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Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey Quotes

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Famous Ken Kesey Quotes

“You’re just a young kid. What are you doin’ here? You oughta be out in a convertible, why… bird-doggin’ chicks and bangin’ beaver. What are ya doin’ here, for Christ’s sake? What’s funny about that? Jesus, I mean, you guys do nothin’ but complain about how you can’t stand it in this place here and then you haven’t got the guts just to walk out!”

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Author:Ken Kesey
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“The flock gets sight of a spot of blood on some chicken and they all go to peckin' at it, see, till they rip the chicken to shreds, blood and bones and feathers. But usually a couple of the flock gets spotted in the fracas, then it's their turn. And a few more gets spots and gets pecked to death, and more and more. Oh, a peckin' party can wipe out the whole flock in a matter of a few hours, buddy, I seen it. A mighty awesome sight. The only way to prevent it—with chickens—is to clip blinders on them. So's they can't see.”

WayMatterWholeTurnsHoursPartyBloodCoupleSightBonesSpotsChickensFeathersRipBuddyWipeFlewFlocksClipCuckoosBlindersOne Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Book:One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (SparkNotes Literature Guide)
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“But the rest are even scared to open up and laugh. You know, that's the first thing that got me about this place, that there wasn't anybody laughing. I haven't heard a real laugh since I came through that door, do you know that? Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing.”

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Book:One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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“I been silent so long now it’s gonna roar out of me like floodwaters and you think the guy telling this is ranting and raving my God; you think this is too horrible to have really happened, this is too awful to be the truth! But, please. It’s still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it. But it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen.”

IfsThinkingMindLongStillsHardHappensTruthGuySilenceClearHappenedPleaseSilentHorribleAwfulFlewCuckoosMind ThinkingClear MindsOne Flew Over The Cuckoo's NestRanting And Raving
Book:One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: 50th Anniversary Edition
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“This world belongs to the strong, my friend! The ritual of our existence is based on the strong getting stronger by devouring the weak. We must face up to this. No more than right that it should be this way. We must learn to accept it as a law of the natural world. The rabbits accept their role in the ritual and recognize the wolf as the strong. In defense, the rabbit becomes sly and frightened and elusive and he digs holes and hides when the wolf is about. And he endures, he goes on. He knows his place. He most certainly doesn't challenge the wolf to combat. Now, would that be wise? Would it?”

KnowsWorldWayShouldFacesLawStrongNaturalChallengesExistenceAcceptingRolesWiseThis WorldGoes OnMy FriendsWeakStrongerEndureDefenseHolesFrightenedRitualCombatRabbitsNatural WorldFlewBeing WiseElusiveSlyDevouringGetting StrongerRabbit Holes
Book:One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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