Fictional Character Review of Keseys One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest - Book Report/Review Example

Fictional Character Review of Kesey’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” I have always been fascinated with the workings of the human mind. I enjoy psycho thrillers and am awed at the complexity of how people can think and behave beyond the normal manner I am accustomed. That is why I was particularly interested in the novel selected for this critique, as it gives me a peep into the situation inside a mental institution. Ken Kesey’s book, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” effectively walks the readers through the process of how mental institutions “rehabilitate” mentally-disordered patients. The character of Randle McMurphy serves as an unwilling witness to the inhumane treatment that the hospital staff gives the patients. McMurphy himself is not officially diagnosed as mentally ill but was brought to the hospital as an alternative for his sentence for work in the farm he came from. Hence, mentally, he is fit and capable of seeing anomalies in the system. At the outset, McMurphy swaggers in to blend with the patients, his strong personality inevitably promoting him to be the group leader. His vivacious and non-conformist spirit empowers the patients to likewise express themselves rocking the “well-steered” boat captained by Big Nurse Ratched. This head nurse apparently represents the whole mental health care system – cool and unperturbed by the strange and occasionally dangerous nature of the mentally ill, but not hesitant to advocate harsh measures should the offending patients merit it. The novel exposes inhumane procedures to curtail the repetition of serious offences such as electric shock treatment and lobotomy, or a surgery performed on the brain to render a person passive and useless, like a human vegetable. The orderlies are sanctioned to ruthlessly deal with misbehavior such as poking patients with a stick, inflicting bodily harm and unnecessarily manhandling them. Such abusive acts are likely to push the patients further into the abyss of mental illness rather than enlighten them on the inappropriateness of their actions. Outwardly, Big Nurse Ratched projects an image of highly professional nurse, with perfect manners and in full control of whatever situation she is thrown into. At one point, she even gives off the impression that she is democratic by allowing the patients to vote on a decision as to whether to stick to the routine or deviate from it to watch the World series game. It is obvious that she dominates the control in the ward because all the men bow to her system of routine, as she expects them to….except for one newcomer, in the person of Randle McMurphy whom she engages in a battle of wills. Their characters clash as Nurse Ratched epitomizes discipline and control while McMurphy’s represents spontaneity and lack of control. He is a rebel in his own right and his co-patients applaud him as they vicariously experience a sense of liberty when McMurphy puts one over Nurse Ratched and the whole hospital system. The patients warmed up to McMurphy’s character, realizing that they were being manipulated by Big Nurse Ratched into “behaving” as normal, manageable patients. In McMurphy, they found hope that they are capable of doing things on their own without the systematic guidance of Nurse Ratched. This caused the mounting of tension in the ward between the patients and the hospital staff and administration. When both Nurse Ratched and McMurphy eventually fight it out, driving McMurphy to totally lose his temper and act on his repressed urge to kill her for her cruelty masked with coolness, Nurse Ratched’s power manifests itself as McMurphy is sent for a lobotomy. Unknown to Nurse Ratched, who thinks she has reclaimed her rightful throne, after giving Mc Murphy what is due him (lobotomy), McMurphy is given the “dignity of death” by one of his close friend, Chief Bromden, who narrates the story from an insider’s perspective. He vindicates McMurphy of the shame of being defeated by Nurse Ratched by setting his spirit free from his vegetable-state body prison. Soon after, he himself escapes from the asylum symbolic of McMurphy’s attempt to try his best despite obvious hindrances and leaves the hell hole he has endured for the past ten years. Chief Bromden is another character to contend with. His father used to be the leader of an Indian tribe while his mother was an American woman who had a stronger personality than his father that it subjugated him. In the novel, he seems to compare his mother to Nurse Ratched who had a powerful influence in the institution. On the other hand, he may see his father in McMurphy who tried his best to assert himself to Nurse Ratched but ended up losing in their power struggle. Bromden’s act of suffocating McMurphy to death was his way of taking over his person, and seeing McMurphy as one representing his father, his death was like a ritual where he became his father himself. Escaping the asylum was his way of being free to be himself again and to rediscover his roots. The novel mirrors the harsh realities permeating into the mental healthcare system. Practitioners may take for granted their mentally-ill patients, especially those who seem to have no hope of being healed and the underprivileged, charity cases. Although the merciless practices exposed in the novel, electric shock treatments and lobotomy, have long been banned as a medical procedure, much of the inhumane, psychological warfare remain in most mental institutions. It is easy to fall into the trap of losing one’s patience with the mentally ill, much more if they pose as a burden to the staff because even their own family members have given up on them. The high level of stress working with these patients can easily be diffused by making a mockery of them and feeling that they, being normal people, are so much more superior to their patients. For some hospital staff, work with the mentally-ill gives them a position of power, and enjoy it to the hilt when they exercise this power over the patients. Family members of the patients usually lose interest in visiting them in the mental institutions because of their waning hope that their loved ones will ever be the same again. Add to that the shame attached to being related to a mentally ill person is palpably emphasized by society. Perhaps, for most of them, they are unaware of the maltreatment that their loved ones may be subjected to in mental institutions such as the one depicted by Kesley’s novel. The novel may be hyperbolic in a sense that events in the mental institution may be over the top. However, to quote from the novel, “It’s the truth even if it didn’t happen” (Kesley: 13). Many symbols were used that may be interpreted in a multitude of ways. I believe Kesley wants to express his disappointment that government funding does not prioritize mental healthcare as much as physical healthcare, as mental disabilities are not as observable as physical illness, hence, much more easier to neglect. More than a reflection of how mental institutions work, Kesley’s work may be generalized to how society oppresses the people and tramples on their human rights. However, as in everything else, there is hope. Although McMurphy may not be the ideal strong and courageous hero worthy of emulation, the idea of standing up for one’s rights, as he has shown, is the example Kesley wants his readers to follow. A more specific lesson to be learned is thus: griping about the harsh realities being faced by mental patients will not do them any good. Instead, working for their cause in “rocking the boat” and shaking the truth into the mental healthcare practitioners concerned that there are better alternative methods of therapy, and showing them that being more caring and compassionate to the patients (as it is what they pledged on with their Hippocratic oath) will indeed bring more healing than destruction to the already broken souls. Work Cited Kesley, K., One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, New York: Penguin books, 1972. EEX 4742 Fictional Character Review Rubric NAME Please attach this rubric to your critiques. The following categories will help you organize your papers. Each area should be addressed. Summary and Rationale (25%) Points Available Your Score Summarize briefly your selection (i.e., what happened in the story) and your rationale for selecting (e.g., why this theme, what intrigued you, what connections did you see to coursework or your current life). 1. No summary or rationale is provided. 15 2. Summary or rationale is provided, but not both 19 3. Summary and rationale are provided. 21 4. Well-articulated summary and rationale are 25 provided with clear connections to course material. Reflection (50%) A clear, thoughtful analysis of the different dimensions (e.g., moral, ethical, political, cultural, psychological) and their implications for one’s understanding of self, personal behavior/attitudes, or professional practice is incorporated throughout the critique. 1. No reflection is provided. 25 2. Reflection is sporadic with little connection to 36 course material. 3. Clear, concise reflection is provided with 43 connection to course material and personal or professional development. 4. Provides a creative, unique, and concise 50 reflection with clear connection to course material and personal or professional development. Writing and Structure of Paper (25%) High-quality critique with no spelling or grammatical errors and organized logically. 1. Product does not meet standards. 15 2. Sporadically meets standards. 18 3. Meets standards. 21 4. Exceptionally well crafted critique. 25 Total Points Read More