Dear all,
Please read from p.37 to p.67 (about 10 pages a day).
Post one journal entry. Remember to indicate clearly which passage you are exploring (page number and paragraph, start and end lines) as well as the literary focus of your chosen passage (characters, plot etc... through imagery, diction, sentences....).
Thank you. This id due Monday 25th November 2013.
Mrs Gougeon
Please read from p.37 to p.67 (about 10 pages a day).
Post one journal entry. Remember to indicate clearly which passage you are exploring (page number and paragraph, start and end lines) as well as the literary focus of your chosen passage (characters, plot etc... through imagery, diction, sentences....).
Thank you. This id due Monday 25th November 2013.
Mrs Gougeon
(Page 45, second to last paragraph) “Everyone hushed. They were somehow ashamed. It was as if he had suddenly said something that was real and true and important and it had put all their childish hollering to shame. The Big Nurse was furious. She swiveled and glared at him, the smile dripping over her chin; she’d just had it going so good. “
ReplyDeleteThe passage I picked is about a patient they had at the institute and his time and experiences in the group therapy sessions. It shows us how instead of speaking out about things such as stealing, lying and killing much like the other patients, Pete would just say he was tired in which he was usually hushed and ignored however on one occasion he is seen to stand up and say the same thing with a strong, forceful tone in which no one had ever heard from him before. The way in which the rest of the patients and Nurse Ratched reacts allows us a clear insight as to what mental institutions were like during this period of time. This is developed through the reactions and description used as well as the theme of uncompassionate treatment being present. The quote “They were somehow ashamed. It was as if he had suddenly said something that was real” is very powerful in my opinion, by using the word ashamed to describe how the other patients felt in this situation suggests to the reader that even the patients themselves know that what the things they are shouting out are all petty, fabricated ideas. Although everyone knows that these ideas are all fabricated and not true or important the nurses do not take notice and not react to them or encourage them to express themselves truthfully however they then take notice when somebody decides to be truthful. This allows us to understand the fraudulent attitude in mental institutions during this time. The way in which Nurse Ratched reacts implies the idea that the patients of mental institutions during this time were treated without compassion. She is described as furious, this does not support the way in which mental patients are treated nowadays and showcases the veiled callous attitude staff had towards their patients, this supports the theme of uncompassionate treatment.
(page 58) "I mean -- hell I been surprised how sane you guys all are,As near as I can tell, you're not any crazier then the average asshole on the street."
ReplyDeleteThis passage tells you McMurphy's verdict on the other patients in the ward. This also relates to the fact that Bromden begins to get the other patients and open up and also express their individuality without doubting themselves and without fearing The Big Nurse, Miss Ratched. I picked this quote because it was my favorite quote so far in the novel as it basically explains how the ward is and it's environment have simple made the patients feel more sick and 'crazy' than they really appear to be. These patients that are in the ward are completely sane and are able to live out their own for it's just Miss Ratched who have been feeding them pills and have convinced them that they are different and that they are insane which is completely untrue and false. This quote also tells you that the people in the ward/institution are just like everyone else, just like the "average asshole on the street", better even. The time the patients spent in the ward made them think differently and the only thing to tell them different is who looks outside the box from the 'conformist' ward.
(Pg 44 , fourth line of last paragraph) "And she'd put all the Acutes in a trance by sitting there in silence for twenty minutes after the question, quiet as an electric alarm about to go off, waiting for somebody to start telling something about themselves. Her eyes swept back and forth over them as steady as a turning beacon"
ReplyDeleteThis passage describes Big Nurse in a group meeting with the Acutes where they were asked to confess a crime that they've committed and kept a secret. The simile, "quiet as an electric alarm about to go off", tells us the anxious and intense mood at the meeting as the Acutes stay quiet for as long as they can but at the same time fear that Big Nurse will lose her patience and break the chain of silence abruptly like an electric alarm. Another simile, "Her eyes swept back and forth over them as steady as a turning beacon" describes Big Nurse's glare on each and everyone of the Acutes, like a turning beacon, she sees everyone and no one can hide from her view. The use of these similes show the readers how Big Nurse takes her job very seriously and how she keeps an eye on every one of the mental patients.
(pg. 54, first paragraph) “people who try to make you weak so they can get you to toe the line, to follow their rules, to live like they want you to.”
