One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 12

Pages 276-311

Nurse Ratched once again doesn’t fail to start the outburst, this time about Billy and what his mother will think about him sleeping with Candy. I was not expecting at all for McMurphy to rip open Nurse Ratched’s shirt. Because he was so angry with her she was probably expecting some sort of outburst, but none as shocking as this. Many of the acutes start to leave the ward, many of them to the outside world. They have given McMurphy so many shock treatments that he is brain dead, he starts to act like a zombie and it is sad. Nurse Ratched is moved to the medical ward for the time being. When Bromden suffocates McMurphy, I believe it was his job, McMurphy wouldn’t have wanted to live the rest of his life and be remembered how they had made him. Bromden lifts the control panel and throws it out of the window and is set free this is a big statement to make at the end of the book, and Bromden’s life will just begin for him.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 11

Pages 263-275

The whole fishing trip was a good experience for the men who attended, it made them all feel more independent and they needed that. It is good that Nurse Ratched couldn’t stop them from going, and Dr. Spivey attending was a plus, because he could easily take control of any situation, and back them up on it. I think that Bromden’s opinion of McMurphy is slowly starting to change; he is catching on to his motives and reasoning for things. When they both try to help out George, they get into trouble, something bad is going to happen. When Bromden and McMurphy are brought to Disturbed they are warned that if they will confess what they did was wrong then they can go back to the ward instead of getting shock treatments. They both refuse to do so and stand their ground. After returning to the ward, McMurphy decides it will be his “going away party” soon, it is ridiculous, the way he sneaks the two girls and the booze into the ward that night.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 10

Pages 249- 263

The bond between Bromden and McMurphy first starts to develop when Bromden gets his gum taken away by one of the orderlies and McMurphy fights for it, ends up losing and gives Bromden a new piece of gum. They talk about Bromden’s life a little bit, and then they talk about his size, Bromden admits he is nothing compared to the actual size of his body and that he is weak, so McMurphy says he’ll pay for Bromden to go on the fishing trip if he promises to start acting his size.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 9

Pages 213-245

When Nurse Ratched takes away the privilege of the tub room, she is treating the men like little boys. She says it is a consequence, a punishment because they have been sitting in front of the TV during the afternoon instead of doing their work. She gives them no freedom whatsoever and she doesn’t treat them like actual humans. Of course McMurphy’s action of smashing the glass to get one of his cigarettes came as a surprise because he had already announced that he had given up on the nurse.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 8

Pages 171-212

Nurse Ratchet, although trained, doesn’t seem to have much knowledge about the mentally ill. She is starting to show more and more of her lack of intelligence in the subject, when she scolds Sefelt for not taking his medication, right after he has been convulsing, this shows her insensitivity for the men. The way the Nurse treats them is inhumane and just cruel, their problems are probably being increased by staying in the institute. It was no shock that McMurphy had given up on Nurse Ratched; she got to decided when he was allowed to leave the institute, so he finally gave up on her. It was sad when Billy explained why he couldn’t leave the institute; he said that he wasn’t big and strong like McMurphy and that people laughed at him.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 7

Pages 167-170

It is amazing how McMurphy can have such a big impression on the other men; they are all starting to ask Nurse Ratched questions that had never been brought up. All of them are starting to speak up. It was surprising that Cheswick drowned himself in the pool, but it is just another way you can tell that the people in charge of the hospital have no idea what they are doing, and how to deal with the mentally ill.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 6

141-166

When it is time for the World Series the men all start to rebel against Nurse Ratched and her rule against watching it. I think it was important for all of them to do this, it went against Nurse Ratched and in a way stood up to her. Although they might have looked crazy doing it, they still showed her at that point that they should have a say in what happens around the ward. I am surprised that Nurse Ratched, during the meeting, kind of stands up for McMurphy, she disagrees on sending him to the disturbed ward, but maybe that is just so she can torture and pick him apart more. I’m glad that McMurphy can make the men happy and laugh, it helps them to get through the day with tough Nurse Ratched. Bromden seems to want to leave more than anything, and he envies McMurphy’s ability to keep true to himself and not let the people in the ward get to him.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 5

