ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST Study Guide

This 20 page study guide for students is a complete unit, covering the plot, characters and themes of Ken Kesey’s “One Flew
Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in a visually rich and stimulating format. This is the product of my twenty five years of teaching the novel, and covers

1. Background to the writing of the book / analysis of Kesey’s purpose / socio-political context of sixties counter-culture
2. Comprehension on all significant parts of the novel, involving close exercises, short answers, paragraph writing and creative reflection responses
3. Character analysis and outline of conflicting representations (focus on point of view in literature)
4. Further reading and research stimulus

This is intended as a complete, step by step guide to understanding the novel in depth, using cartoons, stimulus poetry and extension activity, and can be useful in teaching to a range of ability levels, with students able to progress at their own rate to grasp the essential social commentary of the novel.