Literary Analysis # 5 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1. "They're still out there." So says Chief Bromden, a member of the asylum under the tyrannical rule of Nurse Ratched. The Combine, the Illuminati, everyone. But above all else, Nurse Ratched. She who rules with an iron fist. She who beats and humiliates every patient into submission until they're nothing more than dogs asking for permission. Chief, Billy, Harding, Cheswick, Martini, everyone. But that all changes when Randle P. McMurphy (otherwise known as R.P.) comes in. Here's a man with "swag". Here's a man who won't take sh*t from anyone. Right off the bat, R.P and Nurse Ratched don't get along. R.P refuses to succumb to Ratched, and Ratched refuses to give up power. However, what Ratched doesn't count on is the influence that R.P. has over the patients. The patients look up to Randle. They see a man who is willing to go against the grain, a man who wants them to act as they would and not as Ratched would. With R.P. handling events like protesting against Ratched not showing the World Series, organizing basketball games, gambling with cigarettes, and having the patients fishing, Ratched can feel control slipping from her grasp. However that's not the only problem in the asylum. R.P. McMurphy is a slacker, first and foremost. The only reason he is in the asylum is because he believed he would live in a life of relative comfort compared to prison. Couple that with a relatively small sentence, and you have a man who faked insanity so as to avoid the dirty work. However, in the asylum Nurse Ratched determines when he can leave. As this realization dawns upon McMurphy, he starts to succumb to her will. However, this also coincides with him taking an unofficial role as the leader of the patients and as an inspiration for rebellion. This leads the patients to become confused, as a man who was once rebellious is now passive. Cheswick attempts to rebel against Ratched, but because McMurphy didn't stand up for him, he drowns himself in the pool. McMurphy, under pressure from both Ratched and the patients, starts losing his will, sanity and strength. However, he is still able to organize Billy to lose his virginity with the prostitute Candy while also simultaneously escaping the asylum. As luck would have it, McMurphy becomes too wasted to escape and collapses. Nurse Ratched, in a fit of rage over Billy sleeping with a prostitute, threatens to tell him off to his mother. Billy becomes hysterical and slits his own throat with glass. McMurphy, enraged over Ratched's refusal to own up to her mistakes, strangles her and rips open her dress,. However, he is knocked unconscious before he can kill her. Ratched has him lobotomized but the damage is done. No longer able to maintain control of the ward, the patients are either transferred or checked out. The only ones left are Chief, Martini and Scanlon. McMurphy returns, but is a shell of his former self. Lobotomized into a vegetative state, Ratched hoped to use him as a symbol for what happens when you f*ck with Nurse Ratched. Wishing to have McMurphy die with dignity, Chief suffocates McMurphy with a pillow. He then picks up a shower room control panel and throws it out the window, allowing him to escape.
2.The main theme for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is individualism vs. conformity. With Nurse Ratched, and the asylum as a whole, we have a society demanding conformity. Anyone who asks questions or is in any way a nuisance is immediately perceived as a threat and must be exterminated immediately. With R.P. McMurphy, we have a man who promotes individualism and non-conformity. Anything that conforms to society is inherently weak. As such, there is a power struggle between individualism and conformity.  And while the catalyst for individualism may have died, that spirit lived on in the rest of the patients, so much so that Ratched was powerless to stop them.
3. The best I could describe Kesey's tone is sympathetic and critical. Considering that Kesey himself was a volunteer for Project MKUltra, it would make sense that he would have sympathy for the patients in the asylum. As such, the patients, despite their flaws/disabilities, are shown into a positive light while the nurses and aides in the asylum are shown as control freaks who will do anything to have order. R.P. McMurphy, despite the fact that he is a petty criminal who is accused of statutory rape, is portrayed as the hero of the story. This also leads to Kesey's critical tone. He is critical of the asylums, he is critical of the working conditions, and he is critical of society as a whole. He is critical of their suppression of sex (as evidenced by Billy) and he is critical of their suppression of the people.
4. Setting - By setting this story in an asylum, Kesey is able to explore his critique of society in a much more creative manner than he normally could. By setting it in an asylum, Kesey is able to create an effective allegory about the concepts of individualism vs. conformity using characters who are not your every-day heroes.
Symbolism - Throughout the novel, Chief continually comments on how there is always green seepage wherever the staff have a meeting. While there isn't any physical seepage to be found, it symbolizes the poison and harm that the staff are causing the patients as opposed to aiding and healing.
Metaphor - Harding, when describing the patients and their relationship, alludes them as rabbits versus a wolf. The patients are rabbits because they are afraid of the wolf, Nurse Ratched. And the reason they won't oppose her is because they are rabbits internally because they don't want to show it externally.
Play on words - Ratched is a play-on-words of the word "ratchet", which is a device that only allows motion in one direction. Fittingly, Nurse Ratched will only allow the patients to go into one direction (submission) and try to stop any attempts of individualism.


