McMurphy's Journal

Dear Journal,
  
      Since I'm as "mad" as the rest of the patients, I have to sit through their group meetings too. This Harding guy had this problem with his wife and her breasts. Hoo boy, that "touch upon" joke was so funny. That uptight Nurse Ratched didn't think so, though. Telling them my records, mispronouncing my name. Who does she think she is? Then I try to bring some more fun and games into that meeting, but no one's laughing. So, I just sat and waited before I made any kind of play, like a true gambler. I wasn't a fan of these Group Therapy shindigs. They remind me of my least favorite kind of party, chicken peckin' parties. And it didn't take long for Harding to admit that nurse was peckin' at his everlovin' balls. But that guy's such a coward, sayin' we're all rabbits and Nurse Ratched's the wolf. Goddammit, I'm no bunny or no wolf. Too bad the guys on the ward act like frightened little bunny rabbits. Looks like I'm the one who needs take down Nurse Ratched. Just like my Unk Hallahan, I'm gonna get the best of that woman, without her getting the best of me. No Disturbed Ward, Shock shop, or lobotomy for me. Hoo, I can't wait to get her goat, see her fall apart, and win the bet I made with all them Acutes. I think I'm gonna like this place.

Hamlet's Office Supply Store

Gertrude can be characterized with a ruler because she's queen of Denmark. Her new husband, Claudius, also doesn't measure up to her first husband, King Hamlet. She can also be related to scissors since she cuts ties with King Hamlet by remarrying. She is also spoken to with daggers by her son, Hamlet. Despite partially causing the whole tragedy, Gertrude never wanted families to fall apart. She wanted the families to combine through what would have been Hamlet's and Ophelia's marriage, like papers held together by a paper clip. This is shown through the quote: "I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife; I thought thy bride-bed to have deck'd, sweet maid, and not have strew'd thy grave." 

Ophelia could be portrayed as a post-it note because she stuck to the rules. She responded to Polonius' every command, saying "I shall obey, my lord," even though she was being used. Ophelia also got hung up on Hamlet. Also, like a paper post-it note, Ophelia can easily rip and break. Just like the branch, Ophelia's mind and heart broke. Her love for Hamlet can also be symbolized by a stapler. She desired to stay attached to him, even though he hurt her, as if a staple was driven through her heart.

Laertes can be represented by a pencil, since he was away at school for most of the play because his "thoughts and wishes bend again toward France." He also wanted to erase Hamlet off the face of the earth. By planning to kill him, Laertes was writing out and controlling Hamlet's fate. He can also be seen as a ruler, since he led a rebellion against the palace. This refers to how violent Laertes is, as if he's like sharp scissors. Laertes was only vengeful because he loved his family and was attached to them (paper clip).

To plant, or not to plant

Hamlet's bouquet features purple (royalty) rosemary, for remembering his real father, King Hamlet. Anemome (purple) and double bouvardia (pink) show Hamlet's enthusiasm and anticiptation to take vengence. Unfortunately, he was a bit too patient with his revenge, so aster (purple) for patience is included.  Hamlet's bouquet also ironically contains pink king protea, to show he needs to be daring.

Claudius' bouquet contains purple (royalty) columbine, representing adultery and the affair he had with Gertrude. The snapdragon symbolizes desire, such as Claudius' hunger for his brother's throne. The snap dragon is also red for Claudius' rage against both Hamlets and his passion for Gertrude and power. This relates to the lily that means majesty. The lily is white with pink streaks, representing Claudius being "red-handed" for commiting the murder of King Hamlet.

The bouquet of Gertrude features the blue forget-me-not and yellow rue to symbolize how she wasn't faithful to King Hamlet by marrying his brother, Claudius. There is also white chrysanthemum to refer how readers/viewers never really know the truth about Gertrude: if she was an accomplice of King Hamlet's murder or not. The meaning of secret love for the yellow acacia refers to another one of Gertrude's mysteries: whether or not her relationship with Claudius was before or after King Hamlet's death.

The bouquet for Ophelia includes purple stock, red amaryllis, and purple orchids to represent her beauty. Purple anemome refers to how Hamlet abandoned her, attacking her and all women kind. This, and Polonius' death, broke Ophelia's heart. Ophelia's heart was fragile, hence the pink azalea, and soon her mind grew fragile as she became mad.

Works Cited



Karlsen, Kathleen. "Flower Symbolism with Pictures of Flowers and Their Meanings." Symbol Meaning for Hundreds of Symbols & Symbol Resources, n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

 "Meaning of Flowers" FEELINGS Florist. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

"The Meaning Behind Your Flowers." Wedding Blog. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.
 "Ophelia's Flowers and Their Symbolic Meaning." Index of /. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.