One Flew Lit Circle Questions Discussion Director Questions

Lit Circle Discussion #1 (pp. 3-84) What is the setting of the story? How is it described? What imagery is used to convey time, place, and atmosphere? How does the Nurse manipulate the patients and staff? How and why does she retain her power? Why does Nurse Ratched feel threatened by McMurphy? What factors influence the roles that patients take and how does their adherence to these roles result in their permanent status as mentally ill patients? What impact does the point of view have on your understanding of the story? Consider who the narrator is, what you learn about him, and what you infer about his mental health. Discuss irony in this section of the story. What instances of irony are present and what is their significance to the plot and/or meaning of the story? How does the metaphor of the rabbit and the wolf mirror the plot of the novel (64)?

July 27th: Journal Topic Discuss your reaction to the novel so far. How do you feel about the subject matter being discussed? Have any questions come up that you would like answered? Discuss one of the characters we have been introduced to so far in the novel. Create a characterization of this character based on details from the story.

What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia means “split mind” and is characterized by Disorganized thinking Difficulty with making logical connections between thoughts and emotions Separation from reality A mental illness that causes paranoia Experience of delusions and/or hallucinations Delusions are false beliefs. For example, a person may think that his/her thoughts and feelings are being monitored by someone else Hallucinations are false perceptions. For example, a person may think that he/she sees things that are not there, or hears voices

Lit Circle Discussion #2 (pp. 85-158) Questions: Bromden sleeps for the first time in a long time without the aid of “that little red capsule” (85). Discuss why you think this is the case? Why does Bromden say that he is forced to take these pills? Do you think that he used to see the things he says when “[he] took to waking up at night…sleeping around me” (85). What are some ways that the Nurse and McMurphy disagree or show evidence of person to person conflict? How does this foreshadow what may happen next in the story? Why and how does McMurphy’s perspective of and opinion of the ward differ than that of the other patients? What does this contrast suggest to readers about the environment and the people in the environment? Why does the Nurse allow McMurphy’s suggestion of allowing the acutes to use the second day room as a games room after she expressly told him and Doctor Spivey no?

Discussion Director Questions, p. 2 5. Examine the evidence of Chief Bromden’s mental illness and discuss his role as narrator. Do you think any of his “memoirs” are based on reality? 6. Discuss McMurphy’s reaction after he’s unable to lift up the panel. What does he mean when he says: “ ‘But I tried, though,’” he says. “ ‘Goddammit, I sure as hell did that much, now, didn’t I?’” (125)? Why is the control panel significant? 7. Analyze the symbolism of Bromden’s hallucinations of the torture of a patient named Blastic. What does it suggest about the effect of the mental ward on the patients? 8. Discuss the cause/effect of McMurphy’s attempts to change ward policies and improve the atmosphere of the ward. What changes does he try to make and what is the result of each effort. 9. Examine the significance of Chief Bromden’s escape mechanisms (what he does to cope with the stress of living in this environment).

4. Discuss how McMurphy’s discussion with the lifeguard changed his behaviour. Why does he get up early to clean the latrine until it was spotless? What does he realize about the power dynamics in the ward? Discuss the following quote: “She’s lost a little battle here today, but it’s a minor battle in a big war that she’s been winning and that she’ll go on winning” (113) 170 (Part II, Chapter 3). 6. How does Chief Bromden cope with the stress of being in the hospital? What do you think is the cause of these “issues”? 7. What are some examples that show that the patients begin to think for themselves? What types of questions do they pose to the Nurse? (167-168). 8. Discuss the significance of Cheswick drowning. Do you think that this was a purposeful act something he did on purpose or was it an accident? (end of reading section 3).p. 175

July 31st: Journal Topic Consider the lecture about conformity. How is conformity used in the novel? What are the reasons that people conform to their expected roles? Discuss the significance of the similarities between the prison study environment and the psychiatric hospital environment.

Lit Circle #3 Discussion Questions Discuss how McMurphy’s discussion with the lifeguard changed his behaviour. Why does he get up early to clean the latrine until it was spotless? What does he realize about the power dynamics in the ward? Discuss the following quote: “She’s lost a little battle here today, but it’s a minor battle in a big war that she’s been winning and that she’ll go on winning” (113) 170 (Part II, Chapter 3). Discuss the crucifixion imagery of the EST and of the effects of/reaction to the seizure Sefelt has. What is the intention of the repeated use of this allusion to Christ? Mrs. Harding’s visit reveals a great deal about Dale Harding’s behaviour and his reaction to the way that his wife treats him and how this impacts him. What are the issues that they each have, and what does Mrs. Harding say that suggests in a stereotypical and disrespectful way that Harding is not a “real” man? Discuss the implications of this. What are the merits of EST according to Harding’s description of the procedure and its benefits (191)? What is ironic about what results when someone receives electroshock therapy?

5. Discuss the reasons why most of the patients are voluntarily in the mental hospital. Who has been committed and who is there voluntarily? Discuss McMurphy’s reaction and the irony that surrounds his realization of the acceptance of the patients of being placed in this environment? 6. How is getting to go on the fishing trip an act of defiance by all of those who participate in this daytrip? How is this therapeutic to the men? How is this especially helpful to Billy Bibbit’s perception of himself and self-esteem? 7. How does McMurphy giving Chief Bromden a stick of Juicy Fruit help Chief to step out of his comfort zone? (217)+ 8. What is meant by Chief saying to McMurphy, “ ‘No. I’m way too little. I used to be big, but not no more. You’re twice the size of me’ ” (219)?

Lit Circle #4 Discuss the stereotype: “Be a man.” What does this mean? What does it suggest? Then, discuss the stereotype: “don’t throw like a girl”. What does it mean? What does it suggest? What does Chief Bromden mean that he wants to “touch [McMurphy] because he’s a man” (222). What does this suggest about how Chief and likely the other patients have been made to feel about themselves? McMurphy promises Chief Bromden that “[he’ll] “get [him]big as [he] used to be” (223). What does this mean? What does this suggest about Bromden feeling small? Consider what has made Chief feel small both in his and his family’s past and his time being a patient in the psychiatric institution. Discuss. How is McMurphy different from the other patients? How does his “condition” worsen and to what extent does this have to with the power dynamics between the characters? Discuss Nurse Ratched’s next maneuver (the day after the fishing trip) and its effect on the men. What is ironic about her actions?

5. Discuss changes in Bromden’s feelings towards McMurphy 5. Discuss changes in Bromden’s feelings towards McMurphy. Note the irony of their conversation about “winning”. Is McMurphy winning? Why or why not? 6. Discuss the causes and effects of this section. Note the men’s premonition about what is going to happen, why it has to happen, and why they’ve been wrong about McMurphy. 7. What is the atmosphere of the Disturbed Ward? Examine the significance of the events while McMurphy and Bromden are there. 8. Analyze the meaning of the statement, “…in the corners and under the Ping-pong table there’s things crouched gnashing their teeth that the doctors and nurses can’t see and the aides can’t kill with disinfectant” (276).

9. Analyze Nurse Ratched’s tactics to reduce McMurphy to the level of her other patients and his response to her. 10. Discuss the significance of Bromden’s memories during his EST. Note especially the symbolism of his grandmother’s rhyme. How does this give Bromden hope?