One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Marxist Analysis

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Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest highlights the diminishing of masculinity regarding the male patient’s within the mental institution. Additionally, the significance of flouting society’s constructions of masculinity evidently portrayed through Dale Harding’s ‘never having enough’ . Thus resulting in marginalisation. However, Kesey underlines the fragmentation of identity as it is arguably altered depending on environment. Hence the change of individuality as the formation of the concubine represented freedom and liberation. Consequently, rifts emerged amongst those who are in a higher position in the hierarchy of the mental institution. This concept is also explored in Marxist theory as it emphasises the bourgeoisie exploitation of the proletariat. The proletariat can be considered the patients and workers as their mere purpose is ‘their ability to work’ and ‘possessing labour power’5. Whereas Nurse Ratchet can be considered a reflection of…show more content…
Her extended duration of unhappiness is present within the Ariel Collection which explores the ‘paradoxical portrayal of as survival to create depth of feeling and insight’. Her striving of happiness and self-fulfilment within the traditional household was a conventional idea as a women entrapped within the ruthless patriarchal society of 1950s and 1960’s. The concept of marriage was not only seen as a recognized union but as emphasising reproduction. Thus, resulting in arguably Sylvia Plath’s mental turmoil and self-deterioration. Her lack of identity and significance is exposed substantially within her cathartic Ariel collection and ‘The Bell Jar’ which Paula Bennet described Plath as drawing attention to ‘the oppressive atmosphere of the 1950s and the soul destroying effects this atmosphere could have on ambitious, high minded young women like Plath’

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