Mark: Chief's backstory

Cheif Bromden is a fairly enigmatic character. Because he is the narrator if the novel we are in permanent contact with his thoughts and emotions. Furthermore he seems to be the only one to see the fog, that symbolizes the state of solitude and fear that the men live while they are in the ward. "Nobody complains about all the fog. I know why, now: as bad as it is, you can slip back in it and feel safe."(pg 114) The other aspect of the fog is that not only is it their source of solitude but, it is also an imaginary hiding place that the patients use to escape the Big Nurse. The Chief seems to use the fog to his advantage aswell and as the he says on pg 114, it is the only way that they can feel safe. Even though he uses the fog to his advantage he lets McMurphy drag the patients out of the fog and into the real world :"It's like...that big red hand of McMurphy's is reaching into the fog and dropping down and dragging the men up by their hands."(pg 124)