By: Clare, Lucia, Kofi, Aigner, Ian & Ashton

Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

In our final episode we talked about the end of the Novel, character developments, as well as Ken Kesey’s intentions behind One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. We fill you in on the fishing trip that was organized by McMurphy and childhood memories both McMurphy and Bromdon reminisce on as the story ends. Enjoy our final episode of the Dayroom and learn our ideas of the author’s intentions and the impacts it had on the character developments.

Pages Referenced; 221, 265, 304, 326

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

In this episode, we discussed McMurphy’s change in demeanor, Chief Bromden’s new state of mind, and the disappearance of fog. We also examined the text through 3 literary lenses, a Feminist lens, a New Historicist lens, and a Marxist lens. In the end, we cast our predictions for the end of the book. Come back next week for our final episode!

Pages Referenced: Bromdon (Quotes): 129,130,131,132, 141 McMurphy: 146,147,148,149,159,166,167

By: Ashton, Clare, Lucia, Kofi, Ian & Aigner

In today’s podcast we talk about the author Ken Kesey and his inspiration for his first novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest”. We dive into the narrator Chief Bromden’s unique circumstances and his role in the institution. Having been the longest patient in the ward Bromden introduces the many patients, both Chronic and Acute, telling their stories, and their roles in the ward. Were also introduced to the Head Nurse, Miss Ratched as well as the rebellious newcomer McMurphy. McMurphy is shaking things up, will he uphold his streak? Will he win the bet?

   Americans often misunderstand the lives of refugees because of widespread misconceptions. Refugees entire lives are put on hold and are often put in danger, many even perish along the way. Many aspects of immigration are often overlooked and brushed under the carpet. Refugees do not have the option to leave their homeland and lose more than just their house in search of a better life.
   The U.S government and media often say that immigrants come into our country and steal taxpayer’s jobs. What isn’t publicized is the struggles immigrants and refugees face to make it to America or a safer place to restart their lives. There are many dangers that come with migrating and seeking refuge. An example of this is seen in the article Desperate Crossing by Scott Anderson, it tells the story of 733 refugees traveling from Eritrea to Sicily. The article includes photographs of the cramped boat, the hundreds of refugees had nothing but the clothes on their backs, which was the only thing between them and the hot summer sun. Most of the children on the boat did not know how to swim and there were no lifejackets onboard the boat. The migrants paid upwards of $1,500 for what they thought was a 6-8 hour journey, realistically though, it would take 6-8 days. Before the boat reached the island of Sicily the boat capsized, only 28 refugees survived. Sadly events like this are common, thousands of refugees die in transport to a new home some contracting life-threatening diseases or starving. Yet these are not the things that we are frequently made aware of. Instead, we are told that refugees do nothing but steal taxpayers’ jobs and create havoc within the country. If the media would allow citizens to see the struggles refugees and immigrants face there would be a better understanding of their intentions. To live a healthier and happier life in a safer environment.  
When immigrants uproot their families and lives they lose more than their home, they lose irreplaceable aspects of their life. Refugees’ homeland is somewhere they do not need to explain their identity or subside their culture, but when they are forced to leave their home they also lose their identity. This is especially clear when moving to the United States, many immigrants have to explain themselves and their identity in hopes of being accepted. In the novel, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri she touches on the losses that come with immigrating. On page 56 Lahiri writes ¨They’ve learned their lesson after Gongol. They´ve learned that schools in America will ignore parents’ instructions and register a child under his pet name. The only way to avoid such confusion, they have concluded, is to do away with the pet name altogether, as many of their Bengali friends have done.¨ This quote represents how it is difficult to stay true to your culture when the people around you don understand its importance. Rather immigrants give up the fight to show their culture and identity, afraid of disrespect from others. United States citizens are predisposed to assumptions for Muslims, giving people the idea that they are all terrorists. Sadly people do not take the time to understand people’s differences, instead, they try to conform them to their standards. Another example of how immigration causes many people to lose their culture and identity is seen in the article A Return to Nigeria. Enuma Okoro writes of the differences immigrants feel when visiting their homeland, “Each time I boarded the plane to return to the States it was with a surprising hint of sadness. I became increasingly uncertain about what I was really going back to. Sure, there was a reliable infrastructure of basic necessities like electricity and medical care. Yet, back in Nigeria, I had the irreplaceable experience of feeling connected to an untapped part of myself. I was gaining insight into my ancestral and communal identity as a Nigerian, as an Igbo woman.” This quote shows how refugees lose their sense of culture and their identity when moving to a better living environment. This quote from the article shows how at some point refugees would rather sacrifice their living environment to live somewhere they don’t need to explain their identity and culture. Many people do not acknowledge the sacrifices refugees make to have a better life in a safer environment. 
Seeking refuge has lifelong damaging effects on immigrants. Throughout the film Beasts of the Southern Wild, the viewer realizes what being an outsider can do to a person. Immigrants and refugees often feel like outsiders in their own homes. They are treated differently even though we are all people, that cannot seem to accept each other’s differences. At the beginning of the film the protagonist, Hushpuppy narrates a conversation between her and her father as he explains life outside the “bathtub”. “ Ain't that ugly over there? We got the prettiest place on earth. Daddy says, up above the levee… on the dry side, they're afraid of the water… like a bunch of babies. They built the wall that cuts us off. They think we all gonna drown down here. But we ain't going nowhere.” This scene in the movie stuck with me as Hushpuppy is very young and is already being taught the ways in which the world discriminates against those who stray from the streamline. Those living in the bathtub make up a community of understanding individuals who come together and celebrate their differences. People living on the other side of the levee treat people of the bathtub as outsiders. Similarly, many immigrants are treated as outsiders, they have to work harder to be seen and treated as equals. Having to prove and explain themselves to be accepted causes emotional damage, feeling inadequate for being themselves. Ultimately immigrants tell their stories, passing them down from generation to generation. Another scene from Beasts of the Southern Wild that represents the emotional damage immigrants deal is when Hushpuppy says ̈If Daddy kill me I ain't gonna be forgotten, I ́m recording my story for scientists of the future.¨ Immigrants and refugees tell their stories so that their struggle is never forgotten. Immigrants and refugees lose their culture and identity when searching for the start of a better life. Sadly although they escape the struggles in their homeland they are dealt a whole new stack of difficulties that ultimately pose lifelong emotional damage. 
   In today’s society, immigrants and refugees are misunderstood and placed under a category of unworthy. They are treated with disrespect for being different when in reality every single person is unique and different and deserves an opportunity for a better life. Americans often misunderstand the lives of refugees because of widespread misconceptions. The misconception that refugees do nothing more than steal taxpayers’ jobs and money hides their struggles. That immigrants’ entire lives are put on hold, they ́re put in danger, and they ́re forced to seek refuge. The sooner this misconception is forgotten the sooner everyone can accept each other differences and respect each other enough to give others the opportunity for a better life.