1. Direct characterization: "...other than me, the Chronics don't move around much, and the Acutes just say they'd just as leave stay over on their side, give reasons like the Chronic side smells worse than a dirty diaper." (pg. 18) or "She sounded like a teacher bawling out a student." (pg. 96).
Indirect: "You gripe, you bitch for weeks on end about how you can't stand this place, can't stand the nurse or anything about her, and all the time you ain't committed." (pg. 195) "But they can't do that look. There's nothin' in the face. Just one of those store dummies, ain't that right, Scanlon?"
2. When Kesey focuses on Chief and Chief alone, the thinking becomes much more... schizophrenic. While Chief himself isn't what we would call clinically insane, it definitely seems he's either on some drugs or has some social disorder. He becomes obsessed with the idea that the world is controlled by the Combine, and that most people are nothing more than machines. To many people, he is insane. To others, he simply thinks things in a different perspective.
3. Chief is a dynamic, round character. At the beginning, he is a man who is afraid to stand up for himself. His whole goal is simply to be unnoticed. He refuses to talk, and believes that the strength in him is gone. However, as the story progresses Chief becomes more confident in himself. Eventually, he discovers the strength inside him and leaves the asylum forever.
4. Concerning Chief, I feel like I met a character. Since he took on a more passive role as a main character, I couldn't really connect to him as I could with R.P. McMurphy. Chief just came across as a passive, observant fellow, much like Nick Carraway in the Great Gatsby.

Thinking Outside of the Box

"Everything has been figured, except how to live." - Jean-Paul Sartre
"We do not know yet what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are - that is a fact." Jean-Paul Sartre.

 Think about the place you have chosen as your hell. Does it look ordinary and bourgeois, like Sartre’s drawing room, or is it equipped with literal instruments of torture like Dante’s Inferno? Can the mind be in the hell in beautiful place? Is there a way to find peace in a hellish physical environment? Enter Sartre’s space more fully and imagine how it would feel to live there endlessly, night and day.

This is my hell. A place wher I am relegated to continue my existence as one character, one face, while the Others continue to milk me for all I'm worth while I suffer the fallout of said milking. In all seriousness, though, my hell is a place that is indistinguishable from reality. Everything looks the same, everything feels the same, everything smells the same. However, there is a subtle rift about this place. No one cares about you. No one. They will ignore you no matter what you do. Talk to them, and they will simply go about their lives as if you never existed. You can do anything you want, but it has no consequences. No one will react, no one will notice. And the best part: this goes about every day. You don't age. The concept of time has been eradicated. Kinda reminds me of this. Except no happy ending. Meaning, you are stuck forever with your thoughts, but no one to share them with. Have fun staying sane.

Could hell be described as too much of anything without a break? Are variety,moderation and balance instruments we use to keep us from boiling in any inferno of excess,' whether it be cheesecake or ravenous sex?

While hell could be described that way, I lean more towards the notion that hell is a whole lot of nothing. That it presents the illusion of anything while, in reality, it's nothing. Much like BioWare and choices. They present the illusion that choice is present, but in reality that choice is irrelevant. It doesn't matter what you choose, because the story is still going to advance anyways as if that choice were never made. That's hell. You're given the illusion that there's too much of anything and everything when it's nothing. An illusion to act as a catalyst for insanity. An illusion, forcing you to abandon all sense of moderation so that desperation and insanity start hastening into your bloodstream. Moderation, the sign of sanity, gone forever.

