| In 1962, Ken Kesey published his first novel called One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The novel enjoyed an immediate critical and popular success, and was selected into the university textbook in 1970 s. From the perspective of an Indian patient, the novel tells what he sees and hears in the ward, which reflects the absurdity of the American society, the oppression of people and their struggles for freedom and individuality. There is no doubt that Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of the representatives of black humor works. Many domestic scholars analyze the novel from existentialism and Foucault’s theory. However, few researchers deeply explore black humor in the novel. So this thesis tries to make a deep study on the black humor in the novel and reveal the essence of society and the human situation.From the perspective of black humor, this thesis will study the novel from three aspects, namely, themes, writing modes and characterization, to reveal the absurdity and freedom theme, narrative structure, language style and anti-hero characters of the novel. The ward is a microcosm of American industrial society. In the absurd and crazy society, individuality is oppressed, freedom is deprived and the interpersonal relationship becomes unbalanced. However, the author believes that human will be free as long as they make great efforts to struggle for it.This thesis consists of an introduction, the main body and a conclusion. Its main contents are as follows:The first part is an introduction, which introduces Ken Kesey and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and makes a brief summary of the researches on the novel at home and abroad, and then summarizes the frame of the thesis.The body of the thesis is composed of four chapters:Chapter One makes a brief introduction of black humor, including its origin, development and artistic feature. This chapter will also study similarities and differences between black humor and traditional humor.Chapter Two analyzes black humor themes in the novel. Black humor works always relate to the dark side of the society. The environment and severe rules of the hospital and the merciless oppression of patients present the absurdity of the world, and the mental hospital is social reality in America at that time. Although confined in the control of the Big Nurse, McMurphy guides patients to fight against the regulations and struggle for freedom both in body and mind. Finally, patients’ consciousness is awakened and self-identity is realized.Chapter Three studies black humor writing modes in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Instead of telling the story as usual, the novel breaks the limitation of time and space to show the boundless expanse of characters’ inner world. Connecting the real life with imagination or reminiscence, the plots of the novel are lacking in logicality and coherence. Using rhetorical techniques such as irony, hyperbole and metaphor, the author intends to deepen the effects of black humor in the novel to make readers laugh with tears.Chapter Four explores black humor characterization in the novel. Anti-hero is one of significant features of black humor. Taking McMurphy for instance, he is a typical anti-hero who is kind and benevolent while is self-centered at the same time. Although the performances of other patients are different, they are abnormal and pathological persons.The third part is a conclusion, which summarizes special narrative structure and language style to present black humor and reveal the theme of absurdity. Under the chaotic society, people desire for the real freedom.Depicting distorted characters and chaotic order in the society, Ken Kesey desires to expose the absurdity of world and human life. Black humor is the best representation of social conditions. The author satirizes the absurdity of some social phenomena with a cynical attitude in the form of comic tragedy. Exposing the whole American society through the ward, the author tries to tell readers that everyone is a victim of the world and has a right to pursue freedom. |
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