Garymcauley answers “I have long thought of this book as one of...”

Adam asked this question about One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest:

I have long thought of this book as one of my favorites, but noticed some heavy racist and misogynistic undertones when I re-read it. Much of this was left out of the film. Does old fashioned sexism sully an otherwise great work of literature?

Garymcauley Only McMurphy speaks in racial tones. Bromden and other characters do not. Let's face it: McMurphy is an Anti-Hero; racist, misogynist, con man. Nurse…moreOnly McMurphy speaks in racial tones. Bromden and other characters do not. Let's face it: McMurphy is an Anti-Hero; racist, misogynist, con man. Nurse Ratched actually is painted pretty bright colors: she does charity work, she is the model employee, etc. You'd rather have her as a neighbor than McMurphy.

Kesey goes out of his way to mix up the characters: using an Indian as the speaker and ultimate hero was way out of line in the late 1950's when Cowboys and Indians dominated film and television with the Indians always the bad guy.

He paints McMurphy dark; he is not Gary Cooper riding into town to save the day (McMurphy makes sure he gets a life preserver even if it means someone else does not).

Yes, Nurse Ratched is the villain in the story. But I think a woman works here; if Nurse Ratched is a man ("Dr. Ratched") the dynamics of the story change considerably and not for the better.

So to avoid misogynistic storytelling, we make Ratched a man. But the story is not nearly as interesting.(less)

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