Introduction: My goal for this essay was to bring comfort to the reader. Change is something that everyone must endure. Although change may be uncomfortable the things that come from it are necessary for personal growth. I am proud of my overarching idea in this essay because it’s something I will remember for the rest of my life. I would like to improve getting m point across in more detailed and concise sentences.

Advanced Essay #1: I heard my mom shout my name up the two flights of stairs from my kitchen to the attic, where my cluttered room was. My stomach dropped when I realized I forgot to empty the dishwasher when I got home from school. I rushed downstairs preparing to get the usual lecture when my dad called me into the living room. Where my mom, dad, and brother all sat in uncomfortable silence. I sat down and waited to hear what I predicted was terrible news. I immediately began to think of every possible thing they could be preparing to tell me. I blurted out, “What is this about?”. My foot began to tremble while I chewed on my fingernails as stress overcame my body. My mom said that someone bought our house. My heart dropped, I never imagined that this would happen. Everything that I remember was in that house. When I thought matters couldn’t get any worse my dad began to explain how we were moving to Philadelphia at the end of the school year. Tears began to build in my eyes. Without saying anything I calmly walked out of the room, through the kitchen and up the two flights of stairs to my room where I slammed my door. All my jackets fell from the rusty hook on the back of the door as I collapsed onto my bed. I looked around my room and all I could think was that it wouldn’t be mine for much longer. Everything I knew and loved was going to change. New school, new house, new room, new friends, new challenges. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want summer to start. I guess it was my fear of change that scared me the most. The unknown. I was afraid of everything that came with moving. I began to cry as I examined things in my room I never paid any mind to. I peered out of the window my bed had been pushed up to for as long as I could remember and watched the sunset. I tried to create a plan to prevent the upcoming disaster but deep down I knew it was inevitable. I couldn’t imagine restarting my whole life. I never wanted to move, I loved my house. With its fading yellow walls and hundreds of willowing books. I didn’t want someone else to get the treehouse, my brother, dad and I built for my 7th birthday. I didn’t want another family to cover our memories with theirs. Fast forward 12 months. I’ve made the once frightening city my home. If someone were to tell me that this would be my life as I hopelessly laid in bed that night, I would’ve never in a million years believed them. I have since then met so many amazing people and have grown a genuine love for school. I can happily say that although my world crumbled around me I have made an even more beautiful life here. I’ve realized that change is a blessing in disguise. Once I made it through the painful nights and lonely days I made this my home. I discovered that nothing is permanent, nothing except myself and my family. Life is too short to focus on things that we cannot change.