The Fog

At the end of Part 1, Chief Bromden again brings up the concept of 'fog' throughout the ward.   Ken Kesey uses the 'fog' as a symbol to the lack of insight the patients have to reality.  The patients slip away from reality because of their medication or the fear of Mrs. Ratched.  The 'fog' also symbolizes the feelings Mrs. Ratched’s strict and humiliating treatments place on the patients.  In the beginning, Chief Bromden is sacred of the 'fog'.  He claims everything disappears and you feel alone.  Here is an example of how the ‘fog’ effects the Chief, “The words get dim and loud, off and on, as I float around, but as loud as they get, loud enough sometimes I know I’m right next to the guy that’s talking, I still can’t see a thing” (Kesey, 133).  Mrs. Ratched’s rules and regulations make it feel that Chief doesn’t have any say or power in the ward. 

            The only person who is not caught in the ‘fog’ is McMurphy.  He is able to discover Nurse Ratched’s iron rule over the patients and he attempts to give them power and pull them out of the ‘fog’. 

Written by: Chris Walkowski