Would you rather be sane in an insane world, or insane in a sane world?

 

What defines insanity? Is it when a person can't conform to the rules and regulations of society and the people who govern it, or is it just the opposite? Are the people who make up the rules just as crazy as the one's who refuse to follow them?  Is there really any difference? Ken Kesey brings these questions to light all through the novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Through themes such as power, freedom and confinement, and madness versus sanity, to name only a few, Kesey exposes injustices faced by a group of patients in a mental institution. Using characterization and dichotomies, the author paints a clear picture of who's side he's on.  

 

The antagonist, nurse Ratched, also known as the "Big Nurse", rules and reigns over all the patients and staff, imposing a strict schedule that had better be respected. She has created a climate of fear in the institution and uses her power and dictative ways to manipulate anyone who might defy her authority. “Her voice has a tight whine like an electric saw ripping through pine...everybody’s stopped what he was doing.” She says: “You’re committed you realize. You are under the jurisdiction of me...the staff...under jurisdiction and control.” She leaves the men feeling hopeless, confined and with no other choice than to conform to her wishes. Watching their every move, she gathers information and uses it to control the men of the ward. “Everything the guys think and do is all worked out months in advance, based on the little notes the nurse makes during the day...Lights flash on in the dorm at six-thirty: the Acutes up out of bed quick as the black boys can prod them out...six-forty-five the shavers buzz and the Acutes line up in alphabetical order...seven o’clock the mess hall opens...seven-thirty back to the day room.” This daily routine imposed by nurse Ratched is one of the ways she maintains order and control over the ward. Since everyone fears her, she is free to do whatever she wants. 

"Your nurse don't know this; she's not going to be looking out for somebody coming at her with a trigger-quick mind like I obviously got...five bucks to each of you that wants it if I can't put a betsy bug up that nurse's butt within a week." Only one of the patients is confident, or crazy enough to challenge the nurse's ways. We are introduced  to McMurphy: a man who is larger than life and set to become the "Big Nurse's" biggest nightmare. Defying her authority in any given situation, he stands up for the rights of the patients, giving them a voice; one they have kept quiet for far too long. He embarks on a quest to regain a sense of freedom for himself and for the men who have been confined in the asylum. While the world series are about to begin, McMurphy suggests a change in the television schedule that is denied by the head nurse.  In response to her control, he and the patiens rebel against her authority in their own way. "And we're all sitting there lined up in front of that blanked out TV set, watching the gray screen just like we could see the baseball gameclear as day, and she's ranting and screaming behind us. If somebody'd of come in and took a look.. they'd of thought the whole bunch was crazy as loons." Allthough they seem crazy, the men have never acted more normal before.

 

 " We are lunatics...psycho-ceramics, the cracked pots of mankind....never before did I realize that mental illness could have the aspect of power. Think of it: perhaps the more insane a man is, the more powerful he could become. Hitler an example."  In conclusion, Kesey might have been trying to tell the world that the people we label as insane, are sometime's more normal than the rest of us and vise versa. He draws a fine line between sanity and mental illness and shows the reader that it's easilly crossed. We are often influenced by the decisions of people who are in a powerful position. Kesey simply doesn't want us to do it blindly. 

Final writing exam part B. La Sagouine.

When I was told I would be seeing La Sagouine in English, I was a slightly dissapointed. In my opinion, this play would have had a greater impact, had I seen it in French instead. The accent is what makes the Acadian  people's charm and it was barely noticeable. Even though I would have prefered to see the original version of the play, I was pleasently surprised by Viola Léger's performance. In order to deliver a monologue for almost two hours, you need an actress that can captivate the audience and keep their attention. La Sagouine is such a touching character with core values, a beautiful spirit and Viola did justice to the role. She made me laugh, surprised me at times, even made me question how it must have been like in time's of war. I didn't expect to be captivated, and I'm glad I was. Allthough it lacked the dynamics of a multi character play, it was well performed and didn't leave me indifferent.

Revising and editing report.

I scored 39/50 in my Pre-test, and initially chose 6 lessons (11 through 16) to help me improve my English. Since the assignment was to complete and comment about ten lessons, I picked 4 (lessons 5, 7, 18 and 20) that interested me the most.

