https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oE5XH9Ar3mCdm0Mn_qh7QPZj_DRTfVPt/view?usp=drivesdk

The Fuku Chronicles analyzes The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and specifically the development of the characters and perspectives. We dig into the literary vs figurative aspects of the book as well. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C4OQPFigceMBeJvAaeCLKJIUTaQe9kd_/view?usp=sharing

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QWFdKqAr8pCpb8pGQUL6FYXWx4pMxqP9/view?usp=sharing

In this episode, we discuss There There by Tommy Orange. We cover the cast so far, the book’s motifs, and read a couple of moments from the story.

The Darkness Creeping around the Corner podcast, discusses Toni Morrison The Bluest Eye, taking a look at the Literal and Figurative devices in the text.

https://www.wevideo.com/view/3653818641

Link to the Podcast - https://drive.google.com/file/d/16IeopWi6VjX0GqfllOY6LJsIGV2JDchi/view?usp=sharing

Every time you open a new book, it is like opening your eyes to a new reality. You ask yourself what life would be like if you were in that book approaching the same situations the characters were. Our mission is to go deeper into that thought by colliding with the realities of a reader and a novel through discussion and reflection. We choose to H.O.N.O.R rather than judge.

In this episode, we uncover the different events that the two characters have experienced throughout the section of the novel and highlight what stood out to us. To stay within the theme, we make comparisons on how our real lives connect with the lives of these characters living in a apocalyptic setting ultimately trying to survive while in constant distress. Join us on this journey to navigating our first thoughts of the book and what we predict will happen later on.

I decided to draw a picture of the title of the book that represented the patients in the ward.I put a lock as the O for One that represented the patients being locked in the ward and I put the key in place of the T for Nest to represent the ward and how its like a prison for the patient is the ward.They don’t have control over their mind and are being controlled by the Nurse Ratched and the rules of the ward.The novel’s setting in a mental ward, dominated by the tyrannical Miss Ratched, highlights the oppressive power of mass society..It is an oppressive environment not only for the black patients in this book but also for the white patients as well because they are all getting the same amount of physical treatment.The way the ward is set up it isn’t geared towards making the patients better so they can go back into society and “fit in”,they want to make their condition worst by using these brutal tactics.The book continues to touch on one’s control over one’s body and weather it is possible for someone to escape the ward and I think it is possible to do and I think that one patient if not more will find a way to escape because of this quote on page 87 that states “you can’t keep a bird in a cage”.This represent the human desire for freedom over their mind and body and I think that some patients that aren’t too far gone like the chronics can have a chance to be free from the ward and maybe have some sense of normalcy after getting out.McMurphy, the protagonist, plays a crucial role in challenging the status quo within the ward. His rebellious spirit inspires other patients to question their circumstances and seek liberation. Through his actions, McMurphy demonstrates that escape is possible, but it often requires courage and a willingness to confront the oppressive forces that bind them. His influence encourages the other patients to envision a life beyond the confines of the ward.I feel like he would be able to function in society with the right amount time and it the “therapeutic practices” haven’t fried his brain yet.The patients in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” still aspire to escape the ward, even though the journey is complex and fraught with obstacles.The narration illustrates that true escape involves both physical and psychological liberation. McMurphy’s impact on the patients highlights the important challenges of an oppressive system while striving for personal freedom, even in the face of adversity. While the idea of escape is compelling, it is essential to recognize the limitations faced by the patients.The ward’s institutional environment is designed to suppress individuality and maintain control. Even if some patients find ways to resist or rebel like McMurphy, the systemic nature of their confinement poses significant challenges. Ultimately, the possibility of escape is not just about leaving the physical space but also about achieving a sense of self-empowerment and mental freedom.

In the book “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” the character Randle McMurphy is the most rebellious patient in the ward which is extremely important to the narrative. McMurphy’s rebellion not only challenges the authority within the mental institution but also symbolizes a more broad idea of the struggle with conformity and authority. His actions and the consequences highlight the importance of individuality and rebellion when dealing with oppression of authority. When McMurphy first arrived at the asylum it was the beginning of a rebellion against the oppressive environment that nurse Ratched created. Him refusing to follow the rules and him standing up for other patients inspired them to reclaim their identities. On page 150(online pdf of the book) McMurphy was speaking with other patients about how they all “kiss her ass so much and bow and scrape and let her walk all over you.(pg 149)” This was his way of influencing them to rebel and not to follow the rules but while also telling them he’s going to cut back with the rebelling sense he found out nurse Rachet can keep him there. He says “ you have to swallow your pride sometimes and keep an eye out for old number one.” He sees his “battle” with the nurse ratched as a game and he wants to win. He later then thinks about it and realizes that his rebellion will help the other men in the ward find themselves and gain their confidence/pride. This realization causes him to abort his plan of following the rules and continue with his rebellious ways. McMurphy’s rebellion is compost important to the novel as it shows the significance of individuality in a society that has oppressive authority figures. His character is a representation of the struggle for personal freedom as he fights against dehumanization. McMurphys rebellion has caused the patients to realize their own worth and caused them to believe in themselves. An example of this is when McMurphy encourages Bromden to speak and stand up for himself. My drawing represents the power that McMurphy holds in this book. Although McMurphy has no real authority he holds so much power. He is able to rebel against oppression and encourage others to do so. He’s a complicated character but one thing that’s clear is that he did many things that were unselfish to help others gain something. McMurphy has the power to show others their worth and show others the truth. His unwillingness to stop rebelling even though that means he will get punished because it will influence others to help and find themselves is truly powerful. So overall my point was to show that McMurphy’s role in this story was one of the most important roles.

