what is going on in the world around them. The patients do not have control on their life, and are almost like the Big Nurse’s prisoners.
“And throws his head back and laughs out loud at the way the guys hustle to get their bets down. That laugh banged around the day room all evening, and all the time he was dealing he was joking and trying to get the player to laugh alone with him. But they were all afraid to loosen up; it’d been too long.”(74)
I thought that this quote was important to the book because it shows how all of the patients are scared to be who they are, and loosen up and have fun. The whole time that they have been admitted they have been told to me be people other than who they really were. In the end I believe that this has effected them more than their actual condition, and the only way that they would be able to get better would be if people accepted them for who they were and never pressured them to be someone different.
American Literature block 4's reading blog of Ken Kesey's ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Chapter 6,7, and 8
"One Christmas at midnight... in comes a fat man with a beard, eyes ringed red from the cold and his nose just the color of a cherry... They kept him with us six years before they discharged him, clean-shaven and skinny as a pole." (70) This man symbolizes Santa clause and childhood imagination and joy. He comes in a happy jolly big man and leaves stripped of everything that distinguishes him as Santa. The ward changes people and takes away their individuality. Santa is a childish thing and any adult that still believes in childish things like Santa is an outcast and not accepted by society as normal. That is why the ward keeps him for 6 years then sends him out as the ideal man, a perfect product.
"Then, just as she's rolling along at her biggest and meanest, McMurphy steps out of the latrine door right in front of her, holding that towel around his hips-stops her dead! She shrinks to about head-high to where that towel covers him, and he's grinning down on her. Her own grin is giving way, sagging at the edges."(87) This is a big point in the book because McMurphy finally got the best of the Big Nurse. Just when she was the biggest and meanest McMurphy comes out and undermines her with her rejection of sexuality. She shrinks down and McMurphy is the one smiling down on her. The Big Nurse has a plastic doll face with a smile that is always in a perfect red line and that is one of her biggest weapons against the patients. Her ability to keep a straight face no matter what makes her powerful. But at this moment her grin sags and starts to disappear making her less powerful. Here the tables turn and the patients gain the confidence to stand up for what they believe in as long as McMurphy is there to back them up.
"But if they don't exist, how can a man see them?"(82) This quote takes place right after the Chief dreams about the staff cutting up old Blastic during the night. In the morning they find out that old Blastic passed away in his sleep. The Chief has a mixed reality where the things he imagines are in fact true but he sees them in a way other people can't. The staff did not actually physically cut Blastic open and kill him. But they are the reason for his death. The hospital runs men down till they are old vegatables like Blastic and all they can do is wait to die. This quote also makes me think back to when Cheif described the Big Nurse. He said she was this giant machine and told us she carried around wires and gears in her bag to install in patients to control them. The Big Nurse is not actually a machine but she behaves like one. She has perfectly calculated movements and the perfect look that allows her to control the men. She does not install gears and wires in the men to control them but rather she installs fear. The Cheif can see this but in a slightly different way. Where is the line between reality and imagination? The answer is, there isnt one.
"But if they don't exist, how can a man see them?"(82) This quote takes place right after the Chief dreams about the staff cutting up old Blastic during the night. In the morning they find out that old Blastic passed away in his sleep. The Chief has a mixed reality where the things he imagines are in fact true but he sees them in a way other people can't. The staff did not actually physically cut Blastic open and kill him. But they are the reason for his death. The hospital runs men down till they are old vegatables like Blastic and all they can do is wait to die. This quote also makes me think back to when Cheif described the Big Nurse. He said she was this giant machine and told us she carried around wires and gears in her bag to install in patients to control them. The Big Nurse is not actually a machine but she behaves like one. She has perfectly calculated movements and the perfect look that allows her to control the men. She does not install gears and wires in the men to control them but rather she installs fear. The Cheif can see this but in a slightly different way. Where is the line between reality and imagination? The answer is, there isnt one.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Chapter 5
"And that's just exactly what that meeting I just set through reminded me of, buddy, if you want to know the dirty truth. It reminded me of a flock of dirty chickens." (pg. 55)
This quote takes place after the group meeting with the Big Nurse and the doctor. When McMurphy notices the way the nurse picks at the Acutes, he angrily compares the group discussions to a pecking party. Just like the first chicken will peck at a spot of blood, the nurse will target weaker patients like Harding. This moment in the chapter sets off McMurphy's new "war" with the Big Nurse as he is determined to stand up against her. It also is a part in the story where every patient is still weak and powerless, while the nurse has absolute control over their actions and opinions of themselves.