My scores for each lesson are the following:lesson 5:3/3, lesson 7: 22/25, lesson 11: 17/18, lesson 12: 36/40, lesson 13:14/14, lesson 14-15-18-20: lost my sheet of paper, lesson16: 15/16. 

I believe the course is well presented. Based on the answers given in the Pre-test, the course pin points your weaknesses and guides you to the appropriate lessons. In my opinion, the lessons are well structured and easy to understand. They provide extensive information, exceptions, and tools to help improve your English skills.

Lessons fourteen, fifteen and sixteen taught me the most. I learned that comas are used after dates and addresses. For example: “He moved in the house at 5, Maple street, July 1^st, 1991”.  I also learned that if two independent clauses aren’t separated by a conjunction or conjunctive adverbs, a semicolon can be used. For example: Traveling is a passion of mine; I try to leave the country once every year. Finally, lesson sixteen taught me that apostrophes are used to show possession, by adding an apostrophe to a singular noun followed by an s. In words of two syllables or more, it is possible to form the possessive by adding only the apostrophe at the end of this word. I also learned that when used in the possessive case, indefinite pronouns such as: another, either, one, anybody, other and anyone, require an apostrophe and an s. For example: Everyone’s day was ruined by the bad weather. These 3 lessons were the most beneficial for my needs, but I also appreciated Capitalization, Establishing a writing style and Shaping paragraphs.

What I like the most about the revising and editing course is the tools that are given. It’s like having your own personal tutor without feeling embarrassed about making mistakes. The explanations and examples given by the course are clear and precise. On the other hand, I disliked the amount of work required to complete the assignment. I believe that every student is at a different level of writing, and should be asked to complete the lessons according to their results in the Pre-test.

For reasons that I have previously stated, and my Post-test results (44/50), I would give this course an 8/10 rating. The only reason I won’t give this course a perfect score is because it’s time consuming. I believe the course to be very helpful for students in this level of English. It gives us tools and examples to create style and substance, both for creative writing and everyday use of the English language.

Revising and editing of midterm writing exam (5%)

Midterm writing test

Drop dead joyful

In the late 19^th century, women didn’t have the same place in society as they do today.  They mostly followed male authority rather than take the lead. Kate Chopin did just the opposite of what was expected. She exposed disappointments in her life, through poetry, short stories and novels.  She was harshly criticized because of the audacity of her work. Exposing concerns about the quality of women’s lives, was not a popular subject in those days.

“The Story of an Hour” is a powerful tale of one repressed womans short lived liberation from her husband. It depicts the emotional evolution of a woman with a “heart  trouble”, that receives news of her husband’s  recent passing from her sister.  At first, she reacts as most people would, with sadness and tears, weeping. As the story evolves, the reader comes to understand that the joy she feels from learning this news  surpasses her pain. She becomes stronger, more liberated and free...”body and soul free”.  She quickly comes to terms with her husband’s passing and seems to flourish. Ironically, her supposed “dead” husband walks through the door, much alive and she dies.

“It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long”. This statement is an excellent example of the use irony in the story. On one hand, the main character believes that life, the way she knows it, might be long, when in fact, it is taken from her so suddenly. The author repeats this sentence, giving more importance to it and creating an impact on the reader. We expect the woman to live a long life filled with freedom and pleasure: “she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her”. In reality, the long years ahead of her became only but a short hour.

The ending of the story in itself is ironic. The protagonist, who now feels free to live her life, is greeted at the door by the very person who enables her to do so. She dies “of joy that kills”, when moments before, she was consumed with the joy of finding the strength inside her,“like a goddess of Victory”. It’s as though the death of her husband would allow her to finally live. Ironically, this new life of hers would be short lived.” When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills” as though her heart simply couldn’t handle the joy she felt of becoming a widow.

Some might say this story depicts a self centered woman who finds pleasure in her husband’s death, but it is much more than that. It tells the tale of a woman, who, oppressed by society and the man she married, is finally given a chance at life. She is given the opportunity to taste freedom of thought  “...self-assertion...as the strongest impulse of her being!”and imagine the possibilities that life has to offer to her. Unfortunately, her freedom and new found female empowerment lasted only but for an instant.

