Ken Kesey

About the Author

Born to dairy farmers in Colorado, Kesey then moved with his family to Springfield, Oregon. In college at the University of Oregon, he married his high school sweetheart Norma “Faye” Haxby in 1956 and they had three children: Jed, Zane, and Shannon. Kesey later had another child, Sunshine, with Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Adams in 1966. Kesey enrolled in a creative writing program at Stanford University in 1958 and joined a study called Project MKULTRA, which analyzed the effects of psychedelic drugs. He worked as a night aide in the veteran’s hospital. His work there inspired him to write One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

LitCharts guides for works by Ken Kesey

Explore LitCharts literature guides for works by Ken Kesey. Each guide includes a full summary, detailed analysis, and helpful resources for studying Ken Kesey's writing.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Chief Bromden serves as the narrator for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He has been a patient at the unnamed Oregon psych ward for ten years, and suffers from debilitating hallucinations of fog. ... view guide