Kesey's novel is an important book that challenges the preconceived ideas of what constitutes sanity and insanity. A mistakenly undertaken power struggle in an insane asylum results in a suicide, a murder, and a liberation, and leaves the reader with a paradoxical feeling that both disturbs and pleases. This is a book of strange magic. This concise supplement to Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest helps students understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.