Aim: How does McMurphy begin to
emerge as a Christ-figure in Part III
of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest?
Do Now: What does the following mean?
“Many men go fishing all of their lives
without knowing that it is not fish they are
after.”
Henry
David Thoreau
HW: Read to p. 275 How does McMurphy
prove himself to the patients?
Fishing Trip
• What would the fishing trip mean to
McMurphy? The Patients? Nurse Ratched?
• How does the fishing trip begin to become
symbolic?
• How does Nurse Ratched try to scare the
patients about the trip?
“As McMurphy led the twelve of us toward
the ocean.” p. 239
Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples• How does
McMurphy
followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious
emerge as a
storm came up on the lake, so that the waves Christ-figure?
swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, • Why doesn’t
"Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26 He McMuprhy
replied, "You of little faith, why are you so
help the men
afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds on the boat?
and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 What does
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind he show
of man is this? Even the winds and the waves them?
obey him!"
“… McMurphy looked so beat and
worn out…” p. 255
• Why did McMurphy look tired by the end of
the fishing trip and not the patients?
• What is the toll of re-energizing everyone
around him? Can he sustain this?
• By comparing him to Christ and with
McMurphy being so tired, What statement is
Kesey making here about the struggle and
responsibility of leaders?
“ – and it’s the God’s truth: that little
nine-year old kid out of my youth’s the
one to who’s to blame.” p. 257
• Like Chief Bromden’s memory in the previous
passage, how does McMurphy’s memory help
to define who McMurphy is?