Randle Patrick Murphy In One Flew Over The Cuckoo

The movie centers around the new arrival, Randle Patrick McMurphy, who is a criminal transferred from prison to a mental institution to be evaluated to determine if he is truly insane. When he is first asked by the administrator why he is thought to be insane, McMurphy describes himself with characteristics that seem to fit the description of a sociopath. Shortly following his arrival it is apparent that he has disregard for rules, order and structure. Given this behavior he soon finds an adversary in the rigid and cold Nurse Ratched. He continually challenges her uncompromising authority and encourages other inmates to do the same. He takes pleasure in these challenges until he is informed that she would ultimately control whether or not he would ever leave the mental institution. Where others may reasonably decide, at this revelation, it would be best to at least appear to conform, Murphy acts out more strongly. Meanwhile he also plans an escape for himself and anyone who would join him. Ultimately, a sequence of tragic events results. Nurse Ratched cruelly shames his friend, Billy, to the point he commits suicide. Ratched’s cold and detached reaction to Billy’s suicide provokes …show more content…
As the movie progresses a viewer may start to question if he is in fact a sociopath as he deftly manipulates others to do as he wishes and to do things towards his own advantage without any concern for their safety or well-being. The movie also draws you to question how many of the patients are actually insane. All the while, it becomes apparent that Nurse Ratched’s behavior is unsettling, but not to the point where a viewer is drawn to evaluate her mental state. So while the movie’s audience is steered to focus on whether McMurphy is a sociopath and should be committed, Nurse Ratched exhibits more menacing behavior that with careful observation and analysis could be determined to be