Chief Bromden is the most mysterious man in the short story. Hence I talk a bit about Chief Bromden.
Chief Bromden is an unreliable (not just that, but crazy) narrator who also partake of the story itself. Throughout the story, Bromden approaches sanity ("the fog is cleared"), but it does not change the fact that the narrator is unreliable.
Bromden's initial reasons for his hospitalization is not discussed in the book, and his past also revealed as bits of mystery and hints. His mental illness might have been triggered by his dark childhood memories of his father, chief of his tribe, meeting his decline, or the common World War II mental impact. These events might be the possible cause for his fear of authority. This is why he shows perfect subservience to the nurse.
Nonetheless, the mental oppression of power becomes lighter as McMurphy fights back the nurse. This is one of the important character themes in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Indeed. And Bromden's mysterious origins are an interesting element that gradually reveals itself in fleeting glimpses. I think Kesey's drug-use has something to do with that. What we can guess is that Bromden was put into the system as an orphaned adolescent, and never left. Natives had to attend special schools to be taught "civility" - and many were basically religious prisons. Definitely enough to cause someone to be insane. Nice writing.
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