How does Sartre create a sense of place through dialogue? Can you imagine what it feels like to stay awake all the time with the lights on with no hope of leaving a specific place?How does GARCIN react to this hell? How could you twist your daily activities around so that everyday habits become hell? Is there a pattern of circumstances that reinforces the experience of hell?

By having Garcin and the Valet engage in dialogue, with Garcin playing a round of 20 Questions. By having Garcin continually ask questions concerning his existence and the perception of hell, we get the idea that this hell is never ending. We also get the idea that Garcin cannot accept the fact that he is in hell. He is still in denial and wants to re-live back in Earth. And who wouldn't blame him? I'd go insane if I was stuck in the same place for the rest of my life. Heck, I might try to deny it even existed, and pulled one of those cliched movie tricks where the character says "It's all a dream. If I go to sleep, I'll wake up in my bed..." but everyone in the world knows that the dream is reality. And that could also affect my activities. Playing the same video game at the same spot the whole time would make anyone want to eliminate their existence. Playing the same song over and over (like this one or this one) would drive anyone to the point of insanity where men like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ottis Toole and Henry Lee Lucas seem reasonable. As evidenced by Groundhog Day, if I had to relive the same day over and over again, I would start losing my wits and my sanity. 

Compare how Plato and Sartre describe the limitations of our thinking and imply solutions to the problem. Be sure to analyze their literary techniques, especially their use of allegory and extended metaphor.

Plato regards thinking as a burden that rests on the individual. Each person is very well capable of thinking for themselves and figuring out that shadows are irrelevant: it's what causes the shadows that is important. All it requires... is a little *push*. Sartre is much more complex. As evidenced by his portrayal of Garcin and Estelle, it's not enough to simply break the chains of ignorance. Rather, you acknowledge your existence and refuse to allow others to create a reflection of you. You are determined by you. Your perception is a direct result of what you've experienced in your life. Everything else is just someone's refection of you. For those who cannot cope with this, life is tough. They cannot create a meaning of their "self" and resort to relying on others to form an opinion of themselves. 

Literature Analysis #4: A Christmas Carol

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” - Dalai Lama XIV

1. The story begins on a "cold, bleak, biting" Christmas Eve. It has been seven years since the death of Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley, yet Scrooge is still as miserly and despicable as before. He refuses to donate any money to the poor, he refuses to visit his cousin Fred, and the only reason he allows Bob Cratchit the day off with pay is because it's customary. However, that all changes when he is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley. Jacob tries to warn Scrooge that if he doesn't change his ways, he will be stuck in misery and torment in the afterlife. As such, Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows just how happy Scrooge was in his younger years, and how his increasing love for money caused him to alienate his love, Belle,  and to become more and more coldhearted, to the point where he's a shell of his former self. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge many different people celebrating Christmas, such as the marketplace, but most importantly, of Bob Cratchit and his family. Scrooge also takes note of Tiny Tim, and how he's sick, but can't be cured because Bob's pay is so low. Finally, he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost shows Scrooge the death of Tiny Tim, and how, when Scrooge dies, no one attends to his funeral, and how his house woman has stolen some of his belongings so as to sell them. Scrooge is also shown how his grave is the only one left unattended. This prompts Scrooge to vow to change his ways, which he does. He donates a turkey to the Cratchits, he visits his nephew Fred, and he donates money to the poor. The story ends with Scrooge completely changed as a person, one who is now the epitome of the spirit of Christmas.
2. The theme of the novel is simple: redemption and kindness. As is shown with Scrooge, it doesn't matter how much of jerk you are. If you can set your mind straight, and put your heart to it, you can redeem yourself. And that redemption will bring more happiness than money ever will. Which also leads to kindness: Scrooge was at his happiest when he was helping others, and enjoying life. He was at his worst when his focus was on money, and nothing else. Thus, money is the root of all evil.
3. The author's tone changes based on which ghost is present. From the beginning all the way up to the Ghost of Christmas Past, the tone is very somber, very melancholy. The Ghost of Christmas Past is much more sorrowful, much more nostalgic. The Ghost of Christmas Present is jovial, happy. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is foreboding, ominous. The ending is very happy, very light.
4. Pathos - Tiny Tim is the embodiment of pathos. We have a small, innocent, happy kid who preaches forgiveness, yet is sick and dying. Simply put, if you aren't moved by Tiny Tim, then you have no soul. And as we saw with Scrooge, he still has a soul. Tiny Tim is what allows him to break away from his shell.
Symbolism - For Jacob Marley, we have a man who is held together with "cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel". In short, we have a man who is chained together. This is supposed to signify what happens to those in the afterlife who do not do good deeds. That those who do bad deeds will be chained by them in the afterlife. Another example is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. He is foreboding, dark, and we don't see his face. He is like a shadow. This symbolizes how the future is a dark and mysterious place. However, as evidenced by his lack of face, it doesn't have to be that way. We can change the future.
Foreshadow - First, we have the mention of Marley, and how it's been seven years since his death. Coincidentally, Marley shows up to pay Scrooge a visit. Then we have the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, a man who portends to Scrooge what will happen if he doesn't change his ways.
Allegory - This novel, to put it succinctly, is an allegory of the Golden Rule "Treat others the way you want to be treated." and all about giving rather than receiving. It demonstrates the power that love and kindness can have on an individual and the community as a whole.
Irony - The Ghost of Christmas Present, by using Scrooges words against him, demonstrates to him how wrong and ignorant they are. By using "Are there no workhouses?" and "If they would rather die, they better do it..." as verbal irony, he shows Scrooge how wrong he is, and allows for Scrooge to start changing as a person.

