Character Sketch of Chief Bromden from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Essay
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Chief Bromden (Chief Broom)
Chief Bromden is the narrator of the story. In the first chapter, we find out about his physical appearance. He is very tall, strong and a half native American. He pretends to be deaf and dumb, but actually he is not, because he says that the black orderlies of the mental institution think that he is deaf and dumb, because he never says anything. He seems to be a very awkward character, because of his size and people’s attitudes towards him, but as we know his inner thoughts, we can see that his apparent stupidity and clumsy presence is all an act. The way he appears to the world is a superficial veneer, and gives him opportunities to eavesdrop and find out conversations which any of the other patients couldn’t do. The orderlies also make fun of him because he mops whenever and wherever he is told (that’s why he got the nickname Chief Broom, Chief because he is half native American and Broom because he mops all the time). He seems to be scared of the Big Nurse, he describes her as very powerful. She tells the orderlies to take Bromden aside and shave him, which he tries to avoid, because he says he hates it (Ch.1, Page.6 “Before anybody can turn and look for me I duck back in the mop closet, jerk the door shut dark after me, hold my breath, Shaving before you get breakfast is the worst time”) .
In the second chapter we find out that they had given drugs to Chief Broom. In this chapter however a new patient is introduced to the ward, an Irishman called McMurphy. He is not like the others, and isn't intimidated by the black boys, that impresses the Chief. He introduces himself to the other patients by saying “My name is McMurphy, buddies, R. P. McMurphy, and I’m a gambling fool.”
In the third chapter Bromden describes how the day room is split in two between the Acutes and Chronics. The Acutes are younger patients so named “because
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Chief Bromden (Chief Broom)
Chief Bromden is the narrator of the story. In the first chapter, we find out about his physical appearance. He is very tall, strong and a half native American. He pretends to be deaf and dumb, but actually he is not, because he says that the black orderlies of the mental institution think that he is deaf and dumb, because he never says anything. He seems to be a very awkward character, because of his size and people’s attitudes towards him, but as we know his inner thoughts, we can see that his apparent stupidity and clumsy presence is all an act. The way he appears to the world is a superficial veneer, and gives him opportunities to eavesdrop and find out conversations which any of the other patients couldn’t do. The orderlies also make fun of him because he mops whenever and wherever he is told (that’s why he got the nickname Chief Broom, Chief because he is half native American and Broom because he mops all the time). He seems to be scared of the Big Nurse, he describes her as very powerful. She tells the orderlies to take Bromden aside and shave him, which he tries to avoid, because he says he hates it (Ch.1, Page.6 “Before anybody can turn and look for me I duck back in the mop closet, jerk the door shut dark after me, hold my breath, Shaving before you get breakfast is the worst time”) .
In the second chapter we find out that they had given drugs to Chief Broom. In this chapter however a new patient is introduced to the ward, an Irishman called McMurphy. He is not like the others, and isn't intimidated by the black boys, that impresses the Chief. He introduces himself to the other patients by saying “My name is McMurphy, buddies, R. P. McMurphy, and I’m a gambling fool.”
In the third chapter Bromden describes how the day room is split in two between the Acutes and Chronics. The Acutes are younger patients so named “because