Janis K. (scrapbooklady) reviewed on 7/25/2007 + 472 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is a powerful indictment of society's messed up perception and treatment of the mentally ill. The most striking aspect of the novel is despite Nurse Ratched rendering the patients in the ward powerless as she forces them to accept their rank as weak and inferior members of society, Mc Murphy is able to revolutionize their way of thinking. He transforms them from spineless individuals lacking conviction and self confidence into fearless challengers of hierarchy and conformity. In addition to assessing the psychological effects of social rejection and questioning the validity of society's characterization of mentally ill individuals, the book contains characters and underlying themes which lend it a broader political and cultural relevance. Kesey proves that regardless of how thoroughly establishments seek to control and impose conformity upon the populace, the indomitable human will cannot be extinguished

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