Big Idea Post Wednesday 12/4/13

So in the beginning of tonight's reading two particular passages stuck out to me. The first one starts on page 68 (illustrated version) where Chief starts talking about Big Nurse's time control efforts/ability. Now, we've discussed in class about how Chief is similar to Ben in the fact that he seemingly tells the unedited truth. Yet we've seen how Chief often narrates in a form of metaphor. As we discussed today, we don't 'really' have machinery in our heads, but it works similarly to 'machinery'. Chief isn't stretching the truth, he's just describing it in a way most easily understood by himself. Now does Big Nurse really changing the speed of the wall clock? It's unclear. Possible, but unlikely. What's more likely is that Chief is describing her ability to make them feel rushed and overwhelmed, or bored and sluggish. Yet, as he describes it, there's no advantage or increase in efficiency by her making the clock faster or slower. Well then why does she do it? It seems to be just another way she maintains control/power over the inmates. Chief says: "till the Big Nurse sees everybody is right up to the breaking point, and she slacks off on the throttle, eases off the pace on that clock-dial, like some kid been fooling with the moving-picture projection machine and finally got tired watching the film run at ten times its natural speed" (68). We mentioned today in class about how some of the methods in which the administrators maintain power over the inmates could be making them more crazy; do you think Big Nurse is aware of this? It appears that Chief is.

The seconds passage was less-illustrious, yet interested me because it was an interaction between Chief and McMurphy (75) which shines some light on their relationship, which has been a rare-occurrence so far in the novel, even though they appear to be the two main characters. Basically, McMurphy tests Chief by telling him one of the "black boys" is coming and alludes that he'll get in trouble/be punished if he's not in bed when the guy sees him. Chief has described himself to be deaf and dumb. The administrators already think of all the inmates as dumb, so being deaf would just add to him 'dumbness'. We discussed how the bird in the tree sits still for it's own safety; if it could only save itself by taking flight, would it do so? One would think. So McMurphy has already established himself as a manipulative person (especially shown in the blackjack scene) and he seems aware that Chief, in his impeccable observation, has already figured out how McMurphy manipulates. So, to not only test Chief but also to show Chief that he (McMurphy) has him (Chief) figured out as well, McMurphy makes Chief think his livelihood is in danger, and Chief acts, and in doing so reveals how he neither deaf nor dumb: "He stops laughing and whispers, 'Why, you sure did give a jump when I told you that coon was coming, Chief. I thought somebody told me you was deef'" (75). This subtle section of dialogue shines some light on their relationship; they understand one another and the masks that they both wear. For Chief, it's being deaf and dumb so as to be immediately dismissed, for McMurphy, it's the opposite.