Free Essays – The Scarlet Letter and Cuckoo’s Nest
Free Essays – The Scarlet Letter and Cuckoo’s Nest

Free Essays – The Scarlet Letter and Cuckoo’s Nest

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  • Pages: 2 (485 words)
  • Published: November 21, 2018
  • Type: Essay
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Both The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey offer readers a profound understanding of characters' inner thoughts. This insight into human behavior emphasizes how an individual's mental state can affect their physical abilities and self-perception in relation to others.

In The Scarlet Letter, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale suffer destructive consequences due to their involvement in Hester's adultery. Fearing the shame associated with being connected to a promiscuous woman, Chillingworth seeks revenge against Dimmesdale for corrupting Hester. By accessing Chillingworth's thoughts and witnessing his deceitful actions while posing as Dimmesdale's physician, readers gain insight into his true intentions. It becomes clear that Chillingworth is aware that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father and wants to torment him as payback when Dimmesdale falls ill.

Drawing on his knowledge of t

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he human mind and medicine, Chillingworth concludes that Dimmesdale's suffering stems from his psyche rather than his physical body. With a deep secret consuming him entirely, Dimmesdale becomes vulnerable to Chillingworth's attempts to provoke him by insinuating he may be hiding something. This exploration of how one's mental state can impact their physical well-being is a central theme in The Scarlet Letter.In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey explores the relationship between self-perception and physical capabilities through the character of Chief Bromden. Despite his towering height of six feet seven inches, the Chief sees himself as "small" due to his belief in societal control and powerlessness. However, when McMurphy challenges authority, the Chief views him as a large man despite being shorter. Throughout the book, McMurphy attempts to convince the patients that he can escape by throwing a control panel out o

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a window but fails. He also tries to persuade the Chief to try it himself, but due to feelings of inferiority, the Chief is unable to do so. Towards the end of the novel, influenced by McMurphy's presence, the Chief realizes he is regaining his former size and strength while McMurphy becomes smaller under Nurse Ratched's control and eventually undergoes lobotomy-order. This causes him to appear even smaller than before in Chief Bromden's eyes. Nevertheless, it is evident that significant personal growth has occurred for the Chief. As an act of mercy, he suffocates McMurphy and successfully hurls the control panel out of a window for their escape. Ken Kesey's portrayal of both characters suggests that an individual's perception of themselves can be influenced by their power or freedom.
The theme is also found in Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter." Both books offer profound insights into human behavior, establishing them as timeless literary works alongside Kesey and Hawthorne's other writings. Additionally, both authors recognize the significant link between mental and physical states, as they mutually influence each other. Furthermore, Kesey emphasizes the role of one's environment in shaping their perception.

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