The Transformation

Chief Bromden, the narrator of  “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” has a surprising transformation throughout the novel.  At first he only speaks to the reader, but later he gains confidence from McMurphy and is able to talk. This reminds me of a boy in my 4^th grade class, his name was Elliot Donato. Insecurity took a hold of him, making him afraid of talking to anyone except the teacher, although this changed when we saw each other at the park.

In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Chief Bromden acts as if he was deaf. No one cared if he was around because he wouldn’t say anything. That is why he would be able to go to the meetings of the Acutes and secretly listen to their problems while he did his chores. He didn’t feel welcome by the members of the ward, no one would act if he existed and when they did it would be because they talked about his immense size or laugh about his ethnicity. He tells the reader what is going on in the ward and in his mind. McMurphy, being a revolutionary character makes actions that make an impact on the Chief. For example, in reference to the text, when McMurphy fails to lift the panel and then says, “At least I tried”, opened the eyes of all the men.  

The Chief seemed to live behind the fog at the beginning of the novel. For example, “But the fog’s clogged my throat to where I can’t make a sound.” (Pg. 117)  This shows how the fog limited the Chief in doing what he wanted, in this case to speak. Nevertheless, later on he stops wondering about how McMurphy can be what he is and instead concentrates on being the person that he wants to be. McMurphy turned out to be such an important person in his life that he idolized him making him brave. For example, when the Chief is scared to go into electric shock therapy he says, “I won’t cry or yell, not with McMurphy here.” (Pg. 243) Due to the admiration that the Chief felt for McMurphy he couldn’t bare letting McMurphy see him weak. Although this was hard for him, it made him stronger.  Also, McMurphy had promised the Chief that he would make him big again, and at the end of the novel we see that this is accomplished. The Chief is able to lift the pannel which was a way that demonstrated his strength was regained like the confidence he sprung out. After the Chief had the Electric Shock Therapy we can see how he gained strength in his mind. Normally after these therapies he would have a fog phase, but this time it didn't happen. Thanks to McMurphy, Chief Brombden started seeing beyond the fog and was able to fly away.

This is similar to the situation of Elliot Donato because he was a very insecure person that barely even talked. He was comfortable speaking only to Miss. Allen, like the Chief only speaking to the reader. One day I was in the park selling lemonade and I saw him alone at the swings. I went up to him to give him lemonade and he stared closely at me and only said “thank you” like the Chief said to McMurphy for the gum. Although I am not a revolutionary person I do like to talk like McMurphy. I sat with him and although he mostly listened he started talking to me. Little by little he would talk more and more, until the point that he was comfortable talking to people in school. He started to have friends and he became one of my best. We will always be special for each other like McMurphy with the Chief.

People will always change, some for good or for worse. But in these two cases it was for good. Both gained confidence in them thanks to the people around them that noticed their presence. People will always have an impact on each other and we must try to make that impact a positive one, so that the people around us and ourselves succeed, and we can make the fog fade away.