One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - 1245 Words

An exceptionally tall, Native American, Chief Bromden, trapped in the Oregon psychiatric ward, suffers from the psychological condition of paranoid schizophrenia. This fictional character in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest struggles with extreme mental illness, but he also falls victim to the choking grasp of society, which worsens Bromden’s condition. Paranoid schizophrenia is a rare mental illness that leads to heavy delusions and hallucinations among other, less serious, symptoms. Through the love and compassion that Bromden’s inmate, Randle Patrick McMurphy, gives Chief Bromden, he is able to briefly overcome paranoid schizophrenia and escape the dehumanizing psychiatric ward that he is held prisoner in. The background of†¦show more content†¦As a part of the Army, Chief fought in World War II. It is very possible that Post-traumatic Stress Disorder could have been a contributing factor to his schizophrenia. However, it is unclear what exactly caused the onset of Bromden’s mental illness. There is no doubt that a combination of dominating forces including the government, his mother, and the Army caused Chief’s schizophrenia. â€Å"I’m the one been here the longest, since the Second World War... Longer’n any of the other patients† (18). Chief began to experience schizophrenia and was admitted to the Oregon psychiatric ward right after the war so it appears that the war was a contributing factor in his breakdown. The symptoms that Chief Bromden experiences are clearly representative of paranoid schizophrenia. The two most significant symptoms that Chief experiences are hallucinations and delusions. Bromden is absolutely convinced that the hospital, and the rest of the combine, is run by machinery. This is because he studied electronics in college, â€Å"I walk over to the technical section..books I recognize..I remember inside the books are full of schematic drawings and equa tions and theories† (182). The knowledge that Bromden’s brain has about electronics allows him to create outlandish delusions and hallucinations. â€Å"I see her sit in this web of wires like a watchful robot, tend her network with mechanical insect skill, know everyShow MoreRelatedOne Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest875 Words   |  3 Pages In â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest† by Ken Kesey, Nurse Ratched symbolizes the oppression of society through archetypal emasculation. The male patients at the ward are controlled, alienated and forced into submission by the superior female characters. Throughout the novel, there is a constant fear of female superiority; Randle McMurphy, the sexually empowered male protagonist, states how they are essentially being castrated. Castration, in the novel, symbolizes the removal of freedom, sexualRead MoreEssay On One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest1487 Words   |  6 PagesWard Power is defined as the controlling entity that cannot be escaped from those who are less superior. In Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, there is an evident theme shown throughout particular instances of how power can turn into something catastrophic. From this novel, many characters undergo highs and lows of this concept. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest tells a story through the perspective of Chief Bromden. The setting takes place in a mental institution located in Oregon, whereRead More One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Essay864 Words   |  4 PagesOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Written by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was published in 1967 by Penguin Books. This story was written based on the author’s experience while working in a mental institution. 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Ken Kesey, a big believer in individuality and the freedom to be oneself, brought new meaning to the world of psychiatry that changed treatments forever. This book didn’t just affect American society, it had a global impact. All around the world there are people that are admitted into mental institutionsRead MoreOne Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey580 Words   |  2 PagesOne Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is an enthralling book which depicts the lives of the insane and their struggles regarding the authority of a healthcare facility ward. The healthcare facility ward develops into a restaurant of disobedience while the wise-guy hero, attempts to reform the establishment while dignifying individuals within. The story is written in the first person perspective by Chief Bromden a big client that is sharing his psychologi cal facility experience. He is a man who has actually