"Why, see here, my friend Mr. McMurphy, my psychopathic sidekick, our Miss Ratched is a veritable angel of mercy and why just everyone knows it. She's unselfish as the wind, toiling thanklessly for the good of all, day after day, five long days a week." (pg. 58)
After McMurphy insults the Big Nurse and tries to convince everyone that she is an evil controlling woman, Harding tries defending her. This eventually leads to an ongoing combination of hand gestures and support for Miss Ratched, however finally Harding gives in. This quote shows how hard Harding is trying to support both the nurse and his past opinions, but also how constricted his words are. His support is not genuine and his change in views of the nurse allows us to know that the patients never truly favored the nurse, but just never could do anything against her.
"You're safe as long as you keep control. As long as you don't lose your temper and give her actual reason to request the restriction of the Disturbed Ward, or the therapeutic benefits of Electro Shock, you are safe." (pg. 68)
This quote is when Harding gives McMurphy advice on how to get on the nurse's nerves and win the "war". He mentions how anyone who tries to bother Miss Ratched must keep calm and steer clear of the chance of being treated of a mental illness. All of the patients in the ward have had previous experiences with Miss Ratched's reactions, but McMurphy is the newest addition to the group. He is overconfident and feels that it will be an easy task to take control away from the nurse. Later, we learn that even McMurphy struggles with the new role of being the sacrifice for everyone else.
This quote takes place after the group meeting with the Big Nurse and the doctor. When McMurphy notices the way the nurse picks at the Acutes, he angrily compares the group discussions to a pecking party. Just like the first chicken will peck at a spot of blood, the nurse will target weaker patients like Harding. This moment in the chapter sets off McMurphy's new "war" with the Big Nurse as he is determined to stand up against her. It also is a part in the story where every patient is still weak and powerless, while the nurse has absolute control over their actions and opinions of themselves.
"Why, see here, my friend Mr. McMurphy, my psychopathic sidekick, our Miss Ratched is a veritable angel of mercy and why just everyone knows it. She's unselfish as the wind, toiling thanklessly for the good of all, day after day, five long days a week." (pg. 58)
After McMurphy insults the Big Nurse and tries to convince everyone that she is an evil controlling woman, Harding tries defending her. This eventually leads to an ongoing combination of hand gestures and support for Miss Ratched, however finally Harding gives in. This quote shows how hard Harding is trying to support both the nurse and his past opinions, but also how constricted his words are. His support is not genuine and his change in views of the nurse allows us to know that the patients never truly favored the nurse, but just never could do anything against her.
"You're safe as long as you keep control. As long as you don't lose your temper and give her actual reason to request the restriction of the Disturbed Ward, or the therapeutic benefits of Electro Shock, you are safe." (pg. 68)
This quote is when Harding gives McMurphy advice on how to get on the nurse's nerves and win the "war". He mentions how anyone who tries to bother Miss Ratched must keep calm and steer clear of the chance of being treated of a mental illness. All of the patients in the ward have had previous experiences with Miss Ratched's reactions, but McMurphy is the newest addition to the group. He is overconfident and feels that it will be an easy task to take control away from the nurse. Later, we learn that even McMurphy struggles with the new role of being the sacrifice for everyone else.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Chapter 3
Posting this for Cecilia Tripoli because she can't set up an account: Showing the narrator's pessimistic outlook on viewing the patients as broken machinery, non-human: "What the Chronics are -- or most of us -- are machines with flaws inside that can't be repaired, flaws born in, or flaws beat in ... " (19). "Chronics don't move around much, and the Acutes say they'd just as leave stay over on their own side ... they don't like to be reminded that here's what could happen to them someday" (21). This shows there is a divide between the patients in the hospital, the desire to be superior and create groups and teams, exhibiting human nature. The narrator thinks of the humans as machines, but as he shakes McMurphy's hand, he notes: "I remember the fingers were thick and strong closing over mine, and my hand commenced to feel peculiar and went to swelling up out there on my stick of an arm, like he was transmitting his own blood into it. It rang with blood and power" (27).
