synopsis:

A grim satire set among the patients and workers in a mental institution tells the story (narrated by an inmate) of an energetic con man, randal patrick mcmurphy, who seeks institutionalization as a means of escaping the rigors of a prison work farm. Before long, in order to reduce the sexual and emotional impotence of the men at the institution, he begins to challenge the dictatorial Nurse Ratched, irrevocably altering the destiny of those in the ward.

The story is made up of series of skirmishes between McMurphy and 'Big Nurse'. McMurphy became a hero, changing the life of the inmates, but paid with a lobotomy which turned him into a vegetable. Bromden, aka 'the chief', the narrator, performed the final act by smothering McMurphy with a pillow and running away to freedom.

on this book:

the story of this book was interpreted by many to be a metaphor for modern society's oppression. It has been said the book is a caustic indictment of the Establishment urge to conform to the rigid standards and expectations of an authoritative system. Modern society was viewed by resistors as a mechanical, domineering force, and the hospital in the book was seen as a sort of repair shop for people who don't fit into their role as cogs in the machine. mcmurphy's character is seen as a critical threat to a program that is significantly dependent on total order and obliteration of chaos.

The storyline to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of deep thought provocation. persistent questions in the back of many readers' minds inquire, 'who was crazy and who wasn't?', and 'who or what exactly determines the difference between sane and insane?' many of the residents of the ward are people who were simply scared of society, couldn't handle their fears, or had extreme difficulty in communicating their feelings and emotions. At many levels, the men on the ward were no different than the average person in America, yet they were labeled insane.before he wrote one flew over the cuckoo's nest, Kesey actually once worked in a mental institution, and spoke extensively with the patients. His book was largely based on some of his experiences with mental patients. He believed the novel dealt with themes of individuality and rebellion against conformity, ideas that still animate much of American culture.

The movie version (1975) of the novel, directed by milos forman and starring jack nicholson as mcmurphy, was released without kesey's permission.see also: * "the truth - even if it didn't happen."