Book review- "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" by Ken Kesey (Logan Angol period 6)

                I've come to discover that the diligence Ken Kesey has inserted into the paragon of a

literary work has given me further implications as to how "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest" relates

 to our society today. The author uses portentous ways to develop his story and keep readers locked

 in, making them want to continue on to see what the next page may lead too. The book follows a

group of  very strange men who, to a mere person's visage, dearth intelligence. The author constantly

 harbingers in the novel to develop his group of "extraordinary" men into a group of nutshell purgers,

 which is completely obscure to the nurses that watch over them day by day. Until, it was too late.

The novel , present in the 1960s,  mostly follows a man known as Chief who pretends to be death and

 "retarded" so people keep their distance. All while , in the "safe" grounds of a mental institute. The

main character Chief forms an amity with one of the new arriving patients , Murphy, who quickly

stirs up a hot bowl of mischief in the institute.



                    This is already relating to our society today, because this is a similar way to portray the

"new kid in school" who feels like he needs to prove himself to his new classmates. Well in Murphy's

case , fellow patients. To continue , the book goes on by the brilliant author constantly foreshadowing

to lead the reader on to what may happens next. Such as when Murphy breaks out the institute just to

incense the antagonist of the story, nurse Ratched. Nurse Ratched is the "head nurse" of the institute

and gives all mandates when it comes to punishing patients. These punishments could go from not

feeding you for days , to turning your brain into a mere cabbage , causing you to not even being able

to move on your own the rest of your life. Ratched is known for doing such horrific things , so when

Murphy constantly rebels by breaking out and bringing hookers back in the home , the nurse is

furious. She ends up sending Murphy to the lobotomy , where he is turned into a vegetable. Chief ,

knowing his new friend could never live the life he could before , makes a hard discretion and kills

him in his sleep. Chief could now hold his temperance no longer. He decides to break out  and never

return. He runs away to Canada where he will live the rest of his life. This also relates to our society

today because many know of the mental institutes "crazy" people are being held at. Some in our

society may say its too luxurious, that those people belong in prison. Well with people like nurse
Ratched in the world, the insight our society has on the topic may change.
         
          To conclude , I myself did not favor the book at all. I found it very dull with a lack of enhanced

writing. Sure foreshadowing made me wonder what characters planned on doing in the next chapter ,

but besides that i often found my self slumbering on a mattress after 15 minutes of reading. I found

the story very sick and twisted , and couldn't wait to be done with it.This book relates to our society

because of the many ways its situation relates to real life problems. Such as facing a bully. In the novel , Murphy faces his demons by constantly confronting  "Big nurse". It took a lot to make such a stand, but revenge would cost him his life later on in the book. Out of a rating from 1-10 i give this book a 4.

"The Things They Carried" by TimO' Brien (Logan Angol period 6)

      I've found that the significant and utterly engaging novel, "The Things They Carried" , is concrete proof of


 how a book can be relevant to our society today. The book revolves around a squadron of protagonist who "carry"


certain items that always has a background story to them. For example, one compelling background was


when the squadron found a very small dead body one day while patrolling. Being able to confirm that the body was


one of a little boy, even though the face was unidentifiable, they cut a finger off the body and kept it as a souvenir. To


continue, other such things that were carried were pictures of loved ones. An substantial amount of people in our


society could relate to such feelings and emotion if they had to move away from their loved ones to perform duties. 


These type of findings and the consistent telling of their backgrounds enhanced the story, and thus, kept readers such


as myself understand the sophistication this novel contains. 

 

       

         To further address my statement of this didactic novel, the book can relate to numerous age groups. For


reference , a character in the book Jimmy Cross carries pictures and lingerie of his girlfriend back home. He


fantasizes about her so much in fact, it impedes his line of duty. He doesn't recognize an enemy solider hiding in the


forest. Thus , his fellow brother in arms was killed during a simple patrol because of one  of Cross's things he carried.


Just this situation alone can touch a readers heart and memories. Maybe they could relate to a situation that was very


precise to that part of the novel. Maybe a war veteran would've been disgusted because a soldier let his man die for


some perverted thoughts. So much implications can be thought of from such a tale, and this is how the novel relates,


reflects, and is relevant to our society today.





           To conclude the review of this compelling novel, the book ends with a mixture of romance, sadness, memories,


and death. The author , Tim O'Brien , basically tries to open the reader's mind on how war isn't all about killing and


violence. Its the memories and sorrow of the soldiers that makes fighting in war so hard. As well as a person's mental


stability. I recommend this book to all ages and genders. Especially if you're just a regular citizen who knows nothing


about war, this is the perfect novel for you. I personally enjoyed it  myself and would love to read it again. Out of a


rating from 1-5 , I give "The Things They Carried" a 4.