One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

For my paper, I have chosen to read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. The novel is 280 pages long, and so far, I have read 160 pages. With two more four-hour plane rides this Sunday and Tuesday, I expect to be very close to finishing it by early this week—unless there’s a REALLY good in-flight movie. I am really enjoying the classic novel: its fame and that of the movie based on it is not unfamiliar to me, and so far it is living up to that prestige.

Several specific aspects in particular appeal to me, and each of them is a potential topic for my paper.

First, I am interested in the parable-like qualities of the novel: clearly it is an anti-establishment piece of writing based on Kesey’s own views of the Vietnam War and of the counterculture movement. If I choose to write about this topic, I would delve into Kesey’s personal biography further and also study the specific historical context of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Another possible essay topic is the biblical allusions and religious significance of the novel: McMurphy is famously a Christ-like figure, and I would potentially be interested in exploring this more.

Finally, I may be interested in exploring the significance of Chief Bromden as narrator, including whether he is biased or unbiased, and why Kesey chose him to narrate. Stay tuned!