111-138

Nurse Ratched doesn’t seem to budge at all on her precise schedule she has laid out for her ward. Even after Dr. Spivey brings up the suggestion of having a carnival, which was actually McMurphy’s proposal, she simply comes up with an excuse as to decide upon it on the spot and says it should be discussed at a faculty meeting. Even after another suggestion to use another room, Nurse Ratched tries to stay in control, but finally Dr. Spivey wins the argument. The group meeting then begins, but taking control McMurphy starts it off by telling about his dream, this undoubtedly angers Nurse Ratched. When McMurphy asks for the TV time to be changed to the afternoon so all the men can watch the world series, Nurse Ratched explains that everyone is already used to the schedule, but that she will take a vote in which majority rules. Nurse Ratched knows quite well that the men won’t raise their hands because they are afraid of her. The next day they are all having a meeting about Billy, when McMurphy asks for another vote on the World Series, all the acutes raise their hands, but they only total half of the ward one more vote is needed. When McMurphy finally gets the last vote Nurse Ratched announces the meeting was over and the vote was already closed. She is very manipulative and sneaky with her ward.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 4

99-110

The amount of control and power that the aides and nurses and everyone running the hospital has is absurd. When McMurphy asks one of the aides for toothpaste, because he is awake before everyone else was, the aide answers to him that the cabinet doesn’t open until a certain time. McMurphy, being the smarty pants guy he is, then just takes some of the cleaner the aide is using to wash the walls with. It is humorous that instead of waiting for a new replacement uniform with his towel on, he drops it in front of the Nurse.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 3

Pages 82-98

The disturbed ward sounds like an awful place, after all if McMurphy had complained to one of the nurses about the loud music, he might have been sent there and Harding warns him that it is not a pleasant place to be. When it was time to receive medication McMurphy avoids it and is able to get away with not taking the medication, as he also helps Bromden avoid it. When McMurphy finds out that Bromden isn’t deaf or dumb he is intrigued with the fact that Bromden has been able to get away with faking it the whole time he has been there. When Bromden has the dream about Blastic being taken and cut up it is confusing, because when he wakes up he finds that Blastic is actually dead.

Cite for photo: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcMZ_9Rf_G2P-g7YVkyEqNmgJAtCpXfWPap2wPi4KFKJAIP9pthTmbVZhOWRtQ-OLBY9H_Ks1GPDG8nEF1l0chILqsS-7ZGiJDbl9IrIjwlC9cNF95mQbBH1cFO1L4OHmjouAGe8Teg/s1600/wip_hospital_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mitpatarpot.blogspot.com/&usg=__eUuh4UmkciHTwCERYKWPAs5DPY4=&h=768&w=1280&sz=113&hl=en&start=0&sig2=6bVehETMjKLHMLMMnE6F5Q&zoom=1&tbnid=BRlFagd-dxUxGM:&tbnh=151&tbnw=217&ei=3cRxTJehC8GB8gaL2qzpCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dscary%2Bdark%2Bhospital%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D608%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=488&oei=3cRxTJehC8GB8gaL2qzpCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=96&ty=82

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 2

Pages 40-82

The head nurse, Nurse Ratched, is a very cruel woman just as I had suspected. McMurphy isn’t an outspoken guy, from right off the bat he has been honest with his true character, and he is a goofy guy who is not afraid to show himself. When McMurphy interrupts nurse Ratched as she is trying to start the meeting, she then reads his files aloud for everyone to hear, but this doesn’t bother McMurphy, he keeps making jokes about it. Finally Nurse Ratched starts to pester Harding, one of the guys on the ward about his relationship with his wife, Harding thinks that his wife is cheating on him and he is very insecure about their relationship. Nurse Ratched knowingly encourages the other men to join her in criticizing and insulting him. While McMurphy sits back and questioningly watches this happen. It is really quite disgusting that the head Nurse encourages the boys to find out secrets about the others and then write them down in the log book as incentives for sleeping in late. McMurphy explains the meeting very truly, and at first Harding doesn’t agree with him, but then he admits that Nurse Ratched is just trying to break the men down.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest: Reading Response 1

Pages 1-39

The narrator, obviously a patient in the hospital, describes the head nurse as having finger tips of orange like, “the tip of a soldering iron. So hot or so cold if she touches you with it you can’t tell which.” There is already a sense of fear established with the head nurse; she must be strict and cruel to the patients for them to describe her in such ways. The head nurse tells the orderlies to take Bromden to get shaved; at first I was confused as to why he would be so afraid of this, other than the reason that he likes his hair. But it turns out getting shaved could mean one of two things, actually getting shaved, or getting shocked. It isn’t surprising that when McMurphy arrives at the hospital, no one understands his humor. Bromden describes the head nurse as a control freak, there seems to be a problem with women and their power in the hospital.

