The novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey is without a
doubt an outstanding example of American Literature. So it was obviously
necessary to make a movie out of the manuscript. Unfortunately, there are
some harsh differences between movie and book, which in some cases
change the original plot in a way that influences the viewer. Most of the
differences come out of the different narrative perspective of the film
because the story is just to ld objectively, while the book tells it from a
patient’s point of view. But there are inexactnesses that change the
viewer’s perspective towards the characters. The only fact “saving” the
movie is the choice of incredible actors. Jack Nicholson (McMurphy),
Louise Fletcher (Ms. Ratched), William Redfield (Harding), Will Sampson
(Chief Bromden) and Brad Dourif (Billy Bibbit) are only the main examples
for the unbelievable performance shown in this movie by all actors.
Although most of their characters are illustrated differently in the book, they
all did a great job.
Since my project is to compare the narrative perspective of the book to that
of the film my sources were the book1 and the DVD.2 Additionally I have
used several essays collected in “A casebook on Ken Kesey’s One Flew
Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” edited by George J. Searles3. This book was a
very valuable source for my work because the essays content lots of
information, interpretations, and views of various authors on many different
themes.
1 Ken Kesey: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Signet Books, 1995.
2 Einer flog über das Kuckucksnest. Warner Bros. Home Videos, 2003.
3 George J. Searles: A casebook on Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
University of New Mexico Press, first edition, Albuquerque, 1992.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- A short summary of movie plot and book plot
- Differences between movie plot and book plot
- Important characterizations in movie and book:
- The Big Nurse, Miss Ratched
- Randle Patrick McMurphy
- Chief Bromden
- Harding
- Billy Bibbit
- Conclusions
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper compares the narrative perspective of the novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey to the film adaptation. It analyzes the differences between the book and film plot, examines the characterizations, and discusses the implications of the contrasting narrative perspectives on the overall meaning of the story.
- Narrative perspective and its influence on the plot
- Differences between movie and book plot
- Characterizations in the novel and film
- The impact of the narrative perspective on the viewer's perception
- The theme of power dynamics and control in a mental institution
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins with an introduction that highlights the importance of the novel and the film adaptation, acknowledging the significant differences between the two. It then provides a concise summary of the book and film plots, emphasizing the setting, characters, and the central conflict between the patients and the "Big Nurse", Ms. Ratched. The author then delves into the specific differences between the movie and book plots, focusing on the impact of the different narrative perspectives.
Further analysis focuses on key characters, examining their representations in both the novel and film. The paper analyzes the characterization of the Big Nurse, exploring how she is portrayed as a symbol of authority and control, and the contrasting perspectives of McMurphy and Chief Bromden.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This term paper explores the themes of power dynamics, control, mental health, and the impact of narrative perspective in the novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and its film adaptation. It delves into the characterizations of the "Big Nurse", McMurphy, and Chief Bromden, exploring their roles in the institutional setting and the broader themes of rebellion and resistance.
- Quote paper
- Juliane Weuffen (Author), 2004, The perspective changes everything - A comparison of the narrative perspective of film and novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/30382
