Cuckoo's Nest: One

When we were first introduced to the idea of reading the Cuckoo’s nest I really did not know what to expect. As we began to read the book it started to grow on me. Part One went into deep explanation of both Chief Broom and Nurse Ratched’s character. Chief Broom believes that the ward is basically for people who do not fit into society, or people who have been disowned from society due to their mental health issues. He explains all of the pressures associated with conformity. Those who do not conform are considered as mistakes. These people are then labeled ill and are sent away to institutions for the mentally insane, even if there is nothing mentally wrong with them. The ward is somewhere where the normal people of society believe that these people can be cured, and the people that are receiving treatment for no reason eventually begin to believe that there is something really wrong with them due to the way society looks at them. I find it very hard to define the word “insane” after reading part one because none of the patient’s are what we consider insane today. What Keesey’s main point is, is that if you don’t become what society wants you to become then you are frowned upon and you need to be fixed. This theme is also present in the book we just finished reading, 1984 by George Orwell.