 

1. What I liked most about my text is the vocabulary that I used

2. What I liked least about my text is my failure to use good topic sentences.

Here are my suggestions for improving the:
 

4. thesis statement
I could find concrete examples of the use of irony in the text
5. topic sentence of each paragraph
Use quotations from the text, or questions.
7. organization of the text

I should have more structure in my writing. My sentences should flow and make sense with the main topic of the text 
494 words

Midterm writing test

Drop dead joyful

In the late 19^th century, women didn’t have the same place in society as they do today.  They mostly followed male authority rather than take the lead. Kate Chopin did just the opposite of what was expected. She exposed disappointments in her life, through poetry, short stories and novels.  She was harshly criticized because of the audacity of her work. Exposing concerns about the quality of women’s lives, was not a popular subject in those days.

“The Story of an Hour” is one of the works that influenced the modern feminist movement. It depicts the emotional evolution of a woman with a “heart  trouble”, that receives news of her husband’s  recent passing from her sister.  At first, she reacts as most people would, with sadness and tears, weeping. As the story evolves, the reader comes to understand that the joy she feels from learning this news  surpasses her pain. She becomes stronger, more liberated and free...”body and soul free”.  She quickly comes to terms with her husband’s passing and seems to flourish. Ironically, her supposed “dead” husband walks through the door, much alive and she dies.

“It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long”. This statement is an excellent example of the irony depicted in the story. On one hand, the main character believes that life, the way she knows it, might be long, when in fact, it is taken from her so suddenly. The author repeats this sentence, giving more importance to it and creating an impact on the reader. We expect the woman to live a long life filled with freedom and pleasure: “she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her”.

The ending of the story in itself is ironic. The protagonist, who now feels free to live her life, is greeted at the door by the very person who enables her to do so. She dies “of joy that kills”, when moments before, she was consumed with the joy of finding the strength inside her,“like a goddess of Victory”. It’s as though the death of her husband would allow her to finally live. Ironically, this new life of hers would be short lived.” When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills” as though her heart simply couldn’t handle the joy she felt of becoming a widow.

Some might say this story depicts a self centered woman who finds pleasure in her husband’s death, but it is much more than that. It tells the tale of a woman, who, oppressed by society and the man she married, is finally given a chance at life. She is given the opportunity to taste freedom of thought  “...self-assertion...as the strongest impulse of her being!”and imagine the possibilities that life has to offer to her. Unfortunately, her freedom and new found female empowerment lasted only but for an instant.

494 words

Midterm writing test

Essay title

The girl who missed her first class.

For years she had contributed to a foundation called doctors without borders, always wondering what more she could do. She wanted her involvement to be more than financial, up close and personal where she could see the difference actually being made. Having traveled to many countries, especially in South-East Asia, she saw first hand just how much help is needed in underdeveloped countries. Of course, like any other tourist, she marveled at the sights and dove in the culture. The pleasure of meeting different people and learning about their way of living, made her feel like the richest person on the inside. From temples to beaches, passing through busy streets and staying on secluded islands, from the jungle and into the cities, she found herself awake and felt more alive than ever. There was something missing. She just didn't know it yet.

Her first order of business was to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She needed to find a sense of purpose, to have a goal and actually believe it could be achieved. After a lot of soul searching, she figured out that the answer lied within. She had known the truth all along, but wasn't willing to give herself the opportunity to change. As soon as she realized that all it took to move forward was a little courage and a whole lot of effort, doors started opening up and possibilities seemed endless. After therapy and thanks to the help she received from her peers, her outlook on life completely changed. She decided that life wasn't meant to be lived with regrets, especially not at her age. The best way to go about reaching her goals was to combine her passion for traveling with her need for helping people. Now she's on her way to becoming a nurse.

