Chief Bromden, branded “Chief Broom” by the ward because he takes charge in sweeping the floors, is the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Not only does he tell the story of the hospital life and the Acutes, but he also tells of his journey towards sanity. “They don’t bother not talking out loud about their hate secrets…. because they think I’m deaf and dumb. I’m cagey enough to fool them… ” (Page 10, lines 3-6) Bromden stands six feet seven inches and is a deaf mute by choice. Chief knows that being deaf and dumb gives him intangible power over the staff and patients.
When R. P. McMurphy is admitted to the hospital, Chief is caught off guard by the disruption he brings to the ward. “… and especially with that wide open laugh of his. ” (Page 22, line 15) The reader can begin to sense annoyance towards McMurphy, but yet jealousy and curiosity towards his rebellious, free spirit. In the story, Chief Bromden plays a very discrete role in the story. After Chief breaks his vow to remain deaf and dumb, he and McMurphy have an eternal bond. “I dropped back until I was walking beside McMurphy…
I wanted to tell him not to fret… ” (Page 169, lines 9,10) Chief is tender towards McMurphy, wanting to assure him. In my opinion, Bromden acts as the big brother to all. Even though McMurphy helps Bromden come out of the ‘fog’, the aftermath of electroshock therapy, Bromden supports McMurphy when he cannot support himself. In the beginning of the story, Chief Bromden is under a constant fog, thick with guilt of hearing and seeing all. We notice the rise of Chief when McMurphy ‘unchains’ him from the power of the fog and from Nurse Ratched.
The Review on Big Nurse Mcmurphy Doesn Story
... called Chief Bromden, he plays deaf and dumb and he doesn't really take part in the action. The story starts when Randle Patrick McMurphy is ... nest Author: Ken KeseyEditor, nr. of pages, year published: Published by 'the Penguin Group', 310 pages, first published in 1962 Summary: The ...
The reader can begin to notice this substantially when Chief begins to speak once again. “And before I realized what I was doing, I told him thank you. ” (Page 185, lines 3-4) McMurphy presents Chief with a pack of juicy fruit gum. Chief is caught off guard by the generosity and kind-heartedness of McMurphy, and his knee jerk reaction is to thank him. “I tried to laugh with him, but it was a squawking sound… ” (Page 185, lines 11,12) Chief seems relieved that he can finally be himself again.
Chief and McMurphy become extremely close during the duration of the story. Towards the end of the book, McMurphy was given a lobotomy, which was believed to be the worst of all punishments. When McMurphy’s body-turned-vegetable was wheeled back into the ward, Chief and the other Acutes spend hours examining the so-called McMurphy. They couldn’t believe it was actually him. McMurphy was described as, “… (his) head dented into the pillow, a swirl of red hair over a face milk-white except for the heavy purple bruises around the eyes. (Page 269, lines 28-30) Chief couldn’t stand the idea of his once rebellious and free spirited friend lying still; vegetable like. That night, McMurphy lay still, “… the eyes… open and undreaming, glazed from being open so long… they were like smudged fuses in a fuse box. ” (Page 270, lines 32-35) Chief slowly raised his pillow above McMurphy’s face, gently places it atop his mouth, cutting off all air pathways. After a long battle of resistance, McMurphy was freed. A little remorseful, yet content with his decision, Chief fled the hospital and ran towards freedom, never looking back.
