Monday, August 10, 2009
Post #4 Part II
Another change that happened was that Chief Bromden now is able to see the patients clear again, since the fog machine is turned off. This relates to my post I did last time, where I said that the fog machine was a hallucination and not a realistic way of torture. Furthermore, during a night in the institution, Chief Bromden wakes up and sees for the first time out of the window: “I looked out the window and saw for the first time how the hospital was out in the country.” (141) During that same night, it is the first time the author, Ken Kensey uses a reference to birds: “Then they crossed the moon- a black, weaving necklace, drawn into a V by that lead goose.” (143)
Another change, which happens, is with McMurphy and him not standing up anymore for the other patients. For example, at some point Cheswick wants something so bad that he becomes a danger for the ward so he is send to the Disturbed for the day, however McMurphy does not help him out of this situation. During a trip to the pool with the Ward, an accident happens and Cheswick drowns. From this day on, McMurphy changes and tries to become more behaved towards the Big Nurse. This proves that during the meeting at the beginning, the Big Nurse was right to keep him in the same ward until his ice would break.
At the end of Part II, McMurphy apologizes for the first time to the Big Nurse about not behaving. This is the biggest change that McMurphy has gone through, and due to this the other patients will have to change too. I hope that in Part III, there will be more change within the patients and that we find out more information about the past.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Post #3 pages 80-Part II
Language:
I have noticed that at some parts, the paragraphs are short, and tell different stories from the past and the present. I almost have the feeling that it has something to do schizophrenia, of the main character Chief Bromden. Maybe this also has something to do with the war experiences, he had. This is also one of the reasons why Chief Broom is in the institution. However, the word choice has not changed a great deal; maybe it will change more in Part II.
Questions:
I do not understand the things with the fog. Is it a hallucination that Chief Broom has from his war experiences or is it reality? Personally, I think that it is something he feels, and sees but actually it is not there. A reason for this might be that it is his fantasy world where he is trapped in, due to his prior experiences. So far we haven’t found out much about the past of the patients, and I think this will be a crucial point to find out more about Chief Bromden.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Post #2 pages 40-80
PS: I really did not understand pages 57-80, when there is a lot of talking about rabbits.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Post #1 Pages 1-40
The first 40 pages of the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, describes the different characters that are in the novel and sets the setting for the continuation of the story. The story is set at a mental institution, in the late sixties. So far, the novel has explained the situation at the mental institution where the main character is being treated. The main character, Chief Bromden, A.K.A Chief Buh-Broom, has been in the mental institution since World War II. He is described as a half-Indian with black hair, which can’t call for help and is being bullied by the “black boys”. The “black boys” are the helpers in the institution, who take advantage of the patients in every sort of way, even if it means to torture them. For example the nickname of Mr. Bromden, came about because he always has to sweep the floors since the “black boys” tell him to do so. The language which the main character uses is full of metaphors and similes. An example of this is on page 5, where Chief Bromden describes the reaction of the Big Nurse towards the “black boys”: “...so big I can smell the machinery inside the way you smell a motor pulling too big a load.” One of the main changes that happen in these 40 pages is the arrival of a new patient. He is described and drawn as big, tall, wide shoulders and strong man who seems to have to real mental problems, since he has no problem with cooperating with the other patients. The day the new patient arrives, named McMurphy, everyone is shocked about the reaction McMurphy has towards the other patients. He goes to all of the patients: the wheelers (the ones in a wheelchair), the vegetables (the ones that can’t do anything), the Acutes (not that severe problems) and the Chronics (the ones that have severe individual problems).
My personal response to the first 40 pages is quit opposite. On one hand, I have the feelings of the patients that are being treated like dirt and have the severe mental problems. Meaning that I have a feeling of pity towards the patients. But on the other hand, I am excited for the next part of the story, where the new patient will change things in the institutions. Also, I am excited for the relationship that the main character, Mr. Bromden and the McMurphy will have.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Editorial
It is hard to believe that when you go to Tiffany’s and buy a wedding ring, that you are indirectly purchasing rifles and other mass destructive weapons for the RUF. The daily routine of the RUF is to mass rape, torture, randomly execute, loot and indulge in cannibalism. One of the most ‘famous’ torture methods is to chop off the arms or hands of innocent civilians. This strategy evolved in 1996 when the president of Sierra Leone said that one should ‘join hands’ for peace. That is when the RUF said that the people don’t need to hold hands to create peace, because they will not have hands to create peace. It is estimated that Sierra Leone sells diamonds worth up to 6 billion dollars per year. 80% of these diamonds are sold in the luxury market in the USA.
If Sierra Leone receives 6 billion dollars a year, then where does the money go? This question is one of the key questions when trying to solve the Sierra Leone problem. Sierra Leone should be the Saudi Arabia of Africa, but it’s not. Even though the rebel groups only sell 4-5% of the global output, there is an estimated 3.7 million deaths as a result. The world is taking action, for example the UN spent 612 million dollars only in 2001 to settle in peace. However, the conflict is not loosening up.
The world must take action, and this is only possible by not blending Africa out of the media. In between the sports and the weather, there might be those 3 minutes a month where the country Sierra Leone is mentioned, but mostly due to natural disasters. No one really knows the path of the diamonds and how many innocent children, men and women had to be killed just for the bling-bling. The stone which symbolizes wealth, power, love and honor has to be taken serious. Not in relation to the money, but in the relation to the many people killed. Take action, research your diamond and where it came from! Don’t sit around and look at your reflection, look at the diamond and see if blood has dropped on it.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Editorial
Explains the setting
Explains what you can see from the automobile
The language is simple
One needs pre-knowledge to understand the article
Points:
America should send over more troops
Now that the war has been going on, the soldiers have become smarter
The soldiers are ready to fight
Afghanistan is under Western aid
Counterpoint:
Citizens of the USA want their husbands, sons, boyfriends, etc. to come back from the war
Conclusion:
"more boots on the ground"
We are smarter now, so we should use this opportunity and expand the troops
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Tabloid vs. Broadsheet
Tabloid:
Bluewin Closes Chat - Children Harassed
The Bluewin chatroom which was lead by swisscom mobile, decided to shut down. The negative use of the chatrooom has caused pedophiles to have easy access to personal and private information. The decision was made, due to a shocking test: Sabine Müller, pretended to be 13 year old girl. After only 47 seconds the first sex-bid was made. The result: he was 20 years older. After this, the swisscom chatroom decided it was better to close down. The act which was done by swisscom should be a role model for many other chatrooms, such as Facebook. Also the famous facebook chatroom proves to have cases where children have been invited to a meeting, and then brutally harassed. These examples should have world-wide consequences; however nothing has been done yet.
Broadsheet:
Online Chatroom Takes Archetype Decision
The Bluewin chatroom, which was lead by the Swiss telecommunication company, Swisscom decided to close their chatroom. The frequent use of the chatroom has also caused pedophiles and murders to have various access to personal information. Felix Graf, the manager of the chatroom stated that: “We do not longer want to be associated with sexaul activities on our chatroom”. For this exact reason the chatroom was closed for the good of the children. Furthermore, the Zürich Kantons Polizei (Zurich Police) did an online test to see whether there would be any sexual harassment. They pretended to be a 13 year old girl, an there was an appalling result, after only 47 seconds the alleged 13 year old girl was offered sexual activity. The man who offered sexual activity was 33 years old. Not only the Bluewin chatroom shows sexual activity but also the famous chatroom Facebook. The consequences of these chatrooms should be seen as a world-wide problem. For more information on how to protect your children turn to page 23.