One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and the Social Critique Lying Underneath the Story

Abstract

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1962) is a milestone novel from any perspective. At the time of its publication, it questioned and commented on nearly every issue regarding America in the nineteen fifties. In the following my aim is to analyze the underlying meanings, criticisms and symbolisms that are obviously present in the novel and also, to provide some background information about the era, in order to help supplement the ideas and notions that are presented. After reading the book it is obvious that Ken Kesey knowingly applied almost all the themes that represented the 1950s.