Zabala 1 Kristine Q. Zabala Ms.

Haskins AP English Literature 24 May 2013 Conventionality The wave of postmodernism came about after World War II, around the late 1950s. Postmodernism has been difficult to define; however, for the most part, it is a time marked by excessive consumption, self-consciousness, and the blurring of the conventional boundary between high and low culture by a looser structure both in terms of space and time. It is a time of rejection to conformity and that screams that reality is pointless, as reality is depicted through time and place. Some of the more prominent characteristics of postmodernism include individualism over God, the ideals of globalization, equality, and the rejection of society. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is a work of art that shows many of the characteristics of postmodernism. This is shown by Keseys use of the unconventional reversal of roles of the antihero as the conventional hero. In any case, Randy McMurphy is easily characterized as the antihero of the novel. On the contrary, he is more of a heroic character even though he is seen as sexual, dirty, and overly-confident. Upon his arrival to the ward, one of the boys muttered, of course, the very nature of this plan could indicate that he [McMurphy] is simply a shrewd con man, and not mentally ill at all. From the beginning, it is clear that he is a delinquent whose morals are based on his laziness. He is disillusioned and classified as crazy, as he refers to himself as the bull goose looney. Some of his favorite activities are rather

Zabala 2 violent, which indicates his antisocial behavior. In addition, he leads the patients in an uprising against the machine. However, throughout the book, it is clear that despite his actions, McMurphy is worthy of the position as the hero of the ward, as he acts as a martyr to the other patients in the ward. For example, he is the dominating force that challenges the establishment who encourages the patients to escape from the hospital, which he believes is a detriment to the patients well-being. He is seen as a martyr in the end by destroying the machine by ripping her clothes off and killing her. In return, he receives a lobotomy operation and loses his ability to function as he once did before the operation. He made such a profound impact on the patients that Bromden strangles him so that the patients could not see their once playful hero as a vegetable. He made them feel more confident of themselves and taught them never give up, fight for their rights, and revolt without fear. He taught them to stay strong-minded and to encourage nonconformity. This shows that he is a true American Hero whose purpose was to unleash to the patients what it truly meant to have freedom. He fought for what was fair and what he believes was truly right by weakening the force that tried to hinder their happiness and giving himself up. Postmodernism was a time defined by disillusionment and rebellions. As American culture was struggling to thrive moralistically, it is obvious that McMurphys heroism outweighs his downfalls, which constitutes him as the best-fitting hero of the time. Despite these characteristics, which makes McMurphy seen as the archetypal antihero or even a villain, he is worthy of the role of the quintessential post-modernistic hero through his martyrdom and his positive impact on the institution.