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A review by lilliannn
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The prose is good, as is the messge of standing up to "the combine" and rulers of society.
However, by using rampant misogyny, racism and moments that can only be described as written fanservice, Kesey's implied personal views on the feminism movement "emasculating" men and the representation of the societal leaders in the book defeats the overall message.
Sure, nurse Ratched is detestable, as are her staff, yet every single woman in this book is either oversexualised or only powerful because she's seen by the men as a sexual object and the black men are made out to be violent, stereotypical monsters. In the end, take a look at the supposed government leaders around the 1960s and later (Jfk, Johnson, Nixon etc and that's just the usa). There's an obvious pattern, one the book seems to dismiss. It almost seems like Kesey blames the wrong people for the mistreatment of mentally ill men instead of the government leaders who are right there who, ultimately, couldn't have given less of a shit at the time. Still, fuck the people who work on the ward.
Also, the sexualisation was almost so exaggerated that it was hard to take the message of some of the scenes seriously (the end scene-the strangulation on its own would've been much more effective but, of course, might as well see her naked too while we're at it). Sexual assault is almost written as a way to stand up to the supposed (but nonexistent) matriarchy and the only female characters in the book who have the free power that mcmurphy seems to hold are the hookers who, of course, are objectified to no end. The rest are just constantly sexualised uncomfortably and this is okay because they're standing up to society so yeah very good (now lets just gloss over the fact that mcmurphy is a rapist). I understand the uncertainty towards the feminism movement in the 60s and the influences this may have had but it doesn't mean I will just nod my head and agree at how it's portrayed here.
This probably makes no sense (im writing it at 1am) but the chief was a good fucking narrator and the characterisation was brilliant. However, still a clear product of it's time. Would definitely still recommend as the focus on the mistreatment of the mentally ill is really interestingly written and now i can watch the film!
However, by using rampant misogyny, racism and moments that can only be described as written fanservice, Kesey's implied personal views on the feminism movement "emasculating" men and the representation of the societal leaders in the book defeats the overall message.
Sure, nurse Ratched is detestable, as are her staff, yet every single woman in this book is either oversexualised or only powerful because she's seen by the men as a sexual object and the black men are made out to be violent, stereotypical monsters. In the end, take a look at the supposed government leaders around the 1960s and later (Jfk, Johnson, Nixon etc and that's just the usa). There's an obvious pattern, one the book seems to dismiss. It almost seems like Kesey blames the wrong people for the mistreatment of mentally ill men instead of the government leaders who are right there who, ultimately, couldn't have given less of a shit at the time. Still, fuck the people who work on the ward.
Also, the sexualisation was almost so exaggerated that it was hard to take the message of some of the scenes seriously (the end scene-the strangulation on its own would've been much more effective but, of course, might as well see her naked too while we're at it). Sexual assault is almost written as a way to stand up to the supposed (but nonexistent) matriarchy and the only female characters in the book who have the free power that mcmurphy seems to hold are the hookers who, of course, are objectified to no end. The rest are just constantly sexualised uncomfortably and this is okay because they're standing up to society so yeah very good (now lets just gloss over the fact that mcmurphy is a rapist). I understand the uncertainty towards the feminism movement in the 60s and the influences this may have had but it doesn't mean I will just nod my head and agree at how it's portrayed here.
This probably makes no sense (im writing it at 1am) but the chief was a good fucking narrator and the characterisation was brilliant. However, still a clear product of it's time. Would definitely still recommend as the focus on the mistreatment of the mentally ill is really interestingly written and now i can watch the film!