"Microcosm" A literary term in which a smaller universe is used as an equivalent to a bigger universe. Ken Kesey's dynamic work in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is the result of many factors. Though it can be classified as being a literary masterpiece, in deeper meaning it acts as a commentator of the bitter reality of modern society. A main theme in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is that the modern society, which is loved so much, is merely an illusion. Using the setting and symbols of the story as his advantage, Kesey is able to establish his powerful viewpoints. Ken Kesey utilizes the mental asylum as a setting to clarify the fuzzy realities planted within today`s society. By using settings like mental asylums, Nurse Ratched's control panel, the boating trip to the shock therapy table, Kesey identifies and defines the superficial values, which...