I made my artwork about the scene in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey in which one of the secondary characters Pete has an outburst in the ward’s group therapy discussion. For my artist representation, I started with the few descriptions of Pete I read the novel and built off of them in the way that I thought would represent him best. I drew Pete with thinning hair similar to the character of George Costanza from the TV show Seinfeld, with hair on the sides of his head and thin combed over wisps of hair on his crown. In the specific scene that I chose to represent on page 49 where Pete says, “ Ya see, I can’t help it …I was born dead, not you. You wasn’t born dead…I had so many insults I died…I been dead fifty-five years”(Kesey).
I think that Kesey’s description of depression, through the character of Pete, was incredibly realistic. This sad and empty feeling that was described in Pete’s outburst is why I decided not to give Pete pupils in my artist’s representation of this scene because I wanted the viewer to understand that he really and truly feels dead inside so I tried to make him look like such. I think that the reason that I chose this scene in particular is because I have personally related to this. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder when I was around twelve years old and it has been something that I have struggled with for as long as I can remeber. I can say from firsthand experience that this way of describing how depression can feel was incredibly captivating. Kesey’s manner of representing the vast effect of mental health on a person had a way of making me feel seen but also somehow a bit disturbed. This is such a raw and unadulterated feeling for anyone to go through and seeing it reproduced so profoundly and uncanny on a page was kind of jarring. I am personally not a huge fan of this book so far but I can say that I am very fascinated by the way that Kesey depicts elements of mental health like his description of Pete’s depression or Bromden’s schizophrenic hallucinations. I have only personally experienced one of the two but I do think that since he is really good at demonstrating what these disorders feel like internally in a really profound way. For this reason I would guess that a person who has experienced schizophrenia or knows someone who has would probably feel represented by his style of writing and/or can validate his mode of representation for these illnesses. In summation, I think that Pete’s character is most influential in terms of making people feel more related to the overall narrative because so many of the characters really lack anything that most readers can relate to which, I believe, is a very important part of any piece of writing because it is one of many ways to keep a reader engaged.

¨The vote is closed, Mr. McMurphy.¨ ¨Let me talk to ´em.¨ I begin to walk over to the chronics side, can’t even remember the last time I talked to the bunch but I´m desperate. One of ´em best raise their hand, they might be old but everyone likes a good ol´ ball game, better than cleaning the latrine and what not. ¨What about you buddy? You want to watch the World series? Baseball? Baseball games? Just raise that hand up there–¨ ¨Fffffffuck da wife.¨ What´s wrong with these guys man. No one likes a good old baseball game? I mean come on, just need one hand. ¨All right, forget it. You, partner, how about you? What was your name–Ellis? What do you say, Ellis, to watching a ball game on TV? Just raise your hand…¨ The nurse continues, keep on going on about how the voting is closed. Chronic or not, we´re men. I´m sure one of us would like a good ol´ game, world series. Just need one of them to raise their hands. Just one, I mean come on. I look over at the indian, he looks nervous. Can´t remember what was wrong with the guy? I think he was deaf, but I´m desperate. Deaf doesn’t mean blind, I´ḿ sure he likes a good old ball game, I mean come on for cryin’ out loud. Just one of you damn screwups, just raise your hand. Can´t let the nurse get one on me, come on, come on. ¨You, Chief, what about you?¨ I cry out. I´m not even sure he can hear me or not, If I´m honest, I´m not sure I´ve ever heard the guy talk, not a sound comes from him. But he´s been here awhile nevertheless, don´t you want a change of scenery, do indians play ball? Come on man. The nurses’ voice echoes in my mind, ¨The vote is closed.¨ ¨The vote is closed.¨ ¨The vote is closed.¨ ¨The vote is closed.¨ I look over at the chief, looks like something is stirring inside of the guy. I mean, he looks up at me, then his hand. His shoulder moves slowly, his arm bends. The guy looks reluctant, but it´ll do, just need the guy to raise his hand, and he does. ¨Good on you chief, glad one of you gentlemen had some sense.¨ I give him a slap and happily look at the nurse. She stares at the chief, like her anger switched or somethin´, redirected on the chief. And now that I think about it, isn’t this guy supposed to be deaf or somethin? How could he have heard me? These guys get some magic power or somethin´ to mind read? I look back at the television, I can see the guy´s reflection. He looks nervous, I mean, is he really deaf? Why would he be nervous? You know now that I think about it, he was the only one that really shook my hand, I mean he looked terrified like he could hear me. He looked scared too, when I was laughin´. I mean, what if this guy is some type of foney, you can hear me can´t you? I give the guy another look, he’s given a side eye to the nurse, he looks like a deer in headlights, what´s up with this guy? I look back at the nurse, her face is red.. I almost let out a laugh, good ol´ ratchet can’t seem to hide it. She´s angry, and the rest of us are watchin´ her. I was best not to let her get one up on me, now look at her. What´s up with these folk? Everyone’s starin at the nurse, I suppose we´re all thinking about it, whether this guy is really deaf or not. I mean maybe, maybe they know already, and they´re hidin’ it. I best not ask, wouldn’t want to get the little get in trouble since he´s lettin me watch the world series/

Something I wanted to include was McMurphy´s reaction to Chief Bromden raising his hand, naturally he´d be excited but I think something that has been true for the majority of the story is McMurphy´s type of heightened sense of awareness, as if he could see through people easily. That´s why I wrote about him thinking about whether the chief was really deaf. I tried to include excerpts from the book because I still wanted to keep some of the books narration, or truthfulness to my own twist on the inner narration of McMurphy, while including a realistic kind of outsider point of view that came in the form of him not wanting to ask. I tried to make sure to make his narration kind of sound like a southerner, because he´s described as a large redneck or red haired man which is usually connected to the south.