Cuckoo Comprehension Guide 1

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey American Studies
Comprehension Questions (pp. 9-41)
1. What is the time period during which the novel takes place?
2. Where is the novel set?
3. For those of you who have seen the film—How is the novel different from the movie?
4. What does the reader know about Chief Bromden’s heritage thus far? What aspect of his
ethnicity remains unclear? (p. 27)
5. Why does Randall Patrick McMurphy (R.P.) appear to be at this hospital?
6. How does Kesey show us that R.P. is different from the other patients? Note some images
of freedom associated with his character.
7. One of the difficulties readers have with Bromden, a paranoid-schizophrenic, as their
narrator is discerning the truth in what he reports from manifestations of his illness. On p. 13
he claims that “it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen.” Find five examples of these “truths” in
the opening chapters.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
8. Distinguish between the Acutes and the Chronics.
Acutes _________________________________________________
Chronics _______________________________________________

9. What are the three types of Chronic patients on the ward? Which of these designations does
Bromden give himself?
Chronics are labeled _______________, _________________, or
_____________________. Bromden is a _______________________.
10. In which war did Bromden participate? Find one of the three references to this war from
the reading last night?
11. What does McMurphy mean by the term “bull-goose”? Where does he claim to have been
bull-goose before coming to the hospital? (p. 24)
12. What does Kesey mean when he uses the term “Combine”? How does Bromden explain
the Combine functions in American society? How is Mr. Taber made ready to return to
society? (pp. 30 & 40)
13. What “technique” does Nurse Ratched teach the first aide about how to deal with his hate?
Why might this man understandably feel hatred? (p. 31)
14. What do we notice about Bromden from his reporting of his high school football team’s
trip to the cotton mill in California? Can we relate it to his present vision of the world? (38-40)
15. What have we learned about other characters in the novel thus far?
Nurse Ratched
Billy Bibbit
Dale Harding
Ruckly
16. Add other characters to your list. Categorize them as Chronics, Acutes, or Institutionalists.
Take some brief notes about their defining characteristics.