One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Blog Response

           In the real world fog is something that clouds our vision and perception. However we know what lies outside the fog and how the fog is something separate from our mind. In Chief Bromden´s world this is not quite the situation. The Chief cannot discern between reality and “the fog” which in turn affects his state of mind.

 In times of stress like many people the chief loses control of his thoughts and feels a “fog” drift over him. One could say this fog could be a sedative of some sort but I believe it goes beyond this. We have to keep in mind the chief is mentally ill and is not a reliable narrator; the fog could symbolize something else in the ward. My first impression of the fog was negative as if it were a evil force that seeps through the minds of the chief poisoning his thoughts. But as I read on I came across a quote that changed my thoughts: “One of these days ill quit straining and let myself go completely, lose myself in the fog the way some of the other chronics have.” (37) Once I read this I understood the fog was not exclusive to Chief Bromden. The fog affects all of the patients and as I thought about it I came to the conclusion that it is a metaphor for their state of mind.

The Chief is considering giving in to his illness and completely lose touch with reality as it is the case with some of the chronics. As I continue reading I expect to see a lot more of the Chief´s personal battle with the “fog” and how characters like Nurse Ratchet and McMurphy will affect his struggle.