One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 Part Two, Ch. 2 - 140-144/159-166 - Discuss the significance of the dog and the geese. What do they mean to the Chief (he sees them when he is looking out the window at night)? What does this scene signify in terms of his development as a character? How is this connected to the disappearance of the fog? What does it really mean for the fog machine to be “broken,” and how is this related to McMurphy’s influence? Part Two, Ch. 3 -147-150/167-174 – Examine the change in McMurphy once he speaks to the lifeguard; what does he realize during this conversation? How does this affect his behavior at the next meeting? How does Kesey make it clear that the Combine’s power is directly related to McMurphy’s apparent weakness? 151/174-175 – Examine the significance of Cheswick’s death; how is it related to McMurphy’s discovery about what it means to be committed? Do McMurphy’s actions in some way contribute to Cheswick’s death? What evidence suggests that his death is a suicide? Part Two, Ch. 4 -152-155/176-180 – Sefelt and Fredrickson are epileptics. Epileptics were commonly sent to mental institutions in the former half of the last century, along with homosexuals and other people who could not conform to societal expectations. What is the significance of this chapter? Why does Kesey include it? What does the chapter reveal about the patients, the nurse, and manipulation? How does Scanlon’s comment at the end of the chapter, “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” apply to Sefelt and Fredrickson? How does it apply to other patients? How does it apply to McMurphy? Part Two, Ch. 6 -157-160/182-187 – Analyze the significance of the scene in the library. Describe Harding’s wife; what is she like, physically and intellectually? Isolate her actual lines of dialogue; what do these reveal about her? What is his attitude toward his wife, generally? How does Harding react to her comments, especially the one about him never having “enough”? What does Harding take this comment to mean? Why does he insist on correcting her grammar? What effect does this have on her? What comment by Harding suggests he is jealous? What does Vera insinuate about his friends who stop by? Does she provoke Harding, or does he sabotage her visit himself? What is McMurphy’s role in this scene? What does he mean when he says, “nobody’s very big in the first place, and it looks to me like everybody’s spending their whole life tearing everybody else down” (159). How does this apply to the scene with Harding and his wife? How does it apply to other things he has witnessed on the ward? Why does he get angry with Harding when Harding asks him what he thinks of Mrs. Harding? Part Two, Ch. 7 -165-166/191-192 – How do the patients and McMurphy disagree concerning the root of the problem in the hospital? How is McMurphy’s view connected to the preceding explanation of shock therapy and how it was invented? 167-168/194-196 – Examine the part of the scene in which McMurphy learns that most of the patients are in the hospital voluntarily; how does McMurphy react to this information? According to Billy, why do they stay in the hospital voluntarily? How does this echo Harding’s explanation of rabbits and wolves in an earlier section of the novel?

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 Part Two, Ch. 8 -169/197 – Analyze the significance of the paragraph that begins: “I dropped back till I was walking beside McMurphy…..” What behaviors would result from following the two voices the Chief identifies? How is the dog standing over a hole a metaphor for the men’s situation, especially McMurphy’s, on the ward, or even in society at large? What is the significance of the second voice coming from “way back in [the dog’s] breed? Why is this voice associated with instinct, rather than training? 169-170/197-198 – What is the significance of the ringing the Chief begins to hear on the walk back to the ward. Although the Chief says it began literally from running to catch up to McMurphy, what is the metaphorical significance? How is the ringing associated with a change in attitude in McMurphy’s part? What is this change? Is the ringing a good thing or a bad thing? 172/200-201 –What does McMurphy finally do at the end of the meeting after the Nurse announces that the tub room privileges have been revoked? How does the description of his walk make his actions seem more heroic? In what sense are they heroic? What is symbolic about the breaking of the Nurse’s window? How does the absence of the window increase the men’s power and diminish the Nurse’s? What does the window represent? Why? Part Three, Ch. 1 - 173-178/205-209 – What are the largest changes on the ward since McMurphy has come out of his short “retirement”? What specific examples show that McMurphy is in some way helping the patients to recover some of their manhood? How is the basketball game against the aides pivotal, even though the men lose? What symbolic event takes place during the game? 178-182/210-215 – Discuss the Chief’s memory of the first time people acted like he was deaf; what happened, literally, when he was ten? How is this story related to what has happened to other patients? How is it related to other examples of authority oppressing the individual in society? What is the Combine in this specific story story? Define it (not just the govt.). How does Kesey insinuate that the Chief’s mother and Nurse Ratched have some things in common? 184-185/217-218 – How is laughter pivotal in starting the conversation between McMurphy and the Chief? Why is his significant? Why is laughter powerful? What are the Chief’s first words to McMurphy? What do these two words tell us about McMurphy’s character? 186-188/219-221 – Analyze the Chief’s conversation with McMurphy about being “big”; what makes someone big or small, according to the Chief? What does being big or small symbolize? What are the many factors that contributed to his father’s “shrinking”? How are these factors also present on the ward and in other aspects of society? What does McMurphy say about all this? 188-189/222 – Why does the Chief want to touch McMurphy’s arm? What does this symbolize?

