This document summarizes key differences between Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and the 1975 film adaptation. In the novel, Chief Bromden is the narrator and the story is told from his perspective, including surreal scenes that may be hallucinations. The film takes a more realistic approach, with Bromden as a secondary character and McMurphy portrayed as the clear hero. While the novel invites understanding Bromden's point of view, the film emphasizes realism over challenges to ordinary reality.

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest:
Two Versions
Julia Miele Rodas
Lehman College / CUNY
Spring 2022

2. Ken Kesey published One Flew
Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1962
• The novel is set in an Oregon State mental hospital
• Focused on the roles of Randle Patrick McMurphy
and “Chief” Bromden
• Story shows how people who refuse to adapt to
standard social conventions—people who don’t “fit
in”—are locked up and forced into conformity

3. Bromden & McMurphy each express resistance
to the social machine …
“The ward is a factory for the Combine. It’s for
fixing up mistakes made in the neighborhoods
and in the schools and in the churches, the
hospital is. When a completed product goes
back out into society, all fixed up and good as
new … it brings joy to the Big Nurse’s heart;
something that came in all twisted different is
now a functioning, adjusted component …”
“ … the court ruled that I’m a psychopath. …
Now they tell me a psychopath’s a guy fights
too much and fucks too much … “

4. In Ken Kesey’s BOOK,
Bromden is the NARRATOR
 That means that One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest is HIS story, tells what happens to
McMurphy but from Bromden’s point of view.
 The narrative includes many surreal scenes
where the reader is not sure if Bromden is
hallucinating, or, overmedicated, or, if he’s
experiencing an alternate reality.
 “… a whole wall slides up, reveals a huge room
of endless machines stretching clear out of
sight, swarming with sweating, shirtless men
…”
 The reader is invited to understand the story
from Bromden's perspective, to respect and
try to understand his way of seeing things.

5. The 1975 film version takes a
different narrative approach
 McMurphy is more clearly the hero
 Bromden does not seem to have any
psychiatric disability
 The film emphasizes realism, no
hallucinations or challenges to ordinary
reality
 Bromden is a secondary character

6. If you want more …
• Watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
(available from most streaming services)
• Access the opening pages One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest
• Read and listen along with Julia's audio
recording and analysis
• Writing to think exercise:
• Find a quotation from Kesey's book that
seems to show Bromden hallucinating
• Explain how this is different from the
movie
• Tell which version you like better and
explain why

7. Stay in touch!
Julia Miele Rodas
@JuliaMieleRodas
julia.rodas@bcc.cuny.edu