Who's the voice of the generation?

One of the assumptions is that there isn't and won't be a voice of our generation. If all of the previous voice of generation writers were determined after their deaths, maybe that would be applicable to our generation. We may have a generation, we just do not know it yet.
Another assumption that normal, average characters are not written about anymore. The books that are written are about what people are going through right now, and those are vastly different. There isn't a single voice of the generation, but there are many. If the different voices were compiled, that would reveal the true voice. Like the article suggested, we are singing not in unison, but in harmony. The world has been globalized, and the way people living are drastically different. Instead of only addressing white, average males, writers are trying to incorporate everyone. Because of this, the voice may not seem to have unity.
Another assumption is that writers are generally narcissistic, and that they write for themselves instead of for the generation. I do not think this is true. The people in our generation are so different, that it is hard to write for all. Instead, writers probably write from their own perspective, hoping that people will connect. The voice of our generation is more individual, because the people are.

Notes Day 5

Notes Day 5

For the warm up, we discussed how Bromden always references everything to a machine. The combine made him a machine and this is his way of showing us the world the way he sees it. George leading the boat really showcased his strength. All of the patient got their time to shine. For example, George leading the boat, Jimmy sleeping with one of the girls, etc. It also brought light to the fact that McMurphy doesn't necessarily have all the confidence he portrayed. This allowed everyone else to have a turn. It was finally something McMurphy didn't do for himself. The fishing trip really changed the men because it brought out their independence. They realized that they were able to stand on their two feet outside of the hospital. We had a side discussion of how the men first acted around civilization at the gas station. It was an interesting contrast between the beginning of the day and the end. Set aside the money, McMurphy eventually was able to prioritize different things like helping the patients. In the beginning  everything was a game to him. He used power to get his way and had a "oh I can beat this", selfish attitude. However as he grew close with some of the other patients, he gained sympathy and realized he needed to do it for all the hopeless guys. He showed great character development in this novel.   Bromden being in the disturbed ward connects to the title. He was definitely flying over the cuckoos nest in that part. They threw all the pills around as a sign of rebellion. The pills represented structure that was out of their control and throwing them was a big 'screw you' to all authority. We determined that the laughing has become  a reoccurring motif throughout the novel. at this particular part, it was comfort. They were free from power when they laugh because laughing is merely a body function yet it symbolizes freedom in the ward and happiness. We discussed how a lot of people suspected Bromden to talk and when he did, everyone was too wrapped up in the moment to make a big deal of it. We were all crushed when Billy died, it was definitely one of the hardest parts to read for all of us. Although, after discussing, we determined it was for the best. Billy died at one of his happiest moments and he was never going to be that happy again. It is us refers o us as society. Society ultimately determines who is crazy. McMurphy's death symbolized strength in Bromden to carry through with everything they had worked towards. McMurphy's spirit will follow Bromden and the ward. Everything that happened was for the best. For the wrap up activity, we discussed how the book would not have been as powerful if McMurphy stayed as a potato and everyone else rotted in the ward. It ultimately showed victory over Nurse Ratched. After a lot of deep thinking about the complication of endings, we determined we all enjoyed the book. :)

Syllabus Day 5

Pages 191- end

Syllabus: Baergen
Notes: Sara

Warm Up Activity:   " I am eye. I am a mechanical eye. I, a machine, am showing you a world, the likes of which only I can see."  - Dziga Vertov, Kinoglas
How does this quote (found on our documentary sheet) apply to the characters and the message of the book?

Discussion Questions
1. What does George leading the boat signify?

2. What happened on the fishing trip that changed the boys?

3. Besides money, what is McMurphy trying to gain?

4. Do you think McMurphy really cares that much about money, or have his reasons changed?

5. When Bromden is in the disturbed ward, he is talking crazy. What does this show?

6. When the "whores" come, everyone is laughing uncontrollably. What is the purpose of this?

7. Why do they take all of the pills and throw them everywhere?

8. Why isn't anyone surprised when Chief starts talking?

9. What does this quote mean, "it is us...us." pg 258

10. What does Billy's death symbolize? What about McMurphy's?

Ending Activity:  If the book had ended differently, would it still have the same message? Would the book still be as powerful?

Notes Day 4

McMurphy probably won't get out of the ward soon, he is digging himself into a bigger hole. The patients aren't in charge of their treatment because they don't have enough sense and most of them are there by choice to let other people deal with their problem and treat it. They are all not in there for voluntary reasons but all of the patients in there cannot handle the Outside which is why they are inside the ward. The ringing is a spur of the moment feeling he gets because he is excited to talk to McMurphy, the first time he has spoken in many, many years. Bromden makes himself easy to be ignored because he wants to be so no one wants to pay attention to him. His memory is of him being ignored so that is how he thinks he should be ignored. Even though Bromden is 6' 7" he feels small because he wants to feel insignificant so people ignore him. Because he does not want to be noticed by other people, especially when he listens in on secrets, he feels small on the inside. The symbolism of Cheif chewing the same piece of gum is how he has the opportunity to start over but he stays where he is. McMurphy is a good influence on the hospital environment because he is helping people stand up for themselves even the doctors. The new confidence he gives people will also help them in the outside world too.

