LIt Circle

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a book about life in a New York mental ward and the struggles involved in defeating the tyrannical Big Nurse and fighting for freedom. The story is told in the point of view of Bromden, known as Chief by the other patients- a half Indian man who pretends he is deaf and mute in order to escape conflict. When Randle McMurphy comes to the ward, everything is flipped upside down. McMurphy challenges the norms and unfair rules, sparking a whole new revolution in the ward.
So far, I am really enjoying this book. The writing style is very good, and I really enjoy the plot itself. It's intriguing and eye opening- it really puts into perspective life in a mental ward, especially in the 1960's, when the story is set. All of the characters have great dynamics, and the character development in key characters like Bromden and McMurphy is phenomenal- we watch Bromden, a scared husk of a man, grow into a strong person. McMurphy does almost the opposite, we see his confidence wither while he lives in the ward. One great thing about this book is that it isn’t just an easy read- while the language is fairly simple, it requires a lot of thought to process. It is filled with flashbacks that tie into the main plot, and I personally think this book has changed me. I never really thought about issues like the ones present in the book (treatment of mental patients, cruelty in hospitals etc) and now that I’ve read it, I feel like I am a lot more aware. This book is really good, and I would definitely recommend it to anybody looking for a good book thats get's you thinking.

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