An Analyzation of Chief Bromden from The Cuckoo"'"s Nest
...n World War II, told in excerpts to the reader, and his childhood memories consisting of his tribe being taking advantage of their land (Ward and Gutheil 13). While serving in the Army, Bromden experienced many things that may have caused him to be entered in the hospital. During the war, if a general suspected a bombing attack or wanted to move troops, he would fog the entire camp. When Bromden first arrived overseas, he came off the plane not being able to see a foot ahead of himself. '"'You found your way off the plane by following a little referees"'" horn...sounded like a goose honking...you felt like you were out on that airfield all by yourself. You were safe from the enemy, but you were awfully alone'"' (Kesey 116). In this quotation, there are many things to be learned. The sound of the goose honking is in resemblance to McMurphy, who is leading the men towards individuality. McMurphy is removing the men from the fog, most notably Bromden. The enemy in this quote is the Big Nurse, whom Bromden feels safe from in his fog. He is allowed to escape from the reality in the ward by creating a fog around him. But when McMurphy takes him away from it, Bromden is subject to the cruelty of the nurse and her aides. He can"'"t hide in it anymore or pretend he is deaf and dumb. The whole ward is convinced that Chief Bromden is deaf and dumb. This roots from a memory Bromden had when he was ten years old. One day three representatives from the government came to talk to his father, but he was not there, only Bromden was. When he spoke to them, they acted as if he said nothing. '"'And, almost, see the apparatus inside them take the words I just said and try to fit the words in here and there, this place and that, and when they find the words don"'"t have any place ready-made where they"'"ll fit, the machinery disposes of the words like they weren"'"t even spoken'"' (Kesey 181). This quotation explains how Bromden viewed certain people as machines, processing what people say and having the head machine, called the Combine, tell them what to say and how to act. This memory also explains why racism has had such a significant role in Bromden"'"s life. By having a father who is Native American and a mother who is Caucasian, Bromden has never been accepted by any races. The government officials, who happen to be white, don"'"t listen to him because he is part Native American. The majority of white Americans from the 1950s used the Native Americans to acquire their land. Americans viewed them as people who needed to adapt to their customs and accept their beliefs. Because of these perceptions, no one ever took a word what Bromden said serious since he wasn't on the same social level as them. Althought being perceived as deaf and dumb, Chief Bromden takes advantage of the situation by using it to make himself invisible (Ward and Gutheil 21). Pretending not to know what is happening around him has resulted in people not being able to notice Bromden. He has used this invisibility as a fog to acquire knowledge and as a means to escape from reality. A prime example of Bromden"'"s fog is present towards the end of Part I. The scene takes place at one of the therapy sessions when McMurphy proposes to hold a vote. The meeting is divided into two groups of twenty patients each. The Acutes, who are considered to be curable, and the Chronics, who have no hope of being changed. To the Big Nurse"'"s dismay, McMurphy wants to change the schedule in order to watch the World Series. The vote takes place and it is decided a tie. All of the Acutes vote, but in order to win, McMurphy needs a majority. He pleads his case to the Chronics, but no one is able to understand him besides Bromden. If Bromden votes, he sacrifices having everyone know he is indeed not deaf and dumb, thus taking away his invisibility. '"'It"'"s too late to stop it now. McMurphy did something to it that first day...There"'"s no sense in it, any fool can see; I wouldn't do it on my own. Just by the way the nurse is staring at me with her mouth empty of words I can see I"'"m in for trouble, but I can"'"t stop it. McMurphy"'"s got hidden wires...lifting it slow just to get me out of the fog and into the open where I"'"m fair game'"' (Kesey 126) After raising his hand, Chief Bromden has allowed McMurphy to take him out of the fog and into suspicion. At first, Bromden doesn"'"t realize it was his own self who raised his hand, he accredits it to McMurphy. But later, he realizes it was himself. '"'No. That"'"s not the truth. I lifted it myself,'"' Bromden tells himself (Kesey 126). He realizes he did it himself, McM...