One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?

Question

In the novel, why isn't McMurphy narrating the story?

Answer 1

Well, since he gets a prefrontal lobotomy near the end of the novel, it'd be difficult for him to be the narrator.

"The aides discover the mess the next morning, setting off a series of violent events. When Nurse Ratched finds Billy with Candy, she threatens to tell Billy’s mother. Billy becomes hysterical and commits suicide by cutting his throat. McMurphy attacks Ratched, ripping open the front of her dress and attempting to strangle her. In retaliation, she has him lobotomized, and he returns to the ward as a vegetable. "

Interestingly, the book is written from the Big Chief's POV whereas in the movie Bromden is only shown as a crazy Indian who, not wanting to talk, pretends to be deaf and dumb.

Answer 2

Well, for one thing, it's the author's choice. But for another, he ends up lobotomized at the end, so one assumes he wouldn't have been able to write the story at that point, not with any passion at least.