Aaron Junnila

Mrs. Gardner

English 10 Honors / Period 4

12 November 2017

The Great Identity Crisis

Leeds, Barry H. ​Ken Kesey​. New York: F. Ungar, 1981.

Leeds’ offers rational literary criticism in this article. He identifies that ​One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

is well versed in it’s examinations of binary oppositions and is a literal gold mine of dichotomies. Leeds’

critiques Kesey’s use of stereotypes and oversimplification of his characters. He also recognizes that these

oppositions tend to become obscure, like when Bromden intends to return to his native land, but Bromden

will only return to a land of machinery and technology.

In this article, Leeds’ offers a deeper thinking on how the novel develops each character and what the

character’s symbolize at their core. This examination of these characters and the story as a whole,

conjures a feeling of a revelation.

Porter, Gilbert M. ​The Art of Grit: Ken Kesey's Fiction​. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1982.

Porter’s book provides a practical explanation of how Kesey came up with the idea for his book, ​One

Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.​ Porter describes Kesey’s misadventures with the notion that Kesey might

have become addicted to drugs during his time as a volunteer at a mental hospital. Porter also evokes a

feeling of mutiny as he describes the theme of conformity.

In this book, Porter presents informative advice for those curious about how Kesey’s book came to be.

His sentences are well balanced and he embeds diction seamlessly. He also offers a clear and tangible

clarification on the book's larger themes, and how Kesey was affected by a mental hospital himself.

Simmons, David. Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature, 3-Volume Set. 2010.

Simmons’ article on, ​One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest​, provides a refreshing and warming experience.

He skillfully crafts a meaningful synopsis of the characters and the conflict of the story throughout his

article. He is also able to seamlessly embed the themes of identity, heroism, and the corrupt nature of

authority.

Simmons’ article extends a helping hand of knowledge which furthers the understanding of this book. He

offers helpful insight on the ulterior themes and breaks down the character’s personalities into

understandable pieces. This leaves the reader feeling like they truly understand the author’s themes,

character’s struggles, and the book as a whole.

Tebbel, John. ​A History of Book Publishing in the United States​. Vol. 4. New York: R. R. Bowker, 1981.

In this article, Tebbel offers a unique perspective on the story of, ​One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. ​He

overviews the plot of the story, and delves deep into the morals and personalities of each character. He

also critiques Kesey for his blatant use of characters with opposing personalities. Tebbel also explores the

themes of confinement and the idea of rebelling against society.

Tebbel offers a refreshing take on ​One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest​ that is both educational and

insightful. He uses well placed academic diction to critique Kesey, that does not disrupt the flow of his
article whatsoever. Tebbel also provides an intuitive and perceptive outlook on the character’s

development that is supportive in the reader’s inquiries.