One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (Post #1)

“’Man, you’re talkin’ like a fool. You mean to tell me that you’re gonna sit back and let some old blue-haired woman talk you into being a rabbit?’
‘Not talk me into it, no. I was born a rabbit. Just look at me. I simply need the nurse to make me happy with my role.’
‘You’re no damned rabbit!’
‘See the ears? the wiggly nose? the cute little button tail?’
‘You’re talking like a crazy ma-‘
‘Like a crazy man? How astute.’
‘Damn it, Harding, I didn’t mean it like that. You ain’t crazy that way. I mean-hell, I been surprised how sane you guys all are. As near as I can tell you’re not any crazier than the average a**hole on the street-‘
‘Ah yes, the a**hole on the street.’
‘But not, you know, crazy like the movies paint crazy people…’”(55).

I think that this quote is the start of the theme for the book. The author is using the character McMurphy, who is sane but was ruled insane to keep from going to a prison work camp again, to show how the Big Nurse has drove all the patients to believe they cannot help themselves. I also like how the author also takes this chance to critique our society. McMurphy points out that most of the patients in the ward are no different than guys on the street, but since society has ruled them insane they have to be locked all day in a building.

I enjoy reading this book and really like how the author uses his characters. The author uses a character that has fooled everyone into thinking he is deaf, and uses him as the narrator. Since nobody thinks Bromden can hear anything he is able to overhear almost everyone’s conversation. The author also uses his characters as symbols. The patients in the insane asylum describe themselves as rabbits hiding from the dangers of society. The Big Nurse is described as a wolf that trains them how to hide from danger. However, when McMurphy is introduced it becomes evident that he is also a wolf. I’m interested to see how this book plays out, and am anxious to find out if the patients will stick to the teachings of the Big Nurse or if they will help McMurphy try and break her.