In ken keseay's 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' a psychiatric ward becomes a metaphor for the oppressive nature of society

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In ken keseay’s ‘one flew over the cuckoo’s nest’ a psychiatric ward becomes a metaphor for the oppressive nature of society. This symbolic novel relays the story of an inmate standing up against the powerful forces that operate a mental institute. This novel represents more than man vs the institutions. The novel compels us to think about just how thin the line is that separates insanity from sanity and treatment from control. One flew Over thee cuckoo’s nest represents a heroic struggle of personality against an institution of mindless conformity.

Change becomes relevant in each character in the ward all through the influence of mcmurphy. The central character chief bromden experiences a remarkable outbreak as mcmurphy brings him out of his shell.

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Chief bromden is a paranoid schizophrenic as well as the narrator of the novel. Kesey uses the mental hospital as a metaphor for the oppression he sees in the modern society. This makes us question accepted definitions of what we regard as sane or insane

Until the arrival of the anarchic mcmurphy, the patients co-operate. They swallow their tranquillisers, agree to any guilt-mongering diagnosis or humiliating treatment the authorities say is for their good. They take part in democratic therapy sessions that adrupt end if anyone tries to change anything, and know that the ultimate sanction is lobotomy

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