In Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," the setting features two distinct groups of patients in a mental institution. The younger patients, referred to as Acutes, are perceived by the doctors as still having the ability to recover from their mental illnesses. This label suggests that they are receiving treatment with the hope of being cured, as the staff believes they are still sick enough to be helped.

This division between Acutes and other patients highlights the varying degrees of mental health treatment and the institutional approach to recovery. The Acutes symbolize a sense of potential and the possibility of healing, contrasting with the more chronic patients who may not receive the same level of care or attention. Kesey explores themes of empowerment, institutionalization, and the individual’s struggle against authority throughout the narrative.