Chief Bromden Character Analysis

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Schizophrenia is characterized by abnormal social behavior, and in some severe cases, patients see or hear things that are not real. Chief Bromden shows both of these symptoms. By pretending to be deaf and not saying a word to anyone, Chief Bromden exhibits social isolation which is a common symptom of Schizophrenia. Intentionally excluding himself from having social interactions with other patients is only scratching the surface of Chief Bromden’s mental state.

Firstly, throughout the novel Chief Bromden not only exhibits Social Isolation, but also suffers from vivid visual hallucinations. Before Chief was admitted on the ward, he entered the Army during World War II. Chief may have suffered from some sort of trauma during his service which …show more content…
Secondly, Chief not only suffers from visual hallucinations, but also from sounds in his head. As Chief is in the shaving room, he hears noise in his head,
“It’s not a will-power thing any more when they get to my temples. It’s a … button, pushed, says Air Raid Air Raid, turns me on so loud it’s like no sound, everybody yelling at me, hands over their ears from behind a glass wall, faces working around in talk circles but no sound from the mouths. My sound soaks up all other sound.”(Kesey 5)
Chief is subject to many auditory hallucinations, most of the time he hears a constant ringing in his head. In one instance, the sound in his head reminded him of his high school football days… “Even in the canteen I still heard that sound my heart had knocked ringing in my head, though my heart had slowed back to normal. The sound reminded me of how I used to feel standing in the cold fall Friday night out on a football field, waiting for the ball to be kicked and the game to get going. The ringing would build and build till I didn’t think I could stand still any longer.”(Kesey
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