Why read One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest?

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1962) by Ken Kesey is probably the most difficult read from the list of Year 13 novels, but it is well worth the effort. This book is a tribute to the human soul and spirit. McMurphy is a tough, blue-collar character who loves women, gambling, alcohol and most of all, his freedom. Sentenced to a short stint on a work farm for statutory rape, he tried to beat the system by acting crazy enough to get sent to a mental hospital instead. Once there, he finds himself fighting for the rights of the adult male patients who have been systematically emasculated by calm, cool, and collected head of the ward, Nurse Ratched. Will Nurse Ratched succeed in beating McMurphy down like she did all the other men in her hospital? Or, will McMurphy teach these men how to stand up for themselves (or at least escape) a world that tries to take away everything vital to human existence: hope, desire, and self-respect?

~ by ncowie on May 11, 2008.