One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

by

Ken Kesey

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Symbols

Fog

Chief Bromden’s hallucinations are dominated by a thick, debilitating fog that only begins to wane with the arrival of Randle McMurphy to the psych ward. Bromden’s sees the world as becoming increasingly mechanized, and describes… read analysis of Fog

Laughter

After Randle McMurphy arrives, Chief Bromden notices that his laughter is the first genuine laughter he has heard in years. The longer McMurphy is on the ward, the more the men begin to laugh. Laughter… read analysis of Laughter

Gambling

Randle McMurphy is quick to introduce himself as an avid gambler, and tries to find the patient on the ward in charge of gambling and debts. McMurphy uses gambling throughout the book as a way… read analysis of Gambling

The Control Panel

Randle McMurphy makes a bet that he can lift the control panel, an object that is so large and heavy that no one believes he can actually do it—but they are all committed to… read analysis of The Control Panel