Issues In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

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Censoring Psychopathy Being exposed to graphic material as a child can be scaring and dangerous. Without knowing how to properly analyze the situation, a child could view violent sexual situations and intense violence as normal. In the book "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kersey, the reader sees through the eyes of a man named Randle McMurphy who is a resident in a mental institution. The situations he sees include statutory rape, abuse, and extreme violence appear incredibly graphic. Students in the AP level are well versed in tackling situations such as these and can rationalize why they are included in the book. Although the book "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" shows the reality of a mental institution, the violent and disturbing …show more content…
Due to its violent graphic nature, this book is not suitable for younger audiences. In the article "Understanding the Causes of Children's Violence Can Help Prevent School Shootings" by Thomas K. Capozzoli, the root and prevention of how violence occurs in children is referenced. Capozzoli states, "Another fact about the media is that it may desensitize young people to violence...the constant exposure to violence legitimizes its use in the minds of those who were never introduced to positive behavioral responses" (Capozzoli). If younger students are subject to this book, they may not fully register and compartmentalize the graphic nature and may have the potential to become desensitized to violence. This could cause volatile situations within young students to occur like attempts to handle dangerous weapons and potentially abuse others. Students who have been taught at the AP level understand why certain situations are included within the book. These students can analyze why these situations develop a character's personality and the underlying causes. Teachers can use these accounts to demonstrate to AP students why these situations are inappropriate and how they can be prevented. In the article "Media Violence Leads To Youth Violence" the author writes about how when children see violence, they are more likely to resort to it. The author states that, "'[f]or the last three decades, the one …show more content…
Pupils in the AP level are taught how to analyze these scenes, understand what is right and wrong, and know how these scenes develop the book. Since younger students do not have the same knowledge and maturity as an AP student, they can become desensitized to extreme violence and sexual scenes and end up thinking these situations are normal. The danger and suffering that mentally ill patients had to go through should be known. But the intensity of the circumstances they had to go through are to extreme for younger audiences to read about. Children should not be exposed to these situations at such a young age. To keep them safe from what they come across, this book should be banned for any student under the AP reading
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