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 190/223-224 – What evidence suggests that McMuphy’s plan to make the Chief “big” again consists of more than just building his muscles? What will the Chief gain, according to McMurphy, if he follows his plan? What is the significance of McMurphy’s final comment on page 190? How does this relate to a major theme or conflict in the novel? 191-198/230-234 – Analyze how Kesey describes Candy’s effect on the patients, the doctor, and the nurses. What does her character represent (think larger themes)? 199-202/234-239 – Why are the men afraid to be outside of the hospital? How does the gas station attendants’ treatment of them seem to reinforce this fear? What is the difference between Mack's and Doc's approach to the servicemen? What is Kesey suggesting through this contrast? Harding notes that “perhaps the more insane a man is, the more powerful he could become” (202). How is insanity powerful (go beyond the plot here)? What is the significance of the line: “As McMurphy led the twelve of us to the ocean” (203/239)? Think biblical allusion! Do a close reading of 203-204/239-241, starting from the paragraph that begins, “I think McMurphy knew better than…”, and ending with “or every new house you pass.” What is the significance of this section, and why is it immediately followed by Harding’s comment about having an organization called the NAAIP (National Association for the Advancement of Insane People). How do Harding’s comments serve as a commentary on the Chief’s observations? 204-206/241-243 – Discuss the confrontation with the guys on the dock; what do they treat Candy so badly, and why don’t the patients or the doctor defend her? What is Kesey showing us through this scene? 208-214/246-252 – Discuss the fishing trip itself, especially: • • • • • • •

How does the fishing help the men therapeutically? McMurphy’s refusal to help the men with the fish The description and significance of laughter on 211-212/249-250 Complete the quote: "He won't let pain ______________ or _________________________" Explain it. What other characters could that quote apply to? The lifejacket shortage How have the men changed over the course of the trip (even while still aboard the boat)? 214-215/253-254 – Discuss the men’s arrival back at the dock – what has changed? How does Kesey compare their behavior and attitudes here to the way they were before their time on the boat? What accounts for this change? 216-217/256-258 – What is the significance of McMurphy’s exhaustion, which the Acutes ask Harding about and the Chief elaborates on when he narrates McMurphy’s taking them to his old house and telling the story of his first experience with a girl. What is Kesey telling us about

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 McMurphy by including the expression of exhaustion? What has the Chief said earlier that could give you a reason for Mack’s exhaustion? Part Four, Ch. 1 - Analyze how the Nurse tries to get the men to distance themselves from McMurphy? How do they react? Which two patients initially keep their faith in Mack? What incidents change their minds, at last somewhat? Is the Nurse right about McMurphy? Does her logic make sense? Analyze the scene in the shower room. What does this scene show about McMurphy’s character and the validity of the Nurse’s argument. What motivates McMurphy to step in? Why does the Chief join him? Why does Mack have a "helpless, cornered despair" in his voice? Part Four, Ch. 2 – The comment by the tall guy who meets them on the Disturbed ward says, “I wash my hands of the whole deal” (232/276). This is an allusion to Pontius Pilate (look him up). What’s the significance here? Compare McMurphy’s entrance to the Disturbed ward to his entrance to Ratched’s ward when he first arrived; what does the comparison show? What is the function of the Japanese nurse? Why does Kesey include this character? What are the little red capsules? What is the significance of McMurphy’s comment, “No sir, ma’am, but I’ll forego the blindfold. Could use a cigarette, though”? (when are you asked if you want a blindfold and a final cigarette?) What comparison does this comment conjure up? Analyze McMurphy’s answer to the Nurse’s proposition (of how to get out of the shock treatment). What does he say the “Chinese Commies” could have learned a few things from her? What is his point here? What is the significance of the Chief’s observation about the “digger holes” having frost in them (refer back to the dog and the two voices right after McMurphy learn that many are not committed as he is)? What does the frost symbolize? 237/282-283 - Discuss the purpose of the machine references – what is Kesey suggesting through these references? 237/283 – How does Kesey make it abundantly clear that McMurphy is a Christ figure here? What aspects of his behavior toward the Chief in this scene support this? What will happen to Mack at the end of the book, following the allusion? What will happen to the men? Suppose the men leave the ward in the end and form a church called “Mackanity.” What would the ten commandments of this church be? 238-241/284-288 – Trace the individual memories the Chief recalls (in fragmented form) while he is out of it after the treatment; why are these memories significant? What do you think McMurphy was trying to say to the Chief when he winked? Why does the Chief say that he “knew this time he had them beat” when he comes to in the seclusion room? (241/288)