Cite for photo: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://film-book.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/joker3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php%3Ftopic_id%3D27216352&usg=___0HhWxomzAbHmbtDYobJosE_jyo=&h=333&w=500&sz=46&hl=en&start=0&sig2=oZmz_EHL8twrbuIRipCynQ&zoom=1&tbnid=thFkZTbrPX7Y4M:&tbnh=152&tbnw=187&ei=uMJxTKiZIoH48Abbjo3tCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmean%2Blooking%2Bnurse%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D651%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=284&oei=uMJxTKiZIoH48Abbjo3tCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=136&ty=96

The Awakening: Reading Response 13

Pages 121-125

It is shocking that Edna would end her life without Robert close by, but I’m sure she must’ve felt that it was best for her to leave alone. She entered the earth alone in water, and left alone also in water. I think that it is important that in the end she claimed herself. She has freed herself of the label of a mother and wife, although her kids and husband were apart of her life they couldn’t demand things of her because they did not own her.

Cite for photo:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/037/cache/woman-swimming-johnson_3710_990x742.jpg&imgrefurl=http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/swimming-berlin-pod/&usg=__eides33jPk0pRj6yiv1tksOxOVY=&h=600&w=450&sz=62&hl=en&start=0&sig2=y9jBpsjpKRP_-8aVhDrjEA&zoom=1&tbnid=tU2Ha-ox8TAoJM:&tbnh=156&tbnw=126&ei=3H1xTN3-LIP58AaA_cneCg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Da%2Bwomanswimming%2Bin%2Bwater%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D608

The Awakening: Reading Response 12

Pages 111-120

Robert and Edna have started to share their feelings for each other again. When he shows up at her dinner, Edna isn’t surprised at all; she knew very well she was bound to run into him somewhere. He admits his love for her, and she just asks him why he hadn’t told her before. When he replies with that she is already taken by Mr. Pontellier, she answers back that he does not own her.

The Awakening: Reading Response 11

Pages 101- 110

I wasn’t at all expecting Robert to show up at Mademoiselles house. When Robert and Edna talked they both seemed jealous of one another’s courtships with the people they had met and seen during Robert’s absence. Edna feels like Robert was closer to her when he was in Mexico. She even says to him at one point that only one time during their reunion that night she sees the “old Robert”.

The Awakening: Reading Response 10

Pages 91-100

It was understandable that Edna had not wanted Victor to sing the French song aloud at the party, the song was sentimental and Robert used to sing it to her. I think it would have been surprising if Robert had shown up unexpectedly at the party. It is surprising that Mr. Pontellier doesn’t really care about the status of his and his wife’s relationship. Rather he is concerned about what people will think of their financial situation now that Edna has decided to move to a smaller more manageable house, now that Leonce is away on business.

The Awakening: Reading Response 9

Pages 81-90

I absolutely love that Edna brings up the fact with Mademoiselle that one cannot simply select someone to fall in love with, but that it just happens. The words Edna uses to describe this to her are so powerful, while they talk about Robert’s returning, and his great love and affections that for Edna. “He loves you, poor fool, and is trying to forget you, since you are not free to listen to him or to belong to him.” This quote is also very powerful; Mademoiselle Reisz is relaying the message to Edna so that she will understand why he had to leave her, and so she will know why he hasn’t sent her even one letter during his absence.

The Awakening: Reading Response 8

Pages 71-80

The doctor thinks that there is another man in Edna’s life and that is his explanation to Mr. Pontellier regarding Edna’s strange behavior. This thought is sort of ironic in a way, because Robert was in her life, but the doctor thinks nothing of Robert he thinks it’s someone serious about perusing Edna, although it is known, not to others, that Robert and Edna were serious. Also, it is strange that Edna thinks she may have lost her passion for music, because when Miss. Highcamp plays she feels no emotion.

The Awakening: Reading Response 7

Pages 61-70

“Then in God’s name paint! But don’t let the family go to the devil. There’s Madame Ratignolle; because she keeps up her music, she doesn’t let everything else go to chaos. And she’s more of a musician that you are a painter.” When Mr. Pontellier says this to Edna, I believe she isn’t torn or hurt by it, because she has finally realized that his opinion about her life doesn’t matter. She has learned to accept that he will never completely understand her. If it were him in the same situation, he would be allowed to do whatever he wants because he is the man in the house.

Also, I think it is odd that when Edna is unhappy she seeks Mademoiselle Reisz.

The Awakening: Reading Response 6

Pages 51-60

Edna has taken up her drawings and art again, but this time with a bold confidence. Before she wasn’t very proud of her work. She has started to do more and more for herself. By drawing, she has opened up what she left behind before, her artistic mind and what she loves to do. Adele is a good friend to her and supports Edna, and her art. I think that this is important in their relationship, because after all Adele is the person who made Edna realize she doesn’t have to just give up her life for her children and husband.