A Study Of The Madmen In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest From The Perspective Of Existentialism

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a masterpiece written by American novelistKen Kesey in the1960s. Narrated by an Indian psychopath, the novel vividly depicts thenormal persons’ oppression of the mental patients in the ward and the patients’ sufferingsas well as their rebellions led by McMurphy. The novel reveals that human beings aregreatly depressed and destroyed by intense industrialization and modern civilization. Itcriticizes the turbulent American society and politics of the1950s. Many critics regard itas a banner of counterculture movement. It is hailed as a classic of the Beat Generationtogether with Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.Therefore, we should never underestimate its literary and cultural values.Prevailed in the middle of the20thcentury, Existentialism concerns about man’sexistence. Existentialists think that the world is absurd and uncertain. Living in theabsurdity and uncertainties, people may lose their sense of identity and individuality dueto the outside world. They need to find their authentic human existence through pursuingfreedom, making choices and taking their responsibilities.This thesis aims to analyze the theme and characters in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’sNest from the perspective of Existentialism. The protagonist McMurphy’s relentlesspursuit of freedom is admirable and other characters’ choices and fates all have theirreasons, which are worthy of our exploration.This thesis consists of three parts-an introduction, the main body and a conclusion.The first part is the introduction, which includes a brief introduction to Ken Kesey’s lifeexperience, his works and the novel, the previous literary criticism on it and purpose andsignificance of this thesis.The main body of the thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter One is anintroduction to Existentialism, which pays more attention to Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialtheory, including freedom, choices, responsibility, absurdity of the world and alienation.According to Sartre’s theory,“existence proceeds essence”. Man has to create hisexistence through choices and actions.Chapter Two is an analysis of the absurdity of the environment and its hurt to people.In the existentialists’ opinion,“other is hell”. The absurdity and uncertainty of the outside world keeps us from exploring our authentic selves and existence. In the novel, theenvironment of the mental hospital, its management, and the staff’s distorted pursuit ofpolicies and torture of the patients are perfect demonstration of the absurdity, throughwhich the author intends to reflect the social reality in America. This chapter analyses theBig Nurse’s non-feminine image, the patients’ sufferings and other staff’s numbness. TheBig Nurse becomes a machine guarding the ward due to her emphasis on policies andindifference toward the patients’ sufferings. Bromden pretends to be deaf and mute butstill gets electro shock therapies. He loses his self-esteem and identity. Billy and Hardinglose their masculinity and are unable to adapt to society due to the distorted love andcontempt of their families. The black aids and Doctor Spivey are manipulated by the BigNurse and become her accomplices.Chapter Three explores the topic of choice and freedom reflected in the novel.Choice and pursuit of freedom is way to find authentic human existence. Man has to takefull responsibility for his choices. In the novel, the patients’ regaining of their sense ofidentity and constant pursuit of freedom and authentic self demonstrate their choices andresponsibilities. McMurphy chooses to challenge the Big Nurse’s authority and to violatethe ward policies in order to gain freedom. He influences other patients with hisrebellious spirits, leadership and care for others. His miserable result of beinglobotomized is still due to his choice. Bromden chooses to follow McMurphy, getsspiritual growth and finally flies over the mental hospital. Cheswick, Billy, Pete, Harding,etc achieve different results in their pursuit of freedom and identity.The final part is the conclusion of the existential elements in the novel and itssignificance for today. In the novel, the existential elements are reflected in three aspects:the absurdity of the mental hospital and the American society, the characters’ alienationand the patients’ rebellion against oppression and their pursuits of freedom. This novelwarns the readers to pay more attention to their spiritual world, care for others and keepauthentic existence in modern industrial civilization.