Characterization
1. Direct characterization: Scrooge is "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner..." (pg. 1) and "Marley's face...had a dismal light about it..."
Indirect characterization "'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'" and "'The Founder of the Feast indeed!' cried Mrs Cratchit, reddening. 'I wish I had [Scrooge] here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he'd have a good appetite for it.'"
Part of the reason Dickens switches between direct and indirect is based on the situation at hand. For example, there is a much larger impact when Scrooge says "If they would rather die, they better do it..." as opposed to Dickens simply writing "And Scrooge found the poor undesirable and useless..." Another example is Mrs. Cratchit. What she says has a much larger impact on Scrooge and the audience as opposed to Dickens simply stating "Mrs. Cratchit had a strong dislike of Scrooge." This also allows for a greater showing when it comes to the evolution of Scrooge, as now what he says directly contradicts his earlier statements, which supports the concept that Scrooge has indeed changed as a person.
2. The author's syntax does not change. It's constant. Dickens, at least with A Christmas Carol, writes succinctly. The novel itself is very short, so there isn't much room for Dickens to start changing things up. Also, the focus of the story is its message, how it's an allegory to the "spirit of Christmas". As such, changing syntax or diction based on whether or not he is focusing on Scrooge is irrelevant to Dickens.
3. Scrooge is, for obvious reasons, is a round, dynamic character. At the beginning of his life, he is an innocent, carefree man who tries to enjoy himself. However, as he gets older, his love of money triumphs over his love of life. He becomes more despicable, more miserly. He becomes a "Scrooge". At the twilight of his life, though, things change. Because Jacob Marley and the three Ghosts visit Scrooge, he is able to change his ways. Now he is kind. Now he is giving. Now he is the embodiment of the spirit of Christmas.
4. I would say I came off reading a character. Now, that's not bad or anything, but it is what it is. Scrooge seems like a tool, a means to an end. His change is so quick that it almost seems unreal. In the span of eight hours, he transforms from a "Scrooge" to the embodiment of Christmas. As such, he seems less human, and more of a character in a novel. Someone you might mention, yet never really talk about.

Allegory of the Cave Sonnet

There was this man, who whence came-forth
Who so told us an idea that was most intriguing
That these shadows, and all their worth
Were nothing more than false believing

That our attribution
Of words to their shadows
Was nothing more than dilution
And of it, very shallow

The meaning is lost within
Rather the focus should be
On what causes the shadows wherein
One can spread his knowledge to thee

We laughed, and bid the poor bastard good-bye
For who can trust a man who's mind has gone awry?