In society it is custom for the men to be dominant over the women. In Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, there is a power struggle between men and women. The characters that demonstrate the power struggle are Nurse Ratched and McMurphy. Nurse Ratched destroys McMurphy and takes what dignity he has, all by being in control of the power that McMurphy and every other man should have. With out the power that men should have, it destroys there self worth, and also takes away their manhood. Nurse Ratched or other wise known as, Big Nurse was the head of the ward at the Mental Institution. She was the all-powerful Big Nurse when it came to her job. “ She walks stiff. When I open my eyes she’s down the hall about to turn into the
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Every day Nurse Ratched held a group meeting to talk about the guy’s problems. The meetings were not held for the men’s benefit, but for her to feel over powering over the men. The power struggle here is when McMurphy stands up for himself. “A pecking party. That certainly is a pleasant analogy, my friend.” (Kesey, 1962). Nurse Ratched does not give McMurphy any emotions, so he does not feel like he has power over her by the comment he makes. McMurphy makes a bet to over ride her power to get out of the power struggle. “Just that. A bee in her butt, a burr in her bloomers. Get her goat. Bug her till she comes apart at those neat little seams, and shows, just one time, she ain’t so unbeatable as you think. One week. I’ll let you be the judge whether I win or not.” (Kesey 1962). McMurphy takes this bet on, but instead of breaking Nurse Ratchet it slowly breaking him …show more content…
He never stopped fighting for his power though. On the other hand Nurse Ratched was the same way, she wanted to hold her power. McMurphy succeeds finally at the next group meeting. He persuades Dr. Spivey into opening the tub room, which makes Nurse Ratched's hands shake. This is a sign of weakness . “ I agreed with him that it did seem a shame and was ready to drop the matter when I happened to think of the old tub room where we store the tables during the ward meeting. We don’t use the room at all otherwise; there’s no longer a need for the hydrotherapy it was designed for, now that we have the new drugs. So how would the group like to have that room as a sort of second day room, a game room, shall we say?” (Kesey 1962). McMurphy becomes big headed with his success and power with the tub room, and ask to watch the World Series also. “What about you, buddy? You want to watch the World Series? Baseball? Baseball games? Just raise that hand up there—”(Kesey 1962). Nurse Ratched gains her power back by manipulated the vote so it falls through to watch the World Series game. But being stubborn the man McMurphy was, he did not want to stop. “And sits that way, with his hands crossed behind his head and his feet stuck out in a chair, a smoking cigarette sticking out from under his hat brim—watching the TV screen.”(Kesey 1962). McMurphy adds to the power struggle by watching a blank screen to rebel against the vote and ticks Nurse
Every day Nurse Ratched held a group meeting to talk about the guy’s problems. The meetings were not held for the men’s benefit, but for her to feel over powering over the men. The power struggle here is when McMurphy stands up for himself. “A pecking party. That certainly is a pleasant analogy, my friend.” (Kesey, 1962). Nurse Ratched does not give McMurphy any emotions, so he does not feel like he has power over her by the comment he makes. McMurphy makes a bet to over ride her power to get out of the power struggle. “Just that. A bee in her butt, a burr in her bloomers. Get her goat. Bug her till she comes apart at those neat little seams, and shows, just one time, she ain’t so unbeatable as you think. One week. I’ll let you be the judge whether I win or not.” (Kesey 1962). McMurphy takes this bet on, but instead of breaking Nurse Ratchet it slowly breaking him …show more content…
He never stopped fighting for his power though. On the other hand Nurse Ratched was the same way, she wanted to hold her power. McMurphy succeeds finally at the next group meeting. He persuades Dr. Spivey into opening the tub room, which makes Nurse Ratched's hands shake. This is a sign of weakness . “ I agreed with him that it did seem a shame and was ready to drop the matter when I happened to think of the old tub room where we store the tables during the ward meeting. We don’t use the room at all otherwise; there’s no longer a need for the hydrotherapy it was designed for, now that we have the new drugs. So how would the group like to have that room as a sort of second day room, a game room, shall we say?” (Kesey 1962). McMurphy becomes big headed with his success and power with the tub room, and ask to watch the World Series also. “What about you, buddy? You want to watch the World Series? Baseball? Baseball games? Just raise that hand up there—”(Kesey 1962). Nurse Ratched gains her power back by manipulated the vote so it falls through to watch the World Series game. But being stubborn the man McMurphy was, he did not want to stop. “And sits that way, with his hands crossed behind his head and his feet stuck out in a chair, a smoking cigarette sticking out from under his hat brim—watching the TV screen.”(Kesey 1962). McMurphy adds to the power struggle by watching a blank screen to rebel against the vote and ticks Nurse