Mine: "They spy on each other. Sometimes one man says something about himself that he didn't aim to let slip, and one of his buddies at the table where he said it ... writes down the piece of information he heard -- of therapeutic interest to the whole ward, is what the Big Nurse says the book is for..." (19). This observation shows the manipulative and controlling attitude of the Big Nurse. She uses medical reasons as a way to control and keep track of all the patients. Also, she's slowly turning the patients against each other. If the patients are all divided and wary of each other, there will never be a united challenge against her power in the hospital. Big Nurse says to McMurry, "I'm sorry to interrupt you and mr.Bromden, but you do understand: everyone ... must follow the rules" (28). Big Nurse sees McMurry as a threat to her power already and is clearly warning him with this statement. She can tell that he is different from all the other patients and has the ability to usurp her control. "But there are some of us Chronics that the staff made a couple of mistakes on years back, some of us who were Acutes when we came in, and got changed over." (19). This statement shows how carelessly patients are treated in this hospitals. Some patients, when they were first admitted, had hopes of being cured and returning to the outside world. However, due to errors made by the staff, the patients were completely ruined and thus became "Chronics," or patients who stayed in the hospital forever.
Mine: "They spy on each other. Sometimes one man says something about himself that he didn't aim to let slip, and one of his buddies at the table where he said it ... writes down the piece of information he heard -- of therapeutic interest to the whole ward, is what the Big Nurse says the book is for..." (19). This observation shows the manipulative and controlling attitude of the Big Nurse. She uses medical reasons as a way to control and keep track of all the patients. Also, she's slowly turning the patients against each other. If the patients are all divided and wary of each other, there will never be a united challenge against her power in the hospital. Big Nurse says to McMurry, "I'm sorry to interrupt you and mr.Bromden, but you do understand: everyone ... must follow the rules" (28). Big Nurse sees McMurry as a threat to her power already and is clearly warning him with this statement. She can tell that he is different from all the other patients and has the ability to usurp her control. "But there are some of us Chronics that the staff made a couple of mistakes on years back, some of us who were Acutes when we came in, and got changed over." (19). This statement shows how carelessly patients are treated in this hospitals. Some patients, when they were first admitted, had hopes of being cured and returning to the outside world. However, due to errors made by the staff, the patients were completely ruined and thus became "Chronics," or patients who stayed in the hospital forever.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Chapter 2
“I don’t remember if I got breakfast or not. Probably not. I can call to mind some mornings locked in seclusion the black boys keep bringing seconds of everything-supposed to be for me, but they eat it instead-till all three of them get breakfast while I lie there on that pee-stinking mattress, watching them wipe up egg with toast.--pg 14 Although the narrator is clearly delusion one cannot help but feel sorry for him. What interests me is that in this exaggerated description, there seems to be some truth. Like him not remembering if he got breakfast. Bromden most likely can’t remember due to medications but how can a person live like that. Especially an insane person needs to feel a sense of security and safety. As a result this quotation shows me that the mental hospital isn’t doing enough for Bromden if he still feels helpless.
“Whoever comes in the door I usually somebody disappointing, but there’s always a chance otherwise, and when a key hits the lock all the heads come up like there’s stings on them.”--pg 15
In my experience when someone opens a door to a classroom, auditorium or any other such place most people turn to see who it is because everyone is curious by nature. A mental hospital is usually anything but normal but to me this quote expresses that sometimes its just that, normal. However the narrator says that most visitors are disappointing, as is to be expected in a mental hospital where patients are made to be calm and without excitement. But this also means that these patients don’t get to have all the aspects of a normal human life because and there disability, and its disheartening.
“Still, even though I can’t see him, I know he’s no ordinary Admission. I don’t hear him slide scared along the wall, and when they tell him about the shower he don’t just submit with a weak little yes, he tells them right back in a loud, brassy voice that he’s already plenty damn clean, thank you.”--pg 15
“Chief Bromden” is much smarter than most of the people there and especially more than people think he is. Bromden has been around long enough to know the occurrences of life there and the people that go there. But he can tell through subtle clues that this new guy is different. This shows that the Chief knows a lot about the people there and can tell the differences more that most people. It even seems as though he is foreshadowing or predicting an issue surrounding this new patient.
Chapter 2
"They got enough of those things they call pills down me so I don't know a thing till I hear the ward door open." (15)-- This quote made me realize that these people that are living in this mental hospital are not able to control there own bodies by themselves. They don't have any control of their lives and don't know what the nurses are giving to them each day. I wonder what its like to not be able to have a say in what I do? Do these people in the mental hospital trust the nurses that they are keeping them safe?
