One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Lesson 2
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ELA

Unit 3

11th Grade

Lesson 2 of 37

Objective


Characterize and evaluate the reliability of the narrator.

Characterize the Big Nurse and explain her role in the novel.  

Readings and Materials


  • Book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey  pp. 3 – 8

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Target Task


Question 1

Page 3 most clearly implies that others regard the narrator as:

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Sample Response

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Question 2

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

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Sample Response

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Question 3

The narrator implies that the Big Nurse favors a form of authority that emphasizes:

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Question 4

How does the narrator “escape” from his present situation on p. 6-7?

Key Questions


  • Who are the “black boys?”
  • Why does the narrator prefer to not be seen? 
  • Machinery is a motif that will appear throughout the novel. What is the context of its appearance on p. 3?
  • How does the narrator describe the way he moves in the second paragraph?  How does this help us characterize him?
  • What do the black boys think of the narrator? Evidence? 
  • What do we learn about the narrator’s identity in these pages?
  • Describe the Big Nurse? Why do you think Kesey mentions she has “been around locks” for so long?
  • Track details on pages 4-7 that reveal the narrator’s experience so far on the ward.  
  • How does the Big Nurse walk? Why is this significant?
  • What does the diction on p. 5 reveal about the Big Nurse?
  • How do the black boys respond to Nurse Ratched? What does this indicate?
  • What does the diction at the bottom of p. 5 reveal about the nurse?  
  • How does the narrator use metaphor to describe the Big Nurse? 
  • What does the phrase “everything working together” suggest? 
  • How does the Big Nurse speak about the narrator? Why is this? 
  • What is “the Combine” on p. 6?
  • How does the narrator “escape” on p. 6-7?
  • What is literally vs. figuratively happening on p. 7?
  • What is the “fog” on p. 7?
  • What is the significance of the word “truth” on p. 8?

Notes


Assign p. 9-10 for HW, asking students to describe a typical morning and ensuring they recognize that this morning is not going to be typical.

Next

Characterize McMurphy based on his initial appearance on the ward.

Lesson 3
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