One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Historical Information to Get You Started
Ken Kesey Biography Info
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest History
Ken Kesey Biography Info
- In 1958, Kesey enrolled in a creative writing program at Stanford.
- He joined a study call MKULTRA. It analyzed the effects of psychedelic drugs.
- He worked as a night aide in a veteran’s hospital. His work there inspired the writing of Cuckoo’s Nest.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest History
- Written as part of the Beats literary movement.
- Rejected conventional social norms.
- Protested government’s lack of concern for certain groups:
- The insane
- The criminal
- The homeless
- The insane
- Also protested the Vietnam War involvement (1955-1975)
- Rejected conventional social norms.
- Kesey was involved with the original movie, but left after two weeks because of monetary and story differences. He also didn’t like Jack Nicholson.
- Written in the late 1950s, but published in 1962.
- Genre: Counterculture/Protest Novel
- The novel was referenced on the AP test in 2001, 2012, and 2015.