“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is a novel, created by Ken Kesey in the middle of the 20th century. The actions described in the book happen in Oregon psychiatric hospitals, and in general, this work of literature is devoted to the exploration of the human mind. It includes opposition to psychiatry, promoting individualistic principles (Collins, 2017). The novel tells a story of a rebellious patient of a psych ward, McMurphy, who prompts others to disobey and attempts to organize an escapade. However, his plans were fruitless, though he managed to break the power of the Nurse Ratched. By describing this story, Ken Kesey raises numerous themes, and the topic of social pressure and shame is among them. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to trace how the author reveals this theme throughout the novel.
McMurphy, who was sent to the psych ward by the state decision, was surprised to know that a number of patients were treated there based on their wish. For instance, one of the men in the hospital, Dale Harding, revealed this homosexuality and feared this fact about him. Consequently, he decided to complete psychiatry treatment to escape from the shame. His marriage with his wife aggravated his feelings and the pressure put on him (Collins, 2017). Another example could be the character Billy Bibbit, who, despite being at a mature age, is still dependent on his mother to such an extent that he is afraid of having a relationship with another woman (Muncan & Mainescu, 2017). He attaches considerable importance to his mother’s opinion and is feared by the likelihood of her disapproval. Bibbit is also worried by the possibility of his mother knowing something inappropriate about him, which worsens his image in his mother’s eyes (Collins, 2017). Describing these specific traits of Harding and Bibbit, the author highlights the topic of social pressure and shame in the novel.
All these characters have particular fears, which may be explained by some beliefs imposed by society and their embarrassment. Harding and Bibbit are concerned about the social image they create significantly, which prevents them from leading the lifestyle of their independent choice. They are ashamed by their unusual features, such as sexual orientation, or their intentions due to the fear of being judged by others (Muncan & Mainescu, 2017). This prompts them to hide these traits from society, and both Harding and Bibbit preferred to suppress their identity and intentions, which make them different from the rest.
To make this problem understandable, the author uses the following comparison told by Harding:
“This world…belongs to the strong, my friend! … We must face up to this. Nor more than right that it should be this way. We must learn to accept it as a law of the natural world. The rabbits accept their role in the ritual and recognize the wolf as strong. In defense, the rabbit becomes sly and frightened and elusive and he digs holes and hides when the wolf is about. And he endures, he goes on. He knows his place. He most certainly doesn’t challenge the wolf to combat” (Kessey 67).
The men are subjected to public opinion on what is normal and what is not, despite the fact that this division may be incorrect. They chose the easy way simply to obey the widely spread stereotypes instead of defining what is shameful and not for themselves on their own (Collins, 2017). However, it is impossible to hide self for the whole life, and the characters preferred to escape from their shame and social pressure by receiving treatment in hospital. Therefore, using the example of Harding and Bibbit, the author contradistinguishes them to McMurphy, who did not decide to be sent to a psych ward. In addition, McMurphy appears to be the one, who prompts Harding and Bibbit to overcome their fears. He encourages them to comprehend their dignity and overcome their shame, which makes them reconnect with their wishes and intentions regardless of social perception of them (Muncan & Mainescu, 2017). Ken Kesey reveals the negative impact of the inability to have personal opinions and fear to resist the commonly accepted belief, even though they may be wrong.
Therefore, the author pays attention to the theme of social pressure and shame in his novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. To illustrate this topic, he created two characters, Harding and Bibbit, who are extremely dependent on public opinion and are afraid of revealing their identity. Monologues and other direct citations help the reader to understand their ways of thinking, and therefore, their inability to defend their wishes and intentions. Moreover, when the characters are contrasted with McMurphy, the problem becomes apparent, as he stimulates them to overcome these beliefs. This way, the author highlights the theme of social pressure and shame, prompting readers to contemplate in this regard and decide whether the common stereotypes are worth following.
Works Cited
Collins, A. (2017). One flew over the cuckoo’s nest: Dean Brooks. British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(4), 297-297. Web.
Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Berkley, 1963.
Muncan, B., & Mainescu, C. (2017). Ken Kesey: One flew over the cuckoo’s nest. Sexuality & Culture, 21, 1234–1237.