Richard Yan Mrs.

Thompson AP Literature and Composition October 8, 2011

One flew east,

One flew west,

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

(Chapter 15 20) Quote I tried to look where the dog was looking to see if I could find the flock, but it was too dark. The honking came closer and closer till it seemed like they must be flying right through the dorm, right over my head. Then they crossed the moona black, weaving necklace, drawn into a V by that lead goose. For an instant that lead goose was right in the center of that circle, bigger than the others, a black cross opening and closing, then he pulled his V out of sight into the sky once more. I listened to them fade away till all I could hear was my memory of the sound. The dog could still hear them a long time after me. He was still standing with his paw up; he hadnt moved or barked when they flew over. When he couldnt hear them any more either, he commenced to lope off in the direction they had gone, toward the highway, loping steady and solemn like he had an appointment. I held my breath and I could hear the flap of his big paws on the grass as he loped; then I could hear a car speed up out of a turn. The headlights loomed over the rise and peered ahead down the highway. I watched the dog and the car making for the same spot of Analysis This scene ties up many integral ideas in the book. First off, this is perhaps the first time in a while since Bromden has seen the world outside of the ward. This represents how Bromden has been broadening his perspective ever since McMurphy instilled hope in the patients. One could argue that the geese represents the patients, with the leader, which Bromden observes to be bigger than the others, being McMurphy. He leads the patients on a journey of overcoming oppression just like the head goose leads the other geese to the South for warmth. The three prominent entities in this scene, the geese, the dog and the car, represent Bromdens view of the world. The geese are undomesticated creatures, wild and free. The car is a symbol of the prodigious machine that is modern society. And the dog, the domesticated creature, is caught in between these two classifications. Bromden observes that the dog and car are making for the same spot of pavement. Although he is distracted from the scene before he sees the outcome, we can infer that the car had killed the dog. This notion represents the overwhelming power of the Combine. If one were to resist and go against it, they would fall upon the risk of facing destruction rather than victory.

pavement. Pg. 143