Syllabus Day 4

Pages 169- 191

Syllabus: Sara

Notes: Natalie 

Today's Learning Goal: Understand Bromden and McMurphy's interactions and relationship. 

Warm Up: Revisit the closing activity we did not get to in yesterday's meeting. 

[i.e. Analyze how the change in McMurphy is affecting Nurse Ratched, Chief, and the Acute followers that McMurphy accumulated during his rebellion and how it did affect Cheswick. Predict McMurphy's next action he will take to get out of the ward.] 

Discussion Questions: 
1.) Why aren't the patients in charge of their treatment? 
2.) On page 171, it says, "A good many of you are in here because you could not adjust to the rules of society in the outside world, because you refused to face up to them, because you tried to circumvent them and avoid them.." Do you think this assumption applies to all of the patients? 
3.) What does the ringing in Bromden's head represent? Does it replace the fog? 
4.) Does the fact that Bromden portrays himself as deaf hold him back? For example, does he miss out on opportunities that would have helped his treatment like the fishing? 
5.) Why is it so easy for people to ignore Bromden? Particularly people in power like the nurse or the people trying to buy the land? 
6.) What is the significance of the particular memory from Bromden's childhood? Out of all the memories he is blind to, why is it this one that comes up? 
7.) Why does he feel so small when in reality he is big? What does this contradiction show?
8.) What is the symbolism of Bromden continuing to chew the same piece of gum?
9.) Is McMurphy's late night connection with Bromden genuine? Why or why not? 
10. Has McMurphy been good or bad for the environment of the hospital and treatment with the other patients? 

Closing Activity: Determine whether Bromden and McMurphy are more similar or different. 

Notes Day 3

The baseball game was just trying to prove his point instead of actually wanting to watch the game. The machinery showed the contrast between the outside world and the world they were living in. Chief Bromden seemed scared of machinery and also of outside society. At the beginning, Chief was described as looking "cagey". Whether or not this was who he truly was, this is how he acted. This also goes along with people in society. Sometimes in life people embody the person that they look like because it is what is expected of them. Mr. Harding has a bad relationship with his wife because of his insecurities. He doesn't think that he is good enough. The faces that he saw in his dreams were people in the prison and women he raped; things that he regretted. Bromden sees the fog all of the time. He drifts in and out of the fog. When reading, the fog creates ambiguity. It leaves the decision up to the reader to determine what actually happened or not. Nurse Ratched was mad that Bromden raised his hand because it showed McMurphy's power was strong enough to get through someone who was "deaf and dumb". The boys sitting around the blank TV was effective because if Nurse Ratched tried to stop them then it would show her weakness and how they were affecting her. His fingers being stuck in the grate showed that he was trying to escape.

Syllabus Day 3

Pages 116-169

Syllabus: Natalie

Notes: Baergen

Learning Goal:

To discuss the change in McMurphy and how it will shape the future plot of the book

Warm Up: 

Watch this scene when Chief votes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_4HtIJYDM (note: there is vulgar language but nothing that isn't in the book). Discuss how this version of McMurphy is better or worse than the subdued and patient version of him.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why don't the patients laugh? Are they even able to anymore?

2. How does the motif of machinery add to the perspective of the story? What does this imply?

3. On page 140 Chief explains, "McMurphy wasn't like that. He hadn't let what he looked like run his life one way or the other, any more than he'd let the Combine mill him into fitting where they wanted him to fit." What does this say about the majority of society? How does what we look like shape our lives?

4. What is the significance of Harding's wife? Why is their relationship so bad?

5. After McMurphy exploded in the library, he said he saw "nothing but faces, I guess- just faces" in his dreams  on pg. 160. Who are the faces and why do they perturb McMurphy so much?

6. After Bromden had been in the very thick fog for a while we hear one of the black boys say he is sleeping but he still sees the hands go up for the TV vote, does he see the fog when he is awake? How does the fog change the reader's perception of what is said vs. reality?

7. Was Nurse Ratched suspicious of Chief at the beginning of the staff meeting because she thinks he can hear or angry because he raised his hand? How does this add to her fury?

8. When the men were all sitting around the blank screen of the TV, why was Nurse Ratched's power ineffective against them? What made them non-compliant this time?

9. At the beginning of the staff meeting on page 132, Chief explains her stare as drilling through his skull, assuming Nurse Ratched knows her stare is an effective technique (as she uses it frequently) why didn't she stare her hatred at the men when they were watching the blank screen?

10. How will McMurphy escape his commitment? He realizes there is a bigger driving force than just the Nurse so will he do anything about that to be freed from his sentence?

11. What is the significance of Cheswick's death? Why did he die in the pool because his fingers were stuck in a grate?

Closing Activity:

Analyze how the change in McMurphy is affecting Nurse Ratched, Chief, and the Acute followers that McMurphy accumulated during his rebellion and how it did affect Cheswick. Predict McMurphy's next action he will take to get out of the ward.