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 Part Four, Chapter 3 – How does McMurphy respond to the treat of repeated shock treatments? What motivates him to keep being punished, rather than going along with the Nurse’s demands? How is his awareness of other patients watching him suggest at least part of the motive? What is the connection between the look of fear McMurphy displays when he is called for EST and the look he had in the car on the way back from the fishing trip? Why is it that the Nurse decides to return McMurphy to the ward? How does he behave when he returns? What evidence foreshadows self-sacrifice on McMurphy’s part? How does McMurphy continue to get the better of the Nurse, even when she raises the threat of lobotomy? 246-247/294-295 – Analyze the character of Billy Bibbit, his relationship with his mother, and how this ties into McMurphy’s plan to have him lose his virginity; why does Kesey include this aspect of the novel? How does it relate to major themes? Party: In the extended biblical allusion, what is the party? What does the party celebrate? - What happens between Sefelt and the girl? What is significant about his reaction to it? How does this show he has changed? – Analyze Harding’s speech when he brings the medication; what is significant about it? - Harding draws up a plan for Mack. What important change does this show in Harding? What is the significance of McMurphy’s tired expression reappearing here? Why are the men not rabbits now? – How did Harding end up in the hospital? What can you infer from his comments? How is it that the other patients would drive McMurphy down the “crazy” road? Examine Harding’s argument here and consider it in relation to the rest of the book; what does crazy mean here? How is it that Mack can be considered crazy given this definition? How are the men somewhat the reason for it? This is complex – push your thinking! Part Four, Chapter 3 - 260-261/310-311 - What is being “forced right down [the Nurse’s] throat”? How does that show the men’s power? – Analyze the discovery of Billy and Candy by the Nurse; what indicates that Billy has regained some of his manhood, initially? What shifts the balance of power back to the Nurse? What is Kesey saying through the portrayal of this shift in power? What role does Billy play here, to some degree, in terms of the extended biblical allusion? 265/316 – Discuss the theme of blame as it appears in this passage; who is to blame for Billy’s death? 266/318 – Explain the Chief’s argument about what drives McMurphy to stand up, walk to the nurses station, and attack Nurse Ratched? What does this tell us about the men? About McMurphy? About the nature of rebellion? Look at the description of McMurphy’s attack on the

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4 Nurse; why does Kesey describe McMurphy in this manner? Why does Mack rip her shirt open before he chokes her? What does this scene show about male sexuality? What does this scene show about female sexuality? This is a very controversial scene. Why might modern readers dislike this scene? What is the significance of the final cry he lets out after he has been pulled off the Nurse? Final chapter: How does Kesey make it unmistakably clear that the Nurse has lost her power? How could McMurphy’s return to the ward now work in the Nurse’s favor? How do the remaining patients react to his return? Why does the Chief suffocate him? Discuss the symbolism of the Chief throwing the control panel through the window. How are the Chief’s direction and plans after his escape symbolic? Discuss the significance of McMurphy’s death; how is it necessary, or is it? What is Kesey saying through this event? Is the ending of the novel satisfying? Does it make sense? Is it believable? Is it hopeful?

One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest Study Questions Parts 2-4