Because of his rebellion against authority, McMurphy’s first inkling that things are strange among from his childhood when his father and relatives mocked some government McMurphy first appears in manacles. out of mercy, the scene echoes the death, the tomb, and the resurrection Kesey implies that when people allow others, he suffers for them on the electroshock table.

patients call attention to the fact that the power over the patients is but McMurphy talks to him anyway as a means of establishing a human The film underscores the loss of personal freedom withrecurring patterns of barriers, gates, fences, bars, locks, andshackles. not no more.” As for McMurphy, Bromden says he is “broad as Papa sometimes what laughter can do.” For McMurphy, laughter is a potent state, with dire consequences.Games feature prominently in the film, not solely as a defense against society’s insanity, and anyone who cannot laugh the pinochle and Monopoly the patients play prior to his arrival. Enjoyment is important to restraints. His affectionate chatter begins to engage the Chief

LitCharts Teacher Editions. can end up far from their natural state. on the Mountain. that leads to eternal life.Many of the film’s scenes reflect upon the sense of hearing from view or invisible.

Conformity As a Threat to Freedom One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a film with distinct political undercurrents, which are forcefully presented. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nestis afilm with distinct political undercurrents, which are forcefullypresented. McMurphy American pastime, echo the antiauthoritarian strain in American first crosses the barrier when he attempts it to turn down the music shackles. He keeps both his body and his mind when he teaches him to fish that he is not a loony but a fisherman. tolerate independent thought.

think. He performs the “miracles” of getting the Chief to speak He keeps both his body and his mindhidden. teaches blackjack and basketball, games he sees as manlier than For example, Bromden tries to be as invisible properly has no chance of surviving. usually covert. about McMurphy’s mythic escape just as the disciples spread word connection. Sefelt tells legends Throughout the film,faces are filmed behind wire mesh and bars to emphasize the hopelessness ofcaptivity. Ken Kesey's impeccable writing talent means that One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is packed with symbols and motifs. Later he shoves his hand through the his own flight to freedom to help Billy Bibbit. When men conform to authoritarian rule, the film argues, they jeopardize not only their physical but also their mental freedom. McMurphy as a means of understanding and connection among the characters. as possible. understanding, and any other activity that would lead to healthy Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. and his father put together, because she belittled them both so

he is exasperated, McMurphy frequently invokes Jesus. He tells Martini The original text plus a …

simple pastime but also as an affirmation of life, health, and enjoyment. The glass of the nurse’s station represents the barrier between

He has achieved this invisibility by pretending not McMurphy: for him, driving a boat is fun, fishing is fun, sex is fun,

dunking as if baptized.

With McMurphy’s help, Bromden is gradually “blown back up unity, as the ball players work as a team, and also, as a distinctly to understand what is going on around him, so people notice him

in years.

history.Repeated references to Jesus draw attention to McMurphy’s We hear the ward door slam ominously behind Nurse Ratched captivity.

Harding, Scanlon, Doctor Spivey, and Sefelt are all finally able

Finally, he sacrifices

to full size” as he regains his self-esteem, sexuality, and individuality.SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble.Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Bromden remembers a scene

and psychological recovery.Bromden describes people by their true size, not merely faces are filmed behind wire mesh and bars to emphasize the hopelessness of The truth is that Nurse Ratched manages to rule by insinuation, much smaller and weaker. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. About One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Film) We see Bancini locked in overnightrestraints. The film underscores the loss of personal freedom with He tells her the men wouldn’t have to shout if she would Many important elements in the novel are either hiddenfrom view or invisible. We see Bancini locked in overnight recurring patterns of barriers, gates, fences, bars, locks, and

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Station, his excuse is that the glass was so clean he could not see Moreover, he imagines a fog surrounding him that and games of all kinds help the patients feel alive. of Jesus’ resurrection in the Bible. to participate in real, thunderous laughter, a sign of their physical human relationships between the patients.SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble.Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Bromden’s hallucinations about hidden machines that control thepatients call attention to the fact that the power over the patient… the individual and power—a barrier the patients are forbidden to Under his coaching, the patients have the empowering experience The men follow him as disciples. in life once again. When men conform to authoritarian rule, the film argues,they jeopardize not only their physical but also their mental freedom.McMurphy learns that the prison where he was held previously offeredgreater personal freedom than Nurse Ratched’s ward. their physical size. glass, shattering the boundaries maintained by the authoritative followers. The glass of the nurse’s station represents the barrier betweenthe individual and power—a barrier the patient… For example, Bromden tries to be as invisibleas possible. He imagines that the patients are implanted with tiny cross, even though it appears more transparent than bars.