Billy's Cigarette Burns

On page 115, Chief first tells us that Billy Bibbit has cigarette burns on the backs of his hands.
"He's got a magazine rolled up and is twisting at it with his hands; you can see the cigarette burns on the backs of his hands."
This adds to Billy's character and makes us wonder just how those burns got there, and who gave them to him. Did they contribute to his current condition? What is the significance of them being there and Chief noticing them?

Somewhat of a turning point in the book is when McMurphy tries to get other patients to vote to rearrange the schedule so that they can watch the World Series. Afterwards, after the majority of the group votes against the change, McMurphy attempts to lift some sort of a control panel. Even though he knows it is unlikely that he can lift it he still tries. "McMurphy shifts his feet a few times to get a good stance, and wipes his hands on his thighs again, then leans down and gets hold of the levers on each side of the panel...his head leans back, and tendons stand out like coiled ropes running from his heaving neck down both arms and to his hands"(120). Kesey mentions McMurphy's hands during the lifting process numerous times. His hands are shown as powerful and the driving force behind him lifting the panel slightly off the ground. Also his hands are described as bloody and "red claws" after the panel falls. His hands were fine but after he failed to accomplish what he was hoping for his hands are somewhat deformed, showing failure.

One flew over the cuckoo's HANDS

I think that we can all agree that McMurphy has a a big influence on everyone in the ward. Someone that he initially had trouble "getting to" would probably be Nurse Ratched. But sure enough, like the McMurphy that we all know and love he finally does. Page 108 reads: "The nurse's head gives that one little jerk again, and she beds over her basket, picks up a folio. She fumbles with the papers, and it looks like her hands are shaking." Her hands, in this scene, illustrate how she is feeling. McMurphy finally outsmarts her and she is so upset that she can't control her hands. This is just another prime example of how Kesey uses hands as a way to establish a mood, or moods of characters, in the book. And I know I say it a lot, but I look forward to seeing how Kesey incorporates more hand references throughout this excellent novel.

Hands, pros and cons

If you would look really closely on page 65, you will find another reference to Harding's hands. Oh, I see you don't have your book on you! Well, why don't I read it for you.. "'Harding! Shut your damned mouth!' It's like a slap. Harding is hushed, chopped off cold with his mouth sill open in a drawn grin, his hands dangling in a cloud of blue tobacco smoke." Did you catch it? Well, although a very small reference, Kesey felt the need, when describing how Harding is feeling, to illustrate just exactly what his hands are doing. This shows how much Kesey wants to emphasize hands throughout this book, primarily those of Harding. And that just maybe, we will find a greater significance later in the book to Harding's hands and those of his comrades in the ward.

Harding's Hands part duex

On pages 110-112 we see the characters in the book playing a monopoly game. People seem to be enjoying it, and Harding is being his usual self i.e. trying to act really smart and sophisticated. Harding is defying McMurphy's kindness toward Martini, until McMurphy tells him to "Shut up and roll." Chief then notices Harding's hands/fingers-"Harding gathers the dice up with his long fingers, feeling the smooth surfaces with his thumb as if he was blind. The fingers are the same color as the dice and look like they were carved by his other hand. The dice rattle in his hand as he shakes it. They tumble to a stop in front of McMurphy." (112)

It seems this passage is almost going on in slow motion. Chief takes his time, with great detail, to describe this scene. Yet to me it sounds rather unimportant. We already know a good deal about Harding's personality, and it's no surprise he wants to act professional. To me this passage seems pointless, and I don't see why Kesey mentions this moment, along with many others.

Do you think Kesey's all little details are important and interesting?

On page 29 Kesey writes about the "black boys" that are kept in the ward. "They never make noise when they move...all of a sudden there's a squeak and frost forms along his cheek, and he turns in that direction and there's a cold stone mask floating above him against the wall. He sees just a black face. No body...the black hands and face seem to float against it like a ghost"(29). This passage shows the significance of hands by being one of only two features mentioned of the black boys. Kesey makes it seem that their hands define who they are in some way and that their hands play a role in how they interact at the ward. How do you think Kesey wants us to interpret the hands on the black boys?

Ellis and his hands

Chief tells us multiple times, like on page 31, that Ellis has his hands nailed to the walls in the day room during the hours they are in that room. There are many possibilities for the significance of this. Is it a Biblical reference (Jesus with his hands nailed to the crucifix), or something else? I do not particularly think this is a Biblical reference since Ellis is also described as having pee running down his leg, but what else could it be?
Perhaps it's just simply explaining how helpless Ellis truly is?
The statement has a certain amount of brutality attached to it - Chief tell us Ellis's hands themselves are nailed to the wall, yet we want to believe that it is not his actual hands nailed to the wall, maybe his shirt, or perhaps it is just that he stands there like that with his hands against the wall?

I am not sure of what to make of Ellis at the present time - any thoughts?

Hardings Hands

On the bottom of page 57 it seems Harding loses control his hands, "Harding flinches, and I see his hands begin to creep out from between his knees like white spiders from between two moss covered tree limbs, up the limbs toward the joining at the trunk." Harding eventually regains control of his hands, but not after they settle with a firm grip on his package. I believe Kesey is saying that unconsciously we cannot control our hands, but once our conscious realizes whats up, we regain composure. This is evident on page 57 and 58 because McMurphey talks about the Big Nurse as being a "ball cutter", and Harding rightfully grabs his to make sure their still there. But when McMurphey brings up the fact of Harding's hands, he regains control. I think Kesey might be making such a big deal out of Harding's hands because he wants to ephasize the point of the Big Nurse being a "ball cutter."

What do you think Kesey is saying through this passage, and why is he making such a big deal about Harding's hands at this particular moment?

Description of McMurphy's Hand

"I remember the real clear way that that hand looked: there was carbon under the fingernails where he'd worked once in a garage; there was a dirty Band-Aid on the middle knuckle, peeling up at the edge. All the rest of the knuckles were covered with scars and cuts, old and new. I remember the palm was smooth and hard as bone from hefting the wooden handles of axes and hoes, not the hand you'd think could deal cards. The palm was callused, and the calluses were cracked, and dirt was worked in the cracks. A road map of his travels up and down the West. That palm made a scuffing sound against my hand" (Keezy 24).

Welcome

Welcome to the Handy Men's blog page. We're working on "hands" for the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Feel free to post whenever