cyrillagel

I can't yet put my finger on why, but this is one for the "favorite books" shelf. It was such a pleasure to read this book. I loved the writing style, the narrative perspective, the characters, and the story itself. I thought the narrative perspective - that of a Chronic mental patient who happens to be a gigantic Native American feigning to be deaf and mute (for reasons revealed near the end) - was fascinating. The very nature of the narrator's neurosis leaves room for the reader to not take the facts of the narrative seriously ... how bad is Nurse Ratched? How heroic is McMurphy? We are only hearing one side of the story, and it's a side that must be naturally questioned due to the storyteller's questionable hold on reality. At the same time, the narrative perspective rings very true to anyone who has ever taken an individual stand against the ignorant oppression of the collective. Yet it's not a hymn to individualism, either, as the heroic loner McMurphy needs those around him every bit as much as he stands out from them. Quite the allegory for anyone lost among the great tides of society and those in power, whether you're working for a corporation, a government, or church organization ... there's something here for you. At multiple points, I found myself recognizing McMurphy as a Christ-figure, and at other times he seemed to be more of a devilish tempter than anything else. Kesey is a genius for telling such a simple story in a way that leave a vast amount of room for interpretation and personal interaction.

2023-03-08 05:36