One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest & the Color Purple Comparative Essay

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Essay Outline Opening Sentence/Hook: “Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will.” – William Clement Stone Thesis Statement: Due to the subversive oppression they have endured for most of their lives, the main characters from “The Color Purple” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” find help from rebellious individuals to stand up for themselves and live better lives. First Body Paragraph Topic Sentence: Firstly, Celie and Bromden are forcefully oppressed through abuse, isolation and the prejudices of racism and sexism. Point 1 (Abuse): Celie: Physically abused by her husband Albert. Celie says he ‘beat me like he beat the children. Cept he don’t never hardly beat them.” (P. 22) Bromden: Psychologically abused by Nurse Ratched and the mental hospital. He lives in fear of ‘The Combine’ and is convinced that she runs the hospital. He has been affected by shock therapy treatment and decides to be ‘cagy’ and pretend to be deaf and dumb. Point 2 (Isolation): Celie: Isolated from the rest of society and forced to work all day and tend to the children. Albert does not allow Celie to see Shug Avery sing at the Juke Joint, and forces her to stay home. Bromden: Isolated from the world outside of the hospital. He was admitted to the hospital for a reason that is unknown, and he has been permanently deemed as ‘incurable’ and will never be allowed to leave. Point 3 (Prejudices of Racism & Sexism): Celie: Affected by extreme sexism as different men (her step-father Alphonso and husband Albert) decide her life choices. When asked why Albert beats her by his son Harpo, Albert replies with ‘cause she my wife. Plus she stubborn’ (P. 22). This shows how women are labeled as less of people than men, and are thought to be less smart and useful as men. Bromden: Experiences racism by fellow patients in the ward and the ‘black boys’ who work

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