Cuckoo's Nest

            
             The use of many symbols and themes play major roles in the development of character and plot in almost any novel; such is the one of the many tools of a writer. Such result of the tools is best exemplified in the characters and development in the novel THE CUCKOO"S NEST by Ken Kesey. The tragic novel takes place at a mental asylum in which a perfectly sane man attempts to escape prison by admitting himself to the mental asylum, where he ultimately ends up "saving" the inmates from an oppressive society. Of the many inmates is the Chief Bromden who is supposedly "deaf" and delusional which can be seen through his narrations. What make the characters so interesting are the continual parallels with the characters in THE CUCKOO"S NEST to religious figures and also the reality the book instills through presence of delusions in the Chief's diction.
             The question comes up though; Mac Murphy is not the type of person that is benevolent enough to help anyone. Mainly because of the fact that he's a criminal and he's been stamped as a criminal for reasons that would most likely contradict his motives (i.e. "saving" the inmates from asylum) However, putting his past aside, Mac Murphy is actually very willing and capable of saving the inmates, Which can be seen in many instances. For example, Mc Murphy's open denial of the tyrant "Big Nurse" and the eventual recovery of Chief Bromden. Mac Murphy takes many shock treatments, and verbal ridicule but that doesn't stop him at all. Not only does he deny the "Big Nurse" he also adds onto it by pulling pranks as well. However, his full potential is not accurately calculated until he is paralleled to Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ according the Bible, Jesus was the very man that thought only to help others, and to sacrifice himself. Just like Mac Murphy by taking those shock treatments and such. Also during the fishing trip, it can be paralleled that the rest of the inmates are his 13 disciples and from no loss in resources like money (they snuck onto the fishing boat), they were able to get bountiful amounts of fish.