The incorporation of religious themes into Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest depicts McMurphy as a Christ figure, serving to protect the patients from Nurse Ratched. Just as Jesus stood up for all people against the devil, McMurphy defends the patients of the ward against Nurse Ratched. As a “martyr or saint” would, McMurphy defends the patients regardless of the consequences (222). McMurphy “risk[s] doubling his stay in the nuthouse” to defend the patients against Nurse Ratched (220). If McMurphy complies with the Nurse’s demands he can be released from the ward within a short time. But instead, McMurphy wants to make the patients feel “big” (187). He defies Nurse Ratched’s oppressive ways and builds the patient’s confidence to defend
