Chief Bromden may be reluctant at first to admit it within himself, he makes sure to point out that McMurphy has begun to change the ward by changing the way the patients think and ultimately how they act. It isn't intil McMurphy convinced the other Acutes to vote on watching the World Series that the Chief shows out right that he has been affected by McMurphy's presents. When he raised his hand, it proved that he connected enough to the outside world outside of his fog to register and form an oppinion to vote. This may not seem like a big accomplishment to many people but the Chief hasn't talked nor truly interacted with the other patients for many years. There is also the fact that he didn't deny the fact that he was the one to choose to raise his hand, at first he blamed McMurohy claiming "[he] did something to it that first day... McMurphy's got hidden wires hooked up to it, lifting is slow," but in the end, he outright admits to it, saying "No. That's not the truth. I lifted it myself"(127). The Chief changed after that day, the "fog" didn't come around anymore after the day they beat the Big Nurse andi t didn't return until after McMurphy started to follow the rules. Once McMurphy stops sticking up for them and challenging the nurse he felt they were starting to fix the fog machine. McMurphy is what clears the Chief's mental cloak of fog even though he doesn't realize it, saying the machine had broken. Now that McMurphy is no longer being himself to insure he won't be stuck there longer then he needs it's effecting a much wider circle of people then he could ever realize.
- Kelia
Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. New York: Penguin Books, 1962. Print.
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I agree with Kelia, without McMurphy they go back to the old ways of not speaking up for what they believe in. I think it is interesting that the "fog" went away after they won the challenge of the Big Nurse. It's almost like the "fog" represented him knowing what he wanted and going after it. Now that McMurphy has returned to following the rules, it's like he can't stick up for his belief, thus losing himself and returning into the fog. McMurphy does have a huge influence on the hospital as a whole. I don't think he realizes this, right now he is only concerned with his "committment" that we learn about from the life guard and Harding. He is only worried about how long he will have to stay there and that he got on the bad side of the Big Nurse.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I beleive that McMurphy has made a huge change within the hospital. They are all willing to speak up for themselves more so that McMurphy is around. Also, they have more fun now and are not miserable as they were. For example, when Cheif was going on the fishing trip, the black boys were trying to get him to sweep for them still, but Cheif Broom just walked aways and payed no attention the the black boy who followed him with the broom. I think that the fog was there when he was scared to be himself and that he could not ever get anywhere and nobody beleived in him. But once they won aganist the nurse its gone, like he feels more safe now. McMurphy started to realize that the men needed him once they got in a fight with the black boys. He saw how George would not speak up for himself and that he needed to do something about it. I think he has now figured out that he is needed there and should not just be worried about how long he is committed there.
ReplyDelete-AMY HUNTER