One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Lesson 6
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ELA

Unit 3

11th Grade

Lesson 6 of 37

Objective


Explain the author’s use of structure to reveal theme.

Further characterize Nurse Ratched based on the author’s use of diction.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey  pp. 28 – 35

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Target Task


Question 1

The narrator implies that Nurse Ratched favors employees who:

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Sample Response

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Question 2

How does the narrator’s structure contribute to developing the narrator’s tone toward the ward? 

Key Questions


  • How does the narrator describe the ward on p. 28? 
  • What bothers the nurse according to p. 28? What does this reveal about her character?
  • What does the narrator mean by the Inside vs. Outside?  Why is this capitalized?
  • What is “the Combine” according to the narrator?
  • Track diction the author uses to support the motif that the ward is a “machine.”
  • Based on p. 29, what does Nurse Ratched value?
  • How does Nurse Ratched choose her staff? What does this show about her leadership?
  • What does the narrator mean by the phrase “he never grew an inch after” on p. 30?
  • How does the Nurse view the black boys? 
  • What does the narrator’s use of the phrase “tune in closer and closer with the BN’s frequency” indicate?
  • How does the narrator begin each paragraph starting on p. 32-35?
  • What is the narrator’s tone throughout pages 32-35?
  • Note the structure of the paragraph beginning at “Seven-thirty,” how does the author introduce each character? What genre does this mirror? 
  • What does the narrator compare their world to on p. 33? Why?

Notes


Today’s chapter focuses on the motif of Inside vs. Outside. This may be a good day to start independent and then do a whole group read aloud for p. 32-35. Consider calling on a different student for each time stamp, or maybe even make a visual. 

Next

Explain the metaphor of The Combine using textual evidence.  

Lesson 7
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