"Nobody can tell exactly why he laughs; there's nothing funny going on. But its not the way that Public Relation laughs, it's free and loud and it comes out of his wide grinning mouth and spreads in rings bigger and bigger till its lapping against the walls all over the ward. Not like that fat Public Relations laugh. This sounds real. I realize all of the sudden its the first laugh I've heard in years." (16)-- This quote shows how interested the narrator is of the new person in the hospital, Mr. McMurry, and how "dead" the atmosphere is in the hospital. The narrator says he hasn't heard a real laugh in years, this must be a pretty depressing place and nothing interesting of fun ever happens until this man came along. The narrator seems to notice a lot of details about specific things.
"Every morning we sit lined up on each side of the day room, mixing jigsaw puzzles, after breakfast, listen for a key to hit the lock and wait to see what's coming in. There's not a whole lot else to do." (15)-- This quote really hit me and made me feel sorry for the people in this mental hospital. They have nothing exciting in there life, and every day is the same, where nothing happens or is different. Something that is not exciting at all is exciting for them there. I can't even imagine how boring and depressing it is for there people. How could these people be at the hospital for so long doing the same thing every day?
"Nobody can tell exactly why he laughs; there's nothing funny going on. But its not the way that Public Relation laughs, it's free and loud and it comes out of his wide grinning mouth and spreads in rings bigger and bigger till its lapping against the walls all over the ward. Not like that fat Public Relations laugh. This sounds real. I realize all of the sudden its the first laugh I've heard in years." (16)-- This quote shows how interested the narrator is of the new person in the hospital, Mr. McMurry, and how "dead" the atmosphere is in the hospital. The narrator says he hasn't heard a real laugh in years, this must be a pretty depressing place and nothing interesting of fun ever happens until this man came along. The narrator seems to notice a lot of details about specific things.
"Every morning we sit lined up on each side of the day room, mixing jigsaw puzzles, after breakfast, listen for a key to hit the lock and wait to see what's coming in. There's not a whole lot else to do." (15)-- This quote really hit me and made me feel sorry for the people in this mental hospital. They have nothing exciting in there life, and every day is the same, where nothing happens or is different. Something that is not exciting at all is exciting for them there. I can't even imagine how boring and depressing it is for there people. How could these people be at the hospital for so long doing the same thing every day?
Friday, April 1, 2011
CHAPTER ONE
"They're out there" (9) are the first words we see, all on a page themselves. If that's all you knew of this book was that first line you'd still know a lot. The speaker is scared. There is a threat, feeling ominous, dangerous, foreign. The fact that he doesn't specify who the "they" is adds to the mood. More paranoia, suspicion, fear in this voice as we go on -- it's striking.
"So she really lets herself go and her painted smile twists, stretches to an open snarl, and she blows up bigger and bigger, big as a tractor, so big I can smell the machinery inside the way you smell a motor pulling too big a load" (11). Holy cow. The Chief is not like us. He doesn't see the world in our way at all. I wonder how much we can trust of what he says. More than anything, this is a "voice" I want to hear talk more. Compelling.
"It's still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it's the truth even if it didn't happen" (13).
That line speaks loudly to me. Clearly even the little introduction so far has a lot in it that can't have happened. But is it the truth? Can it be both things? I'm thinking about a literary tradition called magical realism that comes mostly out of Mexico and Central/South America. Very often what seems to be a rock-hard, realistic world is twisted in some way in these books. Their world is just like ours, but with something very otherworldly in it too. Maybe it takes reaching outside reality sometimes to say something about reality.
In many instances in history and in literature, too, insane people have been seen as prophets or truth-seers. Is the Chief one of these?
"So she really lets herself go and her painted smile twists, stretches to an open snarl, and she blows up bigger and bigger, big as a tractor, so big I can smell the machinery inside the way you smell a motor pulling too big a load" (11). Holy cow. The Chief is not like us. He doesn't see the world in our way at all. I wonder how much we can trust of what he says. More than anything, this is a "voice" I want to hear talk more. Compelling.
"It's still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it's the truth even if it didn't happen" (13).
That line speaks loudly to me. Clearly even the little introduction so far has a lot in it that can't have happened. But is it the truth? Can it be both things? I'm thinking about a literary tradition called magical realism that comes mostly out of Mexico and Central/South America. Very often what seems to be a rock-hard, realistic world is twisted in some way in these books. Their world is just like ours, but with something very otherworldly in it too. Maybe it takes reaching outside reality sometimes to say something about reality.
In many instances in history and in literature, too, insane people have been seen as prophets or truth-seers. Is the Chief one of these?
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