Of Change and Chance

      When you think of change the first things that might pop into your consciousness could be the rise and ebb of the seasons, perhaps the weather. Still change is the single factor in life that is ever present, this applies to us as people as well. It's a topic which never fades in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, a factor induced by a character who is viewed as the wild card; Randle Patrick McMurphy.

      This character was the spark of change within the ward, he drove many towards it and some of them succeeded. Chief Bromden was affected most of them all. He is an enormous half Native American who deceives everyone in the ward, making them believe that he is deaf and dumb. Yet he is no such thing, in fact he proves to be quite cunning. Whilst everyone believes he is deaf Chief is able to eavesdrop on privat conversations within the ward. At the beginning of the book he's a man troubled by his anxiety and hallucinations. Insecurities and fear for Nurse Ratched lead him to a life out of everyones way.

       With McMurphy's help, he and many others start down the road of change and take the first steps out of their shells. With this new patients arrival a sense of freedom is spread throughout the ward. A clear example of Chief's change is when McMurphy encourages him to vote in favor of watching the game, in this situation instead of remaining dumb he raises his hand in sign of a vote in favor. This is the first time we see Bromden leave his comfort zone and takes a chance in interacting with the world around him. As the novel progresses passages containing the "fog" fade, as Chief Bromden becomes more confident and feels in control of situations around him.

    McMurphy became an idol of sorts when he charged into the ward, challenging authority and returning the patients a voice they had long since lost or never really had. When McMurphy returns from the electroshock treatment as a chronic something in him makes him see all the things he could have by leaving the ward. Chief makes the choice to escape the ward and takes the chance, by throwing a control panel out one of the windows. Free at last he regains his true self, a confident person who is not troubled by a single thing.

      The change Chief Bromden experienced was something that would have never happened were it not because of McMurphy and the extreme luck of having him transfer in to their ward. Without him, no change could have ever been possible. Was it because of the system itself that McMurphy came to live in this ward? Or was it just by chance?