On a cold and windy Tuesday afternoon, that girl (some would say a woman) was heading to her first English class in a really long time. Nervous about her new surroundings, she climbed the three flights of stairs wondering what would be waiting for her once she reached the classroom. Eleven years had passed by so quickly, yet she had forgotten what school was all about. Everywhere she looked, faces would look back smiling, staring, wondering what this older girl was doing here. Little did they know, not so long ago, this girl was living with lingering disappointment about her life and the choices she'd made. Going back to school after so many years is a challenge, but the thirst for knowledge is not so easily quenched. This is one of the main reasons that motivated her to hit the books and open her mind.

Of course, nursing is not her only interest. Experimenting with unknown ingredients is definitely at the top of the list. From the simplest meal to a feast worthy of royalty, her skills in the kitchen hardly go unnoticed. Never afraid to try new recipes and spices, her food is rich in variety and love. Even though she is considered to have an insatiable sweet tooth, desert is one of the things she hasn't yet mastered. Other then cooking, her interests vary from the arts, especially photography, to scuba diving in tropical countries and learning different languages. In her eyes, communication is the key to learning about one another and understanding where we come from. This can only be achieved with an open mind and a desire to grow.

Having a vast social network of friends and family from all walks of life makes her feel very well surrounded. She’s an only child, but feels like she has many brothers and sisters. Her friends are always there for her, giving their love and support, even through the most difficult of times. Sometimes it feels like they’ve known each other for ever. Completing each others sentences is not so uncommon for them. They have been told that the bond between them is so tight that it makes it difficult, even intimidating at times, for people who don’t know them well to feel included.  They often meet for dinner and love to share a nice bottle of red wine. They discuss mainly about world issues and personal growth, never avoiding a touchy subject. Having people in your life that you feel completely open and honest with, is simply priceless.

The girl who missed her first class.

For years she had contributed to a foundation called doctors without borders, always wondering what more she could do. She wanted her involvement to be more than financial, up close and personal where she could see the difference she actually made. Having traveled to many countries, especially in South-East Asia, she saw first hand just how much help is needed in underdeveloped countries. Of course, like any other tourist, she marveled in the sights and the culture. The pleasure of meeting different people and learning about their way of living made her feel like the richest person on the inside. From temples to beaches, passing through busy streets and staying on secluded islands, from the jungle and into the cities she found herself awake and felt more alive than ever. There was something missing, she just didn't know it yet.

Her first order of business was to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She needed to find a sense of purpose, to have a goal and actually believe it could be achieved. After a lot of soul searching she figured out that the answer lied within. She had known the truth all along, but wasn't willing to give herself the opportunity to change. As soon as she realized that all it took to move forward was a little courage and a whole lot of effort, doors started opening up and possibilities seemed endless. After therapy and thanks to the help she received from her piers, her outlook on life completely changed. She decided that life wasn't meant to be lived with regrets, especially not at her age. She decided that the best way to go about reaching her goals was to combine her passion for traveling with her need for helping people. Now she's on her way to becoming a nurse.

On a cold and windy Tuesday afternoon, that girl (some would say a woman) was heading to her first English class in a really long time. Nervous about her new surroundings, she climbed the three flights of stairs wondering what would be waiting for her once she reached the classroom. Eleven years had passed by so quickly yet she had forgotten what school was all about. Everywhere she looked, faces would look back smiling, staring, wondering what this older girl was doing here. Little did they know, not so long ago, this girl was living with lingering disappointment about her life and the choices she'd made. Going back to school after so many years is a challenge but the thirst for knowledge is not so easily quenched. This is one of the main reasons that motivated her to hit the books and open her mind.

Having a vast social network of friends and family from all walks of life makes her feel very well surrounded. They often meet for dinner and love to share a nice bottle of red wine, especially if she's cooking! From the simplest meal to a feast worthy of royalty, her cooking skills hardly go unnoticed. Never afraid to try new recipes and spices, her food is rich in variety and love. Even though she is considered to have an insatiable sweet tooth, deserts are one of the things she hasn't yet mastered. Other then cooking, her interests vary from the arts, especially photography, to scuba diving in tropical countries and learning different languages. In her eyes, communication is the key to learning about one another and understanding where we come from. This can only be achieved with an open mind and a desire to grow.