Novel
Name:
Cuckoo’s Nest: Make a Case
Directions: You will work with a group to study one of the following options, come to a conclusion,
write it up, and deliver your “case” to the class. You should also be prepared to refute challenges from
students who disagree with your “diagnosis” (or analysis). Focus on pp. 83-173 but you’ll probably need
to utilize details prior to p. 83 to build a strong case.
Should they stay or should they go?
In this section of the reading, Mack learns that most of the patients are in the hospital voluntarily,
unlike McMurphy and Chief, who are committed. Your mission is to assess one patient—either
voluntary or committed—in terms of the necessity that he stay in the hospital and/or his viability in the
outside world; in other words, you are assessing the patient’s sanity. You’ll work with a group to make
a case regarding your character’s mental health. Compile a list of significant events and details
pertaining to your character. Lastly, in your journal, you will present your final decision in the voice of a
mental health professional who has access to ALL the information the novel has presented about these
characters in a formal “report” that incorporates at least three embedded quotes to defend your
position.
Below are the characters to be assigned and pertinent questions to consider.
Harding
 Is his rabbit-&-wolf theory a rational acceptance of the reality of Social Darwinism (survival of the
fittest, natural selection within society) or a symptom of the mental illness that makes it impossible for
Harding to function normally in society? (57-67)
 What is suggested by the sexual innuendo during the scene in the library with Harding’s wife?
(157-160) Is this dynamic with his wife a sign of illness or just insecurity?
 Consider the repeated references to Harding’s hands. What are they referred to? Why does Kesey
continually return to them?
 Consider Harding’ leadership abilities. Is he a strong leader? What do these abilities show about
him?
Billy
 Why does he stutter? How did it develop? What does it show about him?
 What does Billy’s relationship with his mother (and other women) show about him? (90, 119, 121,
*246-247)
 What is significant about the cigarette burns on Billy’s hands and the blood he smears on his face
after the scabs come off the burns during his outburst? (106-8, 168)
Chief
 Consider the Chief’s “act”. Why does he let people think he is deaf/dumb? What does that show
about him?
 Why does Chief see the staff room as so messy? What is the green slime? (131-2)
 What do details on pp. 91, 126, 129-130, and 141 indicate about Chief’s mental status?
 Consider Chief’s mental evolution (especially with his references to fog and machinery). Have they
increased/decreased throughout the novel? When have they been the worst? Improved? What does
this show about him? Why?
 What opinion do the residents hold of the Chief? Does this hold any importance? How so?
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Does the Chief’s past history in the hospital have any importance? (Remember, it is rumored he has
had over 200 electro-shock therapies!) What about his past history BEFORE the hospital? What
kind of effect could that history have on his current mental status?
Cheswick
 What kind of a relationship does Cheswick have with Mack? Why? What does that show about his
character?
 What happens to Cheswick and why does it happen?
 How is Rawler’s death (115) related to both the various types of “treatments” inflicted upon the
patients at the hospital (57, 165) and ultimately to Cheswick?
This character will be a bit different than the ones above. However, you will still be analyzing the character to
come to a specific opinion and write the journal paragraph in formal voice with embedded quotes.
Nurse Ratched
Take on the voice of a team of doctors evaluating the Big Nurse’s job performance. Again, assume that
you have access to all the information the novel presents about her. Write a report analyzing her
competence as head of the ward.
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Evaluate the Nurse’s performance as the leader of the staff. Does she run an organized hospital?
Does the staff listen to her? Respect her? Etc…
Why is the Big Nurse so quiet in the staff meeting? (132-135)
What’s so shockingly “wrong” about the third resident’s theory on p. 133?
Why does Ratched want to keep Mack on the ward? (135)
What do the residents SAY about the Nurse to Mack (especially earlier in the novel)? (57-58) What
do they actually THINK about her? Why is there this discrepancy?