How and with what effect does Kesey introduce the central themes of 'One flew over the Cuckoo's nest'
             The central themes in 'One flew over the Cuckoo's nest' are individuality in a mass society, "the combine", machines, emasculation of the patients, McMurphy as an individual, diagnosis of insanity and the importance of laughter. Kesey manages to introduce each of these themes throughout the novel via dialogue, Chief Bromden's narrative and incidents which occur.
             Probably the biggest theme in the novel is individuality in a mass society. The themes of "the combine", machines and McMurphy as an individual are all linked to the idea of individuality in a mass society. The novel is set in a mental institution. Kesey uses this setting to put across this idea of individuality in a mass society or more importantly the lack of it. He uses the sterile, quiet ward with it's strict routine to indicate a lack of individuality by the patients. This can be related back to Kesey's life in the 1950s. At this point in time Kesey was a firm believer in "the grey flannel suit ethos". This phrase was a way of describing the type of life the majority of middle aged men lived in America during the 1950s. The phrase can basically be interpreted as the way in which so many men lived extremely similar lives. The phrase describes a time when the majority of men had a nine till five job, a wife who cooked the dinner and cleaned the house, a couple of kids, a nice house and a car. However the phrase is used to describe this era in a negative way as it showed a distinct lack of individuality as the men involved in it had the same routine day after day. Kesey was the complete opposite of "the grey flannel suit ethos". He lived his life in a much more exciting manner and uses 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest' as a way to show the importance of ...