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Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey. Quotes:. I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismograph. Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing. To hell with facts! We need stories!. There's something about taking a plow and breaking new ground. It gives you energy.

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Ken Kesey

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  1. Ken Kesey

  2. Quotes: I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismograph. Man, when you lose your laugh you lose your footing. To hell with facts! We need stories! There's something about taking a plow and breaking new ground. It gives you energy. You can't really be strong until you see a funny side to things. You don't lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case. http://www.brainyquote.com

  3. Background Born in La Junta, CO on September 17, 1935 Moved to Springfield/Eugene, OR in 1946, attended Springfield High School Family owned a dairy farm, grew up fishing, hunting, river-rafting Champion wrestler, “Most Likely to Succeed” Involved in the arts--theater Attended U of O, graduated (Journalism) in 1957—sports, fraternity, acting Married Faye Haxby in 1957 (met in 7th grade)threechildren, 4thby another woman Scholarship to study creative writing at Stanford—connected with Beat generation, wrote first book (unpublished) Menlo Park Veteran's Hospital: paid experiments with drugs used in psychotherapy (led to Cuckoo’s Nest) http://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-Ka-M/Kesey-Ken.html

  4. Ken Kesey: Where the Beat Generation met the Hippies—said he was too young to be a Beatnik and too old to be a Hippie While at Stanford, participated in US Army experiments involving psychedelic drugs (notably LSD) These tests, along with his interactions with patients and treatment while working the night shift at the psychiatric ward at Menlo Veteran’s Hospital greatly affected his writing, especially Cuckoo’s Nest Conceived Chief Broom during peyote hallucination Wrote much of the book high, edited post-trip

  5. Beat Generation Post WWII generation—1950s NYC-SF Experimented/associated with: rejection of materialism Eastern religion exuberant means of expression, spontaneous creativity non-conformity jazz Drugs sexual freedom Major players: Alan Ginsberg William S. Burroughs Jack Kerouac

  6. City Lights Bookstore

  7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Published in 1962—first published novel, took about 10 months to write Time Magazine: “A roar of protest against a middlebrow society’s rules and the invisible Rulers who enforce them” Very successful Wasserman play hit on Broadway 1963-64 Inspired “Best Picture” winning movie in 1975 starring Jack Nicholson (Kesey not a fan=sued/settled) Counter-culture: questioned the powers at be, and societies definitions of “sane” and “insane”

  8. Cuckoo’s Nest Themes/Central Questions: What do we lose when we lose touch with nature? What is manly? Womanly? What is culture? What is its role in our lives? How is sanity defined? Who defines it? How do we recognize and define good and evil? • What is society and what is its ideal role in our lives? • Is every society equally good for every person? • What do we owe to society? • What is more important, safety or freedom? • What do we, as humans, owe each other? • What is the role of nature in our lives?

  9. Cover Art

  10. Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters 2nd novel Sometimes a Great Notion published in 1964 1964—bought a 1939 school bus named it “Further,” decorated with psychedelic colors, stereos, and traveled cross-country as a group spreading counter-culture movement —LSD acid tests Supported the band named Warlocks (later Grateful Dead) Back in OR, eventually came under fire for drug possession and after second arrest, left for Mexico for 9 months to avoid jail. Served less than a year, and then moved to Pleasant Hill, OR with family and members of Merry Pranksters. Eventually distanced himself from prankster lifestyle and drug use. http://www.ohs.org/the-oregon-history-project/biographies/Ken-Kesey.cfm

  11. After Acid Tests Wrote 2 more novels (one a collection of graduate writing from U of O course he taught) a children’s book, last book Sailor Song in 1992 Smithsonian wanted to obtain “Further” from Kesey’s home (swamp) recognizing his cultural impact, but didn’t want to pay. Family man. Grew blueberries, raised sheep, ranched cattle, worked on school boards, helped small businesses, taught writing at U of O, ran a website, edited a magazine (Spit in the Ocean), coached high school wrestling Died in 2001

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