AP English Literature classes recently started reading “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey. The novel, which is set in a psychiatric hospital and serves as a testament to individualism, is a staple in AP Lit classes.
“It’s a great book to dive into and help students understand symbolism,” says Mrs. Holloway, who teaches AP Lit. “It’s going to challenge them intellectually, which I think is good as we move into the rest of the year.”
Kesey’s complex novel lends itself to layered interpretations, which is why students read it early in the year. It helps them get used to analyzing a text from many different perspectives, an important skill after working with many more straightforward texts.
“As a scholar of literature, that’s what you do,” says Mrs. Holloway as she describes how the novel’s complexity helps students understand literary theory and better prepares them for the AP exam in May. “It’s the one text that is going to help us cover a lot of those different lenses.”
Not only is reading “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” good preparation for the AP exam, but it is also a way for students to think critically about important themes that apply to everyday life. Its setting of the psychiatric hospital serves as a microcosm for society as it explores issues of conformity and individualism within the anti-establishment movement of the 1960s. The importance of AP Lit is reflected by the book — the class teaches students to think critically about how classic literary works connect with pressing historical and cultural issues.
The novel’s complexity contributes to the wide range of opinions that students have about it. After reading more straightforward novels, the shift to Kesey’s novel can prove challenging for many students; however, others may find it to be a rewarding experience and prefer the style of novel. Indeed, the book’s complexity and difficulty often acts as its appeal in the AP Lit curriculum at Aliso.
As with any great work of art, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” elicits many different reactions from readers, a testament to its quality and well-deserved status as a literary classic.