ReplyDeleteIn this line McMurphy is describing the Big Nurse and he seems to be the only one who truly sees her for who she is. In this area of the text, he trying to convince Harding that the Group Therapy Sessions are not helping but are really just intimidating and a “pecking party”. Then, he says that the group meetings are a way for the Big Nurse to knee someone in the balls and make them weak. This seems to be an accurate description of her character; from the eyes of Chief Bromden she is seen as controlling, terrifying and in charge. This line where she is described as making people “weak so they can get you to toe the line” is exactly what she tries to do through Electric Shock Therapy and Medication. This revelation from McMurphy leads to all the other patients admitting to their believing this as well. The line also relates to society when it says to “live like they want you to”. This tells the reader what they already know which is that it is society that decides who is sane and what is the norm. This line also foreshadows a possible breaking of the rules in the future of the novel as there are negative implications to the patients having to follow the Big Nurse’s rules. The negative implications are done through the tone of the passage in which this line is said. Due to this line, the patients are seen as victims rather than in desperate need to be cured which creates a sense of sympathy from the reader but also a premonition that trouble is approaching due to the influence of McMurphy. This is the first time the reader hears McMurphy properly influencing the other patients to go against the staff of the mental hospital.
(pg 43 , last sentence) "That's a good rule for a Smart Gambler: look the game over awhile before you draw yourself a hand." This is an observation made by Bromden when justifying McMurphy's behaviour. The reason why Bromden says this is because McMurphy has professed himself as a bit of a gambler. By saying this he has transformed an almost mundane situation into a game of strategy and luck. The use of this hyperbole has allowed Bromden to recreate the image of this situation into a slightly warped perspective; as if the entire room was a small casino and McMurphy was the avid gambler, ready to make a massive profit. When saying he is going draw a himself a hand, Bromden is referring to the hesitation he sees when McMurphy wants to speak. This is because McMurphy intends to entertain the group to gain influence over the "acutes" whilst at the same time, ensuring he will not be excuse from the meeting. When looking at this situation, it seems that McMurphy is just trying to get attention from his peers. However, because we are told that McMurphy's actions are a gamble and we know what he can lose or gain from said gamble, we are aware of the significance of the situation from his perspective.
ReplyDelete"Then the nurse calm as anything, puts the log book back in the basket and takes out another folder and opens it and starts reading. McMurry, Randle Patrick." pg 40, first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteThe following passage informs the reader regarding Nurse Ratched's retaliation to McMurphy's joke. The literary focus here is character development for Nurse Ratched. This is achieved by the author by showing the manner in which the nurse responds to humor. She attempts to shame McMurphy by reading out his patient profile which shows a lack of professional etiquette and cruelty. Furthermore, she also does this because in order to shift the attention she is receiving as a result of humor onto McMurphy but into a negative form by shaming McMurphy. This shows that she abuses her authority and is manipulative which suggest that she is attempting to break McMurphy and force him to become submissive. Her ability to quickly assess the situation and decide on the course of her actions suggests that she is accustomed to this method of discipline. This is seen as the author describes her to be ‘as calm as anything’ which suggest a lack of annoyance and that she has thought of a solution to the issue.
(pg 52 line 15) "There's a whine of fear over the silence."
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because I believe it really shows the reader the atmosphere of the hospital. Every patient in the hospital right now is just screaming in the inside and is begging for their pain or anxiety to stop. But because of Big Nurse and her very calm but controlling attitude, she has the power to turn any of them into "vegetables" or get electric shock therapy. And knowing this, the patients must maintain a uncomfortable silence for most of their time so that they can avoid such harsh treatment.
Her uniform, even after she's been here half a day, is still starched so stiff it don't exactly bend any place; it cracks sharp at the joints with a sound like a frozen canvas bring folded" page 38, first paragraph
ReplyDeleteThis passage goes to show Big Nurses prim and proper dress sense that intimidates Chief Bromden and most of the patients in the asylum. "starched so stiff" this gives the sense of no emotion and mo movement which implies to Big Nurses attitude towards the patients. Big Nurses movements are also seen as robotic which fits in with the whole "so stiff it don't exactly bend any place" just as how machines don't either with elasticity. It also shows how put together and controlling the nurse is and this reflects the patients behaviour and how they act a certain way around her because if not they know there will be consequences.
