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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

            In Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," two characters seem to keep a sane relationship in a mad house. These characters are Randle McMurphy and the narrator Chief Bromden. Throughout the book Chief is an observer. He watches how McMurphy interacts with the men, adjusts to the mad houses rules, and sees how McMurphy tries to overrule the staff. Their relationship doesn't begin right off the bat. Because Chief pretends to be deaf and unable to speak, he becomes an observer. He observes how McMurphy interacts with the other men, the officials, nurse ratched. But most he observes how McMurphy is trying to make the best of what is a living hell. .
             People talk freely around him, allowing him to learn everyone's secrets. Chief appears powerless but through observation and everyone "telling" him; he's gained a knowledge not even Nurse Ratched can obtain. Overtime Chief has developed a theory about the way the world functions; it is a big machine- called the Combine- and everyone in the world is a part that makes up the Combine. In chiefs mind the parts that need to be "fixed" are sent to the hospital to be fixed again. Chief doesn't want to be a part of the Combine. By pretending to be deaf and speechless, Chief is resisting be just a part in the Combine. .
             McMurphy has something that cannot be normally found in a mental hospital. He is very charismatic, making him stand outside the Combine system. Being able to stand outside of the system; McMurphy gave Chief home that life doesnt have to be fitting in a machine (the Combine). Through out the book and movie, Chief stays quite, smirking at things McMurphy says not making it so obvious. its not until both McMurphy and Chief are about to go into electroshock therapy when he reveals into McMurphy that he can hear, talk and comprehended things. Chief begins to protect McMurphy by letting him in on the secrets that he has gained over time.


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