(written 8-02)
It's interesting to read Kesey after reading Tom Wolfe's portrayal of him in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Never theless the book left me thinking mostly about the characters instead of the author. At first it was slow reading but all of a sudden I was really into it. I suppose the Big Nurse represents all institutions who would control their little "rabbits". But McMurphy would have none of it, and maybe none of us should.

"They've made life look very pleasant with paint and decorations and chrome bathroom fixtures. A man that would want to run away from a place as nice as this," says fat-faced Public Relation, "why, there'd be something wrong with him."

The irony and hopelessness - sort of like Catch-22 - McMurphy similar to Yossarian, caught, stuck, at the mercy of an institution, going to extremes to get out. Going CRAZY. The problem is, crazy people belong in the hospital, so how can he get out? Act sane? Strange parallels... merits an essay for deeper exploration.