Is the psychiatric hospital in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest a real place?

The hospital is never named in the novel, but Ken Kesey drew on his own experience working the night shift at Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Oregon, which later served as the filming location for the 1975 movie adaptation.

When was One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest first published?

Ken Kesey's debut novel was first published by Viking Press on February 1, 1962.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Classics Literary Fiction

Pages: 277
Published: 1962
Language: English

Synopsis

When Randle McMurphy fakes insanity to avoid a prison work farm, he lands in an Oregon psychiatric hospital. He quickly clashes with the oppressive Nurse Ratched and her rigid system, sparking a rebellion among the other patients. This classic novel explores themes of conformity, individuality, and the fight for freedom within the confines of an institution.

11 reviews

How it reads

Dark Thought-Provoking Satirical Emotional

Fish Out of Water Reluctant Hero

Prose complexity 7/10

Content warnings (2)

AbuseTrauma

Readers suggest

This didn't load

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Synopsis

How it reads

Genres

Subjects

Places

Readers suggest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Synopsis

How it reads

Genres, subjects and placesClassics, Literary Fiction, Drama +37

Genres

Subjects

Places

CharactersNurse Ratched, Dale Harding, William "Billy" Bibbit +6

Readers suggest

About the authorKen Kesey

Frequently asked questionsIs the psychiatric hospital in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest a real place? +1