"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" written by Ken Kesey. The central character of Nurse Ratched is portrayed as the melodramatic device in the novel. The paper describes the nurse as the villain in the novel, and claims that she is less a real character than a symbol. It is explained that Kesey himself said that a story needs a villain who is truly evil and not just bad, and he has provided such a villain in this novel. The paper concludes with a brief review of the film made of this book, and the differences between the book and the film.

From the Paper:

"There are certain aspects of her character and background that are noted in the text. Nurse Ratched is an ex-army nurse, a reason for her dedication to regimentation and routine. Bromden says of her: "A mistake was made somehow in manufacturing, putting those big, womanly breasts on what would of otherwise been a perfect work, and you can see how bitter she is about it" (Kesey 11). McMurphy sees her as a machine at different times, indicating her mechanistic nature and her relationship to the Combine. When she is angry, McMurphy sees her as an eighteen-wheel truck: "She works the hinges in her elbows and fingers, I hear a small squeak. She starts moving, and I get back against the wall, and when she rumbles past she's already as big as a truck, trailing that wicker bag behind her in her exhaust like a semi behind a Jimmy Diesel" (Kesey 87). Big Nurse's desire for order and for a smooth-running operation is itself an example of mechanistic thinking -- the machine always runs properly and on time."

More papers on "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest":

• Film Review # 142255 : "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Conversation"
• Film Review # 117808 : "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
• Book Review # 111324 : "A Review of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
• Analytical Essay # 970 : "Imagery and Metaphor in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

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