The author, Ken Kessey, in his novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, describes how oppression can be cruel and dehumanizing. Kessey's goal is to reveal that there are better ways to live than letting others control every aspect of a person's life. It adopts a thoughtful tone and using the techniques of imagery and symbolism, it encourages readers, particularly those who are likely to see or experience oppression on a regular basis, to realize how much it can be excruciating and even take action against it. Kessey's vivid imagery is a crucial part of Bromden's perceptions as it provides insight into why Bromden dislikes the Combine, a metaphor he uses for society. For example, in one of his nightmares caused by a lack of medication, he imagines something “like the inside of a huge dam…[with] red and black coal engines and dynamos” (P87). What Bromden visualizes is most likely what he envisions the Combine to look like, because previously, on numerous occasions, he had described everything about the Combine with mechanical aspects. However, unlike before, this is the first time the full scale of the Combine has been shown. Using such vivid imagery, every aspect described, from color to work pieces, helps the reader understand why Bromden fears the Combine so much. To illustrate, the author uses the colors red and coal black to associate the Combine with the image of a fire that burns everything in front of it to ashes. Parts such as motors and dynamos create the idea that the combine is powered by extremely complex, even incomprehensible, mechanisms that no one can compete with. Additionally, Bromden describes the workers in his dream with faces that are "brutal and waxy like a mask", raising a key point about how he views those under the influence...... middle of paper .. ....are those who deviate from the norm and would quickly separate from it. Bromden's description of workers implies that society prefers order and efficiency over anything else, even individual freedom. The oven would symbolize society's method of eliminating difference and the rhythm of the factory would symbolize society's obsession with order and uniform identity. In conclusion, through the use of symbolism and imagery, Kessey illustrates how everyone should value their individualism despite the horrors. with which society can try to crush them. Conforming to society and simply doing what others say is more like a robot than a human. However, fighting against these injustices would be an incredible act of heroism that many fear committing. Works Cited Kesey, Ken. We flew over the cuckoo's nest, a novel. New York: Viking, 1962. Print.