I need to identify 7 examples of Christian/religious symbolism in the novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Question

I have 3 so far, but I can't find 4 more.

Please help! Here are the 3 I have so far:

1. the acutes and chief make the center of their lives focused on McMurphy; he was their christ figure, just as the center of the bible is psalms 118, which says "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”"

2. McMurphy's boxers have white whales on them, which symbolizes moby-d**k and how he's associated with god. moby-d**k is to god as mcmurphy is a religious figure.

3. Jesus was nailed to a cross and crucified, just as mcmurphy was strapped to a table shaped as a cross and was given electroshock therapy.

I need 4 more examples of christian/religious symbolism. It doesn't have to focus on McMurphy.

thanks very much!

Answer 1

That's a strange book to pull religious themes out of.  Anyway, it's been years since I read the book, but I watch the movie every now and then.  Not sure how to do this one, but I'm sure you can figure something out if you think about it.  Remember the party they threw when they gave the guard the booze and they all got drunk?  They all talked Billy Bibbitt into taking McMurphy's girlfriend and having s*x with her.  Nurse (what's her name, I always think Ratched) made a huge deal about it and told him that his mother would be ashamed, etc., and then he killed himself because he couldn't handle having his mother find out.

BTW, moby d**k is not in the Bible.  Try relating that to Jonah and the whale if you want to use that.  

How about the Chief "rescuing" McMurphy after he was turned into a vegetable after too many shock treatments?

A lot of the residents were voluntary, not committed.  They sought refuge in the asylum where it was safe rather than out in the world.