Skip to main content

In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, why is Bromden concerned about others finding out that he is not really deaf and mute? What happens that might...

Bromden is a character for whom silence acts as a sort of power within One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. While he has lived on the ward silently for a great period of time and cannot make deep connections with its residents, he nevertheless experiences a form of personal power in the ability to remain relatively unnoticed by staff. As such, he overhears their conversations and meetings and is privy to information he might otherwise not have. Yet, when McMurphy proposes a fishing trip within the novel, Bromden feels a sense of deep inner conflict. He wants to put his name on the sign-up sheet for the boating trip, but realizes that doing so will signal to both patients and staff that his deafness/muteness is not genuine. Kesey writes of Bromden's inner-debate:

"I didn't have the money, but I kept getting this notion that I wanted to sign the list. And the more [McMurphy] talked about fishing for Chinook salmon the more I wanted to go. I knew it was a fool thing to want; if I signed up, it'd be the same as coming right out and telling everybody I wasn't deaf" (Kesey 118). 

A major conflict, for Bromden, lies in his desire to form connections to other people and his desire to retain some sense of agency on the ward. While signing up for the trip means the loss of one “freedom” (his ability to go unnoticed), it gives him another (meaningful experiences outside the ward). The complication of this definition of freedom, as you might conclude, is that it proposes a sort of power lies in being unnoticed and/or unheard, which, for a character whose childhood experiences of being unheard were profoundly damaging, is troublesome.

Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. New York: Signet Books, 1962. PDF file.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more