"Bunch of chickens at a peckin' party" page 53
This is a metaphor Ken kensey has used to compare the patients to chickens whilst Big Nurse is the one peckin' at them. Mcmurphy realises how Big Nurse controls the men and makes them confess certain things that embarrass them. She emasculates them and she is always in control of situations and likes to be the one in control. In a way this can foreshadow how the asylum will really turn out like and the changes that could happen along the way.
(pg 54) "Our dear Miss Ratched? Our sweet, smiling, tender angel of mercy..."
ReplyDeleteThis phrase is interesting yet very confusing because of how Harding refers to the Big Nurse as an “angel” since it definitely contradicts her personality. Throughout what I have read, she has always been controlling and unlikable to the patients in the ward. This also allows the read to see how much control she has over the patients. Arguments arouse so he ends up convincing himself that Mc Murphy is right about the nurse. In general, this shows the dehumanizing quality of the nurse, which creates her overall evilness.
Page. 37; "They haven't got it turned up full; it's not so thick but what i can see if i strain real hard. One of these days i'll quit straining and let myself go completely, lose myself in the fog the way some of the other Chronics have,..."
ReplyDeleteThe passage I have selected talks about the fog that Chief Bromden sees a lot of the time around the ward. He hallucinates and sees this fog due to his Schizophrenia. The fog may represent or symbolize the power or control the staff members have over the patients, a fog in general can be scary and terrifying/overpowering when really thick and covers a wide area, which may represent the satffs control over the vicinity. Bromden mentions other chronics being lost in this fog which shows their chronic mental condition and not being able to control/ease it. When the fog dies down this may be due to the medication that chief takes which eases his mind and stop hallucinating. The fog is like a barrier between reality and his Schizophrenia.
“Black boys in white suits before me to commit sex acts in the hall and get It mopped up before I can catch them” – Page 3, Line 2
ReplyDeleteAs an opening line, it needed to grasp the reader into the story to continue reading and wanting to find out more. This quote brings up unanswered questions, that confuse the reader by using creating different kinds of imagery to display the events that occurred, such as an actual thought of people actually committing a crime, but as the reader keeps reading, the images begin morphing into different scenes, and as my independent thought it displays the hate of Chief Bromden towards these 3 black boys. With him saying “before I can catch them” it shows that he hasn’t actually seen the sex acts being committed, at first sight when the reader does not know the status that Chief Bromden it gives a perception of the asylum being an abusive and chilling place where mysterious actions take place but cannot be solved. As the reader understands more he sees the mental disabilities and a fog over the quote is removed, and we realize it is just the perception of schizophrenia over exaggerating Chief Bromdens hate towards the Black boys and showing us his hallucinations of these dirty acts which apparently occurred.
(page42, 2nd to last paragraph) She looks at him for a long time without her smile. She has the ability to turn her smile into whatever expressions she wants to use on somebody, but the look she turns it into is no different, just a calculated and mechanical expression to serve her purpose
ReplyDeleteThis passage is a description of the expression of the nurse, Miss Ratched, when McMurphy displease her in the group meeting. The focus of this passage is character development of Miss Ractched and this is conveyed through the narrative voice. Miss Ratched is described to be very controlling not only to others but also to herself as “she has the ability to turn her smile into whatever expression she wants to use on somebody.” Also, the reference to machinery also reoccurs here as quoted “a calculated and mechanical expression to serve her purpose”. This suggests Miss Ratched inhumane and strict character which intimidates others. She has no empathy or emotions toward others, but instead controls them and the environment to “serve her purpose”.
From page 45, "The day room was clamped silent..."
ReplyDeleteTo page 45, "The nurse nodding at each confession and saying Yes, yes, yes."
This passage shows how powerful the big nurse is, and how the patients are oppressed. It takes place as a flashback 'four or five years back', starts off with a twenty minute silence by the group, information which could be unreliable, when the big nurse asks everyone to let out their secrets.
When the big nurse takes out the log book, it has an enormous effect on the patient’s cooperation. She does so without using any persuasive language or explicitly stating her demands. This shows the reader that patients are scared of their past history. The big nurse uses this to her advantage to scare the patients into talking and probably to do many other things as well. The effect of repeated oppression is shown here by the patients. The patients who feel helpless and are forced to tell their secrets even when they could choose otherwise. This feeling of no choice is shown through the use of diction like unison, acutes stiffened and mouth worked. Which has a feeling of uncontrollability but still ordered.