Billy Bibbit Character Analysis; How Ken Kesey Created Emotional Impact with a Stutter.

 *Spoilers, obviously. Also, it's probably a good idea to read my past blog on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to understand the plotline and characters of this novel. This novel has a huge trigger-warning for self-harm and things of that nature.

(Billy Bibbit, laughing, frowned upon by Nurse Ratched.)

            My opinion on the message One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was trying to convey is evident to anyone who read my original blog post. An aspect of the novel I barely glossed over, however, is the effect Billy Bibbit was intended to have on the reader.

            Bibbit is characterized by a stutter, reminiscent of his unconfident nature. He longs for approval, and suffers severe anxiety over any sort of rejection; he experienced depressive episodes from a proposal rejection and eventually kills himself in fear of rejection and disapproval from his mother. This sad aspect of his character was only more reason for Nurse Ratched to prey on him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAlmBNVVQMw

(Bibbit appears laughing at himself, to fit in with the crowd, probably due to his anxiety. This is from the movie version of the novel.)

            This begs the question of what effect Ken Kesey intended Billy to have on the reader. I can only speak from my opinion, but I believe Bibbit was the novel's main way of portraying the positive impact of McMurphy on the ward. He differs from the other ward patients because he had aspirations, and dreamt of the sort of life McMurphy had--not necessarily a crime-ridden life, but a free life nonetheless. Many of the other ward patients, contrarily, weren't as willing to challenge authority. Billy, however, quickly realized how Randle could be useful towards getting him an enjoyable life; McMurphy exhibited almost father-like behavior in multiple scenes. He helped teach Bibbit how to fish, be more confident, and even abides by Bibbit's request to be introduced to a prostitute (which is admittably less father-like). Bibbit represents a character desperately trying to get out of a system, but who by himself could not muster the power to do so.

            The reader gains empathy for Bibbit because of the implications of his situation; he's trapped under the authority of his mom (meaning he probably had trauma from his entire childhood) and Nurse Ratched, too traumatized to get out. Challenging authority is a common theme in this book, but Billy, despite longing for it the most, is never a revolutionary figure. His situation is similar to Kambili's in Purple Hibsicus, except the ending is not nearly as pleasant for Billy. His behavior resembles Kambili's timidity and gradual rebellion, as both novels seem to get at the same point of why questioning and countering authority is so important. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest discusses the result of one person having too much power over a large group of people, and Billy Bibbit represents someone brainwashed into submission. He struggles to have control over his thoughts, much like Kambili, but realizes his situation isn't ideal.

            By implementing a nervous, stuttering character into the novel, Ken Kesey makes the reader root for Bibbit (an underdog sort of situation, which was accentuated by the presence of baseball-talk in the book). Seeing Billy be so helpless not only antagonizes Nurse Ratched, it makes the reader want Randle McMurphy to stay at the ward. The feelings McMurphy had to protect Billy pass on to the reader as well--I know personally I was infuriated when Nurse Ratched caused Billy to kill himself, much like McMurphy was. Billy Bibbit is one of the most influential characters in any literature I've read because of Kesey's depiction of the rise and fall of an otherwise lively person, due to authoritarianism.