One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Wrap Up

Ok so I finished this book last week but I'm finally get around to wrapping it up. I don't know the best way to do this but I'll throw out some observations and see what happens.

Some Main Themes and Ideas

• Hero Vs. Enemy -Using the hospital as the setting, Kesey depicts life as a constant struggle between good and evil, heroes and villains, humanity and technology. The book as a whole is a protest against the Establishment; it shows the downfall of humans by both machines and dehumanized humans. Kesey's conclusion is that the individual can have an impact on society, but cannot alone change the system.
• Men Vs. Women - Most of the patients in on the ward are there because of their shitty experiences with women. And of course, all this is made worse by the presence of Big Nurse. Kesey shows women as 'Ball cutters' , prostitutes, or characters that exercise great control over weaker men; overall acting as repressors of men. Bromden, a 'Big man' takes his name from his mother, who controlled and 'shrunk' his father. Billy Bibbit, 31 years old, lives beneath the shadow of his domineering mother. Dale Harding is a man ashamed of his effeminacy and criticism by his wife. And Big Nurse is a strong female out to destroy male sexuality and morale.
• Christ Imagery- Doesn't everything seem to have this? Anyway in this book Mac has '12 apostles' that he takes fishing. The table for electrocution therapy is like a cross the way the men are strapped on it. In the end the patients temporarily betray McMurphy (think Judas). And lastly as Christ died to save sinners, Mac sacrifices himself so the men on the ward can go to the outside and live their lives.

Four Key Parts In The Novel

1. McMurphy scores a victory with Big Nurse in the TV scene, but becomes passive when he realize he is ultimately at Big Nurse's mercy
2. When Cheswick drowns himself, McMurphy realizes he must act for the men, ruining his hope to get out of the hospital quickly.
3. McMurphy battles against the orderlies to show the inmates that he is on their side, this dooms him to Electro-Shock Therapy.
4. McMurphy refuses to allow Big Nurse to belittle Billy, he attackes her and is punished with a lobotomy.

Anyway I think that's about it for this. If anyone has something to contribute feel free to comment and post.