OFOTCN - symbols and motifs Flashcards
1
Q
OFOTCN - all symbols and motifs
A
Motifs
- gambling
- laughter
- real v imaginary size
Symbols
- control panel
- fog
- McMurphy’s boxers
- combine
- electroshock table
2
Q
Gambling - explanation
A
- creates question of McMurphy’s character, as he can be seen as exploiting the patients for financial gain
- symbol for ongoing game between the Nurse and McMurphy, constantly raising the stakes
3
Q
Gambling - quotes
A
- “how much do you suppose he made in the short time he was croupier of his little Monte Carlo here on the ward?”
- “First Charles Cheswick and now William Bibbit! I hope you’re finally satisfied. Playing with human lives - gambling with human lives - as if you thought yourself to be a God!” (END)
4
Q
Combine - explanation
A
- general symbol for society as a whole
- ward represents waste and failures from combine
- men have limited choices in life and are increasingly emasculated and unfulfilled
- although this is a deluded, it represents wider contextual societal restrictions, blue collar to white collar change
5
Q
Combine - quotes
A
- “the culls of the Combine’s product, the Chronics. Not in the hospital, these, to get fixed, but just to keep them from walking around the streets giving the product a bad name.”
- “we’re all in here because we can’t adjust to our rabbithood. We need a good strong wolf like the nurse to teach us our place.”
- “working alongside others like her who I call the ‘combine’ which is a huge organisation which aims to adjust the outside as well as the inside.”
6
Q
McMurphy’s boxers - explanation
A
- whales have connection to Moby Dick, this represents McMurphy, who is the pervasive evil that inspires Ahab’s obsessive pursuit, like McMurphy is to Ratched
- phallic symbol, representing McMurphy’s strong sexuality, only person to reference Ratched sexuality and young nurses comment on his looks
7
Q
McMurphy’s boxers - quotes
A
- “he’s good-looking and friendly and everything, but in my humble opinion he certainly takes over.”
- “He grins when he sees I’m looking at the shorts. ‘From a coed at Oregon State, Chief, a Literary major, she gave them to me because she said I was a symbol.’”
- “She’s glaring at those big white whales leaping round on his shorts in pure wordless outrage. That’s more’n she can take. It’s a full minute before she can pull herself together enough to turn on the least black boy”
8
Q
Control panel - explanation
A
- the way she so easily twists dials is symbolic of the Nurse’s easy control over the men
- attempts to lift the panel shows the evolving strength and belief of the men
- eventually, the men use their own oppression to free themselves
9
Q
Control panel - quotes
A
- “They’re fidgeting and twitching, responding to the dials in the control panel.”
- “There’s blood on the levers where he tore his hands. He pants for a minute against the wall with his eyes shut.”
- “I lurched it up to my knees and was able, to get an arm around it and my other hand under it.”
10
Q
Laughter - explanation
A
- the progression of normality of laughter represents the men being able to enjoy themselves more, and feeling more free
11
Q
Fog - explanation
A
- represents the belittlement causing horrible atmosphere and unclear reality, the fact it clears when McMurphy comes in
- nature of fog same as nature of mistreatment, it becomes prevalent gradually and only after it is past the point of reversal
- harsh effects of fog proven in it causing the men to be lost in obscurity, and stop trying to resist, defeats the men
12
Q
Laughter - quotes
A
- “Not like that fat Public Relation laugh. This sounds real. I realize all of a sudden it’s the first laugh I’ve heard in years.”
- “Our solemn worry was giving way, in spite of us, to joy and humor. When the nurse found the pile of pills…we started to pop and snort to keep from laughing”
13
Q
Fog - quotes
A
- “They haven’t really fogged the place full force all day today, not since McMurphy came in. I bet he’d yell like a bull if they fogged it.”
- “That’s why she’s fogging the ward for the meeting. She don’t usually do that. But now she’s going to do something with McMurphy today, probably ship him to Disturbed.” (just before baseball meeting)
- “One of these days I’ll quit straining and let myself go completely, lose myself in the fog the way some of the other Chronics have.”
14
Q
Real v imaginary size - explanation
A
- Bromden blowing up in size due to McM is symbolic of him gaining confidence and self-image too
- he comes to realise his own strength and evolve out of delusion
- size of nurse represents her influence and strength
15
Q
Real v imaginary size - quotes
A
- (shaking McM hand) “It blew up nearly as big as his”
- (Nurse Ratched) “big as a tractor”
