Ken Kesey’s Life Experiences Influencing His Writing

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Ken Kesey’s Life Experiences Influencing His Writing Section I: Introduction Ken Kesey’s life and experiences influenced the writing of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Mr. Kesey was only 26 years old when this book was published in 1962. The setting of his book take place in a mental institution where the main character named McMurphy convinces the authorities that he is Psychotic and needs to be sent to the institution for the rest of his sentence instead of working in the pea fields. Little does he know that the head nurse, Nurse Ratched is a conformist and that she runs her institution like a dictatorship. His rebellion towards Nurse Ratched’s rules and direction changes the lives of everyone on the ward. McMurphy inevitably becomes a hero to everyone on the ward by the way he stands up to Nurse Ratched’s constant insistence that the rules be followed or else face the punishment. Even in the end McMurphy dies a hero and ultimately wins. Section II: Biographical Information on Ken Kesey Ken Kesey was born on 17 September 1935 in La Junta, Colorado according to the website http://www.biography.com/people/ken-kesey-9363911 . When he was a young boy, he and his family moved to Oregon where he spent the rest of his childhood. He learned a lot of things and experienced a lot of things in his life that will are evident in the writing of his book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, such as the love of nature and being outside according to the book Barron’s Book Notes on the www.books.google.com website. In the book, his character McMurphy constantly wanted to get out of the institution. He took every chance he could get to get some fresh air. Ken Kesey was also a prized wrestler during both his high school career and his college career at the University of Oregon. After he received his degree in Journalism